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Question
Did Mrs. Packletide achieve her heart’s desire? Give reasons for your answer.
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Solution
Yes, for the most part. Mrs. Packletide got the trophy and attention she wanted, but it cost her a lot of money and was not honest.
She ended up with a dead tiger and the press photos she had hoped for. The villagers, eager for the thousand-rupee payment, gladly believed the lie that she had killed the tiger; in reality, the tiger died of a heart attack after the rifle report. She planned the lunch on Curzon Street around a tiger skin as the centrepiece and even made Loona a tiger-claw brooch to give her. Both the rug/photos and the brooch were meant to be a response to Loona’s recent successes. The fact that Loona refused to look at illustrated papers for weeks and sent a cool, repressed thank-you letter for the brooch shows that Mrs. Packletide’s plan did have the social effect she wanted. In a social sense, she got what she wanted because she beat Loona in public, but the victory was tainted (achieved through a cover-up), costly, and not particularly satisfying.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Answer the following question in your own words :
Why did Mrs. Packletide wish to kill a tiger ?
Answer the following question in your own words :
How was the tiger shooting arranged? What kind of a tiger was chosen for the
purpose?
Answer the following question in your own words :
In what way did the villagers help Mrs. Packletide shoot the tiger?
Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How did she behave during the tiger shooting?
Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.
How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she plant so
many tiger lilies in her garden?
Do you think the tiger shooting organized by the villagers was a serious affair?
Give reasons for your answer.
Do you think the writer is trying to make fun of the main characters in the story i.e. Mrs. Packletide, Miss Mebbin and Loona Bimberton? Pick out instances from the story that point to this fact.
A person who is vain is full of self importance and can only think of himself/herself and can go to great lengths to prove his/her superiority. Do you think Mrs Packletide is vain? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Sometimes writers highlight certain negative aspects in society or human beings by making fun of them. This is called a Satire. In your groups, discuss whether you would classify this story as a satire. Give reasons to support your answer
Rewrite the one in ordinary prose so that the meaning is retained.
It was Mrs. Packletide's pleasure and intention that she should shoot a tiger.
....................................................................................
Rewrite the one in ordinary prose so that the meaning is retained.
Mrs. Packletide had already arranged in her mind the lunch she would give at her
house on Curzon Street, ostensibly in Loona Bimberton's honour, with a tiger-skin
rug occupying most of the foreground and all of the conversation.
……………………………………………………
Years later Mrs. Packletide writes her autobiography. As Mrs. Packletide, write
about the tiger episode with the help of the clues given below.
| jealous of the applause Loona was getting-thought of tiger hunt--all arranged-- Louisa Mebbin accompanied; turned out to be a blackmailer-huge price to pay to outdo a rival |
The Maasai tribe in Africa hunt lions because
Solo hunting has been banned because
The hunting of lionesses is discouraged because
The Maasai warriors chase a lion with rattle bells to
Answer the following question:
Why does the author say that Louisa Mebbin had a "protective elder sister" attitude towards money?
