Tikki Tavis Figurative Language
Danielle Harrison
English 101
K. Kemp
May 2, 2012
The short story that I had analyzed was Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling. I decided that characters, figurative language, and plot all gave a significant amount of support to the development of this story. Without these components of the story, I feel as if the story as a whole would not be at the level that it is at now. There were many characters with several different personalities in this short story. Rikki-Tikki, the mongoose, was the main character also the protagonist. He was very brave, protective, and clever. Nag and Nagaina, the king cobras are both very evil and devious. They are husband and wife trying to protect Nagaina’s eggs. The king cobras are the antagonists. Teddy was the nice, warm-hearted, very oblivious little boy who found Rikki-Tikki washed up on the shore of his bungalow. Teddy’s parents were there with Teddy when he found Rikki-Tikki. They were major factors in helping Rikki-Tikki get back to health and gain his energy back. Teddy and his parents are minor characters in the story. Darzee and his wife are tailor birds who are the definition of opposites attract. Darzee is a little dumb and afraid of things, while his wife is very clever and brave. All of the …show more content…
characters have names that are a tiny bit weird. This is because each of their names comes from the meaning of their name in India. Figurative language gives the reader a mental picture of what is exactly going on in the story.
Metaphor, simile, and personification are among the ones that stuck out the most. Using metaphor, the king cobra says “I am death”. The snake here is comparing himself to death. Simile is using like or as and in the next sentence, Rikki-Tikki is compared to both a cat and a weasel. “He was a mongoose, rather like a little cat in his fur and his tail but quite like a weasel in his head and habits”. Personification is give animals human qualities. “Chuchundra is a broken-hearted, little beast. He whimpers and cheeps all through the night, trying to make up his mind to run into the middle of the room but never gets
there”. Foreshadowing, suspense, and conflict are all a part of the plot of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. When Rudyard Kipling first stated that Rikki-Tikki was a little curious, it had let me know as the reader that he was nosey and that someway somehow Rikki-Tikki would get his nose into something. Another foreshadowing clue is that both Rikki-Tikki and Nag are the main focus of the story and that as well foreshadowed that there would be a conflict between the both of them. Suspense within the story was mostly found right before Rikki-Tikki went to battle with an antagonist. Darzee created the most suspense right before Rikki-Tikki battle with Nagaina. Darzee states, “It’s all over with Rikki-Tikki! We must sing his death song valiant Rikki-Tikki is dead! For Nagaina will surely kill him underground”. This gave suspense that Rikki-Tikki might not make it out of the underground nest, but Rikki-Tikki came from the nest victoriously kill Nagaina. The main conflict is between Rikki-Tikki, Nag, and Nagaina. Rikki-Tikki does not like the two king cobras and wants to kill them because Nag and Nagaina want to kill Rikki-Tikki, Teddy, and his parents because the cobras feel as if they are and endangerment to them and their eggs and Rikki-Tikki feels it is his duty to protect them all.
English 101
K. Kemp
May 2, 2012
The short story that I had analyzed was Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling. I decided that characters, figurative language, and plot all gave a significant amount of support to the development of this story. Without these components of the story, I feel as if the story as a whole would not be at the level that it is at now. There were many characters with several different personalities in this short story. Rikki-Tikki, the mongoose, was the main character also the protagonist. He was very brave, protective, and clever. Nag and Nagaina, the king cobras are both very evil and devious. They are husband and wife trying to protect Nagaina’s eggs. The king cobras are the antagonists. Teddy was the nice, warm-hearted, very oblivious little boy who found Rikki-Tikki washed up on the shore of his bungalow. Teddy’s parents were there with Teddy when he found Rikki-Tikki. They were major factors in helping Rikki-Tikki get back to health and gain his energy back. Teddy and his parents are minor characters in the story. Darzee and his wife are tailor birds who are the definition of opposites attract. Darzee is a little dumb and afraid of things, while his wife is very clever and brave. All of the …show more content…
characters have names that are a tiny bit weird. This is because each of their names comes from the meaning of their name in India. Figurative language gives the reader a mental picture of what is exactly going on in the story.
Metaphor, simile, and personification are among the ones that stuck out the most. Using metaphor, the king cobra says “I am death”. The snake here is comparing himself to death. Simile is using like or as and in the next sentence, Rikki-Tikki is compared to both a cat and a weasel. “He was a mongoose, rather like a little cat in his fur and his tail but quite like a weasel in his head and habits”. Personification is give animals human qualities. “Chuchundra is a broken-hearted, little beast. He whimpers and cheeps all through the night, trying to make up his mind to run into the middle of the room but never gets
there”. Foreshadowing, suspense, and conflict are all a part of the plot of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. When Rudyard Kipling first stated that Rikki-Tikki was a little curious, it had let me know as the reader that he was nosey and that someway somehow Rikki-Tikki would get his nose into something. Another foreshadowing clue is that both Rikki-Tikki and Nag are the main focus of the story and that as well foreshadowed that there would be a conflict between the both of them. Suspense within the story was mostly found right before Rikki-Tikki went to battle with an antagonist. Darzee created the most suspense right before Rikki-Tikki battle with Nagaina. Darzee states, “It’s all over with Rikki-Tikki! We must sing his death song valiant Rikki-Tikki is dead! For Nagaina will surely kill him underground”. This gave suspense that Rikki-Tikki might not make it out of the underground nest, but Rikki-Tikki came from the nest victoriously kill Nagaina. The main conflict is between Rikki-Tikki, Nag, and Nagaina. Rikki-Tikki does not like the two king cobras and wants to kill them because Nag and Nagaina want to kill Rikki-Tikki, Teddy, and his parents because the cobras feel as if they are and endangerment to them and their eggs and Rikki-Tikki feels it is his duty to protect them all.