Skip to main content

In "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" what does Chuchundra do all night? Why is he afraid of Rikki-Tikki?

Chuchundra, the muskrat, is described as a "brokenhearted little beast." All night long he tries to get up the courage to be able to run into the middle of the room, but he is too cowardly to do so. Instead he just hugs the wall, whimpering and cheeping all night. Not surprisingly, then, when Rikki approaches him, he begs him, almost weeping, not to kill him. Of course, Rikki has no intention of harming the...

Chuchundra, the muskrat, is described as a "brokenhearted little beast." All night long he tries to get up the courage to be able to run into the middle of the room, but he is too cowardly to do so. Instead he just hugs the wall, whimpering and cheeping all night. Not surprisingly, then, when Rikki approaches him, he begs him, almost weeping, not to kill him. Of course, Rikki has no intention of harming the muskrat and tells him so. Then Chuchundra finds another reason to fear Rikki: He imagines that the cobra, Nag, will mistake Chuchundra for Rikki and kill him some night. That thought is equally ludicrous because Rikki is lithe and quick, while Chuchundra is heavy and plodding. Beyond that, Rikki points out that Nag lives in the garden, a place that Chuchundra doesn't go. Chuchundra's fear of Rikki, just like his fear of the middle of the room, is groundless. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more