Mrs. Packletide's Tiger

Questions and Answers: (4)

 a) Why did Mrs. Packletide wish to kill a tiger?

Ans.- Loona Bimberton a social rival of Mrs. Packletide, had recently been carried 11   miles with an Algerian aviator. This made Mrs. Packletide intensely jealous of her.To   outshine Loona , Mrs Packletide decided to shoot a tiger.

  

b) What made her decide to give a party in Loona Bimberton's honour? What did she intend to give Loona on her birthday? 

Ans- Mrs Packletide’ sole aim of hunting a tiger was to outshine Loona Bimberton and arouse her jealousy. Her plan was to organize a luncheon party and invite Loona as the guest   of honour. She wished to have an edge over Loona. She decided she would present Loona tiger- claw broach on her birthday.

    

 c) How was the tiger shooting arranged? What kind of a tiger was chosen for the purpose?

Ans-Mrs. Packletide, did not want to exert herself or put herself to risk while shooting a tiger. So she offered a reward of one thousand rupees to anyone who would arrange the killing. Fortunately, a village in the neighbourhood  there was a tiger which suited their purpose.The  tiger choose for the purpose was old and weak. Unable to hunt  big beasts it relied on domestic animals to satisfy its hunger.  

d) In what way did the villagers help Mrs Packletide shoot the tiger?

Ans-The villagers were determined to take up the opportunity of earning Rs1000/-.  They posted children on the outskirts of the village to ensure that the tiger did not wander away from there. Cheaper variety of goats were left around to satisfy the  tiger’s hunger. The women while passing through the forest hushed their singing  so as not to disturb the tiger when he was resting. On the day of the shoot, they made arrangements for the tiger shoot.

  

e)  Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How did she behave during the tiger shooting?

Ans- Lousia Mebbin was a paid companion of Mrs. Packletide. She was not at all devoted to Mrs. Packletide. Being a money minded, stingy and greedy woman, her only concern was money. She was concerned whether the shooting involved danger as she was unwilling to do even a little more work than  what she had been paid for.Since the money for the bait was extra, she wanted Mrs. Packletide  to shoot the tiger before it could harm the bait so that they didn’t have to pay money for the bait.

f) Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss

Ans- The statement is ironical. Mrs. Packletide’s hunting skills were terrible. It was by chance that she managed to kill the tiger. She shot the goat and the tiger died of a heart failure. She successful in achieving her aim without really shooting the tiger. The villagers in order to get the money connived with the story that she was a good shot.

g) What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs Packletide had fired the shot? Why did Miss Mebbin make this comment? How did Mrs Packletide react to this comment?
Ans.-Miss Mebbin commented that it would be interesting to know the reaction of the people if they came to know the reality behind the tiger shoot. She was an opportunistic , materialistic and a manipulative woman. She was laying ground for blackmailing Mrs. Packletide. She intended to take advantage of the situation. Mrs. Packletide was extremely nervous and anxious. She was afraid that if the real story was revealed, she would have to face embarrassment and insult.

h) How did the villagers react to the tiger's death?

Ans.- The villagers were well aware of the truth behind the shooting of the tiger. But their only concern was to get the Rs 1000/-. They were very happy and excited. There was great rejoicing in the village. The victory was celebrated with thumping of tom-toms. They also happily connived with the story that Mrs. Packletide had shot the tiger.

i) Do you think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans.-Yes, to a large extent Mrs Packletide was successful in achieving her heart’s desire. She managed to outshine Loona Bimberton and make her jealous. The news of killing the tiger made Mrs. Packletide famous. Her pictures were in the newspaper and magazine. To celebrate her victory she gave a luncheon party and gifted Loona a brooch made of tiger claw. But her pleasure was short lived as she had to pay a heavy price to buy the silence of Miss Mebbin who blackmailed her.

j) How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she plant so many  tiger lilies in her garden?
Ans.- Miss Mebbin was an opportunistic, calculative and manipulative woman. She knew the story about the tiger shoot and she took advantage of it. She threatened to reveal the truth and blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into giving her the money to buy her week-end cottage. The tiger lilies she planted were symbolic of the animal because of which she managed to acquire the cottage.

k) "The incidental expenses are so heavy," she confides to inquiring friends. Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here?
  Ans-Mrs. Packletide is the speaker of the above lines. The shooting of the tiger proved to be a very expensive affair for her. Apart from spending Rs 1000/- for the tiger shoot, she had to pay 680 pounds as blackmail money to loona Bimberton. She had no choice because Loona would have revealed the truth of the tiger shoot to everyone and caused great embarrassment to Mrs. Packletide.

5 Discuss the following in detail and write the answers. 

(a) Do you think the tiger shooting organized by the villagers was a serious affair?
     Give reasons for your answer.
  Ans-Tiger shooting arranged by the villagers was a serious affair. The whole village got involved in the process of shooting of the tiger. The villagers were eager to earn the 1000 Rupees. So, every effort was made to ensure that the tiger shoot was a success. Children were posted to guard the forest to ascertain the presence of the tiger in the forest. Food was provided  to the tiger in the form of poor quality goats. The villagers also took care to see that the tiger’s rest was not disturbed. On the day of the shoot they took active part in the shoot.

(c) A person who is vain is full of self importance and can only think of himself/ herself and can go to any lengths to prove his/ her superiority. Do you think Mrs Packletide is vain? Give reasons in support of your answer.

Ans. - Mrs. Packletide is obsessed with Loona  Bimberton. Her whole life seems to revolve around her dislike and jealousy of Loona. She is so vain that is willing to go to any length to outshine her. Just to upstage Loona, she organizes a tiger hunt . She pays Rs 1000/-for it because she wants to shoot a tiger without any risk or exertion. After the expedition she calls the press and ensures that her picture and story appears in the newspapers across the world. She even throws a luncheon party and invites Loona to it. Finally, she even gives in to loona’s blackmail and pays her money so that the truth behind the tiger shoot is not revealed.