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. 

Popular posts from this blog

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

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

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more