Mrs Packletide’s Tiger

Introduction

British novelist Saki, whose full name was Hector Hugh Munro, was known for his biting satire of contemporary life. They looked to him as the authority on the short stories. Mrs. Packletide seems to have a lot of bitterness against other people. She planned to use the tiger hunt to surpass Ms. Loona Bimberton and achieve renown for herself.

Summary

The only thing that drove Mrs. Packletide was the need to keep her neighbour, Loona Bimberton, out of sight. When she found out that Loona Bimberton had piloted an aeroplane, she was overcome with unfathomable envy. Because of this, she went in search of a tiger to steal his hide. Just to get everyone’s attention around town.

Tiger

Things worked out for the better in the end. The tiger, elderly and weak, was on its way to the nearby city in search of sustenance. Mrs. Packletide’s offer of a thousand rupees to anyone who could assist her capture a tiger piqued their appetites, since a thousand rupees was a substantial sum back in the day. They made some attempts at trickery to lure the tiger into town. Day and night, kids stood guard on the outskirts of the desert in an effort to lure the tiger into town. The tiger was being held at bay by a scattering of cheap goats. It was recommended that mothers refrain from soothing their infants with lullabies. When I was younger, the big problem was who would be the senior tiger on the day of the chase.

Mrs. Packletide had the tiger cornered with a bound goat as prey, and as soon as the tiger approached the goat, she pressed the trigger. The tiger actually perished because it heard the bullet go through the goat. The villagers kept quiet because they wanted the money, but her friend pressured Mrs. Packletide into buying the pricey cottage for the weekend. After weighing the costs and benefits of the trip, Mrs. Packletide decided she would not go hunting again.

Conclusion

The moral of the story is that envy never leads somewhere good. Even if it wasn’t a falsehood, Mrs. Pickeltide nevertheless paid a steep price for it in this tale. Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger” is, indeed, a comedic tale that satirises the British colonial society in India and makes fun of the ridiculous pursuit of celebrity and social standing. The narrative is humorous because of the irony and satire in it.

Textbook Questions and Answers

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

Ans. Mrs. Packtide wanted to be as famous as her neighbour, Loona Bimberton, so she set out to kill a tiger for the press.

2. 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 decided to have a luncheon party so that she could show off the tiger skin she had just acquired. Her ideal birthday present for Loona was a tiger brooch.

3. How was the tiger shooting arranged? What kind of a tiger was chosen for the purpose?

Ans. Mrs Packletide arranged to hunt a tiger without much risk of exertion by paying thousands of rupees to villagers. A feeble tiger was chosen who relied on easy skills for survival. 

4. In what way did the villagers help Mrs Packletide shoot the tiger?

Ans. Villagers put children on the outskirts for the tiger’s sight and update, goats were scattered to attract the tiger and to prevent it from straying, and mothers were asked not to sing lullabies to their children.

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

Ans. Miss Mebbin was a paid spectator of the tiger hunt. She was money minded as she tried to instigate Mrs Packletide not to pay for goods as it was not killed by Tiger.

6. Mrs Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.

Ans. Mrs Packletide was not a good shot as she went for the tiger but shot the goat instead. The tiger died out of fear, not a bullet.

7. 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 tried to bring everybody and noticed that Bullet hit the goat and not the tiger. The cause of their death was heart failure. The intention was to harass Mrs Packletide and extract more money from her. Mrs Packletide was exasperated at the disclosure of the truth but she knew that money can shut her mouth.

8. How did the villagers react to the tiger’s death?

Ans. The money-minded villagers paid heed to money and believed that Mrs Packletide shot The Tiger in fear that they might lose money.

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

Ans. She achieved what her heart desired, she wanted to kill an animal which she did even though it was a goat, got fame without killing the tiger, and gifted a Tiger claw brooch to Loona Bimberton.

10. How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her weekend cottage? Why did she plant so many tiger lilies in her garden?

Ans. Miss Mebbin got to her cottage by blackmailing Mrs Packletide about missing the shot and killing the goat instead. She planted Tiger lilies to try to find out how she got the cottage.

11. “The incidental expenses are so heavy,” she confides to inquiring friends. Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here?

Ans. Here the speaker is Mrs Packletide. She said so because of the heavy price we paid to get the job done and eventually for concealing the truth through the villagers and Miss Mebbin.

Important Questions

1. Is “Mrs Packletide’s Tiger” a humorous story? 

Ans: Yes, “Mrs Packletide’s Tiger” is a humorous story that satirizes the British colonial society in India and mocks the absurdity of the desire for fame and social status. The story uses irony and satire to create a comedic effect.

2. What are some literary devices used in “Mrs Packletide’s Tiger”?

Ans: “Mrs Packletide’s Tiger” uses various literary devices, such as irony, satire, and symbolism. The title itself is symbolic, as the tiger represents the exotic and dangerous nature of India, while Mrs Packletide represents the British desire for domination and control.

3. What is the message of “Mrs Packletide’s Tiger”?

Ans: “Mrs Packletide’s Tiger” satirizes the British colonial society in India and highlights the absurdity of the desire for fame and social status. The story suggests that such desires often lead to dishonesty and exploitation of others.