How To Tell Wild Animal

 

Poem – How to Tell Wild   Animal

 

Introduction:

The poem “How to Tell Wild Animals” by Carolyn Wells is a kind of dark comedy. To help identify various wild animals, the poet describes their characteristics in a humorous and exaggerated manner. Although she suggests dangerous and unrealistic ways to recognize these animals—such as being eaten by a tiger—her playful use of language creates a strong sense of humour. The poem combines wit and irony, making the descriptions both amusing and memorable.

Summary:

In the first stanza, the poem describes how to identify an Asian lion. It says that if someone goes into the jungles of the East and sees a large, tawny beast whose loud roar is enough to scare or even kill a person, then it must be an Asian lion.

Similarly, when an animal with black stripes on a yellow body attacks and eats a person, it can be identified as the Bengal tiger.

If an animal with black spots all over its body leaps at someone suddenly, then it is a leopard. The bear is known for giving a strong hug, which may be fatal.

The difference between a hyena and a crocodile is that crocodiles shed tears while hyenas appear to smile cheerfully.

Finally, the poet humorously explains that if someone cannot see anything on a tree, it could be a chameleon, as it changes its colour to blend with its surroundings, making it difficult to spot.

Poetic Devices:

Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed

Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line

         Example:

·         and if there…..tawny beast

·         if you were walking….creature there

Inversion: Change in the format of a sentence.

       Example: 

·         if there should to you advance

·         The Bengal Tiger to discern

Assonance: repetition of vowel sound.

           Example:  

·         you should go, should to you, roars, (sound of ‘o’)

·         or if some time when roaming round (sound of ‘o’)

·         strolling-forth-you, whose-spot, do no good to roar (sound of ‘o’)

·         meet a creature there (sound of ‘e’)

Allusion: Reference to a famous thing, place, species of animal, etc. (Asian Lion, Bengal Tiger)

Alliteration: repetition of consonant sound.

Example

·         ‘r’ at start of two or more closely connected words (roaming round)

·         Use of ‘h’ (he has)

·         use of ‘w’ sound (when-walking),

·         use of ‘b’ sound (be-bear)

Poetic license: A liberty to the poet to change the spellings in order to create rhyme or rhythm in a poem (use of lept instead of leapt)

Repetition: use of ‘lep’ word in the last line.

 

Additional Questions

1.    How can you identify the Asian lion and the Bengal Tiger?

2.    How can you distinguish between a hyena and a crocodile?

3.    How does a leopard behave when he sees someone?  

4.    What is so weird about the Hyena and the crocodile?

5.    Read the following extract and answer the following questions.

If when you’re walking round your yard

You meet a creature there,

Who hugs you very, very hard,

Be sure it is a Bear,

If you have any doubts, I guess

He’ll give you just one more caress.

 

(a) Who is going to hug and why?

(b) This hug is also called?

(c) What is the antonym of ‘Caress’?

(d) Where can a bear be found?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Road Not Taken

 The Road Not Taken  The Road Not Taken -       Robert Frost Introduction The poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ is based on common day to day life experience, when we have to make one choice out of many choices. At this point in time, we need to make the fullest use of our wisdom to choose the right option. In this poem, the two roads symbolize the choices that are presented by the life to us. Our future and the way of living our life totally depend on the decisions taken by us in the present time. Later on, sometimes, we look back and become thoughtful about those decisions we took in the past. Peeping in the past, we also wonder how our life would have been completely different had we chosen the other options. Title The title of the poem suggests us that it is indicating about absence. It is about the road that was “Not Taken” by the poet. And it gives him time and space to rethink about his decision. But on the other hand, the title may suggest that the poe...
Read more

Chapter 4 The Basic Writing Skills

  Chapter 4 Basic Writing Skills 1. Tick () the correct option. a. Which of the following field(s) use writing as a medium of communication? i. Medicine                                       ii    Education      iii. Technology                               iv All of these   b. Which of the following is necessary for effective writing? i Grammar and spellings                 ii. Concept and idea iii. Environment                      ...
Read more

The Fun They Had

Chapter 1 The Fun They Had Additional Questions: Q1. What are the reactions of Margie and Tommy to the real book? Q2. How were Tommy and Margie assessed in their subjects? Q3. Which is, according to you, an ideal school – the one where students study together in a special building or the room at home with a mechanical teacher (computer) in it? Q5. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. He was round little man with a red face and a whole box of tools with dials and wires. He smiled at Margie and gave her an apple, then took the  teacher  apart. Margie had hoped he wouldn’t know how to put it together again, but he knew how all right, and, after an hour or so, there it was again, large and black and ugly, with a big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions were asked. That wasn’t so bad. (a)    Who was the round little man in the above lines? (b)    Why did he come with the box of tools with dials and wires? (c) ...
Read more