A Tiger in the House: CBSE Class 7 English Supplementary Chapter 9

Summary of 'A Tiger in the House'

The story begins when the narrator's Grandfather discovers a small tiger cub hiding among the roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra. Grandfather brings the cub home and names him Timothy. Initially, Timothy is a delightful pet. He drinks milk from a bottle, and his companions are Toto, a bold monkey, and a small mongrel puppy. The narrator becomes one of Timothy's favourite playmates. As Timothy grows, his diet changes to raw mutton and cod liver oil. He sleeps in the narrator's room and is always happy when the narrator comes to play. However, at about six months old, a change comes over Timothy. He becomes less friendly and more dangerous. He starts to stalk people, including Mahmoud the cook, with what looks like villainous intent. When he begins to follow the narrator around the house with a predatory look, Grandfather decides it's time to move Timothy to a zoo. Grandfather takes him to the zoo in Lucknow, where the authorities are happy to receive a well-fed tiger. About six months later, Grandfather visits the zoo and goes straight to Timothy's cage. He strokes the tiger, who responds affectionately. However, a keeper informs a shocked Grandfather that his Timothy had died of pneumonia two months earlier. The tiger he was stroking was a different, very dangerous tiger trapped in the hills only a month ago.

Key Characters in the Story

Timothy

The tiger cub who is the central character. He is raised by the narrator's family and shows the journey from a playful pet to a wild animal.

Grandfather

A kind, animal-loving man who finds Timothy and brings him home. He is knowledgeable about animals but is also emotional, as seen in his attachment to Timothy.

The Narrator

Grandfather's grandson. He is Timothy's primary playmate and shares a special bond with the tiger cub during his early days.

Grandmother

A practical and prophetic character. She is initially hesitant about keeping a tiger but tolerates it. She often warns about the potential danger.

Mahmoud

The family cook. He has a fearful but comical relationship with Timothy, especially as the tiger grows bigger and more menacing.

The Life Cycle of Timothy

1. Phase 1: The Playful Cub — Timothy is brought home as a small cub. He is bottle-fed, and his best friends are a monkey and a puppy. He loves playing with the narrator and is treated like a member of the family. His favourite amusement is to stalk anyone who plays with him.
2. Phase 2: The Growing Threat — When Timothy is about six months old, his wild instincts begin to surface. He becomes stronger, larger, and less friendly. He starts stalking the cook, Mahmoud, and even the narrator. His playful nips become more forceful, showing his wild nature can't be completely tamed.
3. Phase 3: The Move to the Zoo — Realizing the danger Timothy poses, Grandfather decides he is no longer safe to keep at home. He arranges for Timothy to be transferred to a zoo in Lucknow, believing it is the best place for him.
4. Phase 4: The Final Revelation — Six months later, Grandfather visits the zoo. He interacts with a tiger he believes is Timothy. However, he is informed by a keeper that his Timothy died two months prior. The tiger in the cage is a different, more ferocious animal, highlighting the tragic end of Timothy's story and the untameable nature of wild animals.

Important Themes and Messages

• Human-Animal Bond: The story beautifully portrays the deep affection that can exist between humans and animals, as seen in the relationship between the family and Timothy.
• The Call of the Wild: A central theme is that wild animals possess instincts that cannot be completely erased, no matter how they are raised. Timothy's eventual turn to his predatory nature proves this.
• Love and Loss: Grandfather's attachment to Timothy and his sorrow upon hearing of his death (and his mistaken interaction with the new tiger) highlight the pain of losing a beloved pet.
• The Illusion of Control: The story suggests that humans only have an illusion of control over nature. Despite all their love and care, the family could not change Timothy's fundamental tiger nature.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why did Grandfather decide that it was time to transfer Timothy to a zoo? A: Step 1: Identify the change in Timothy's behaviour. At around six months of age, Timothy became less friendly and more aggressive. His wild instincts started to show. Step 2: Mention specific incidents. The story notes that Timothy started to stalk Mahmoud, the cook, with 'villainous intent'. More importantly, he started stalking the narrator, his close friend, which was a clear sign of danger. Step 3: Conclude with Grandfather's decision. Seeing these dangerous signs and realizing that Timothy could no longer be safely kept as a pet in a house, Grandfather wisely decided to move him to a more suitable environment, a zoo. Final answer: Grandfather decided to transfer Timothy to a zoo because the tiger cub, now grown larger, became less friendly and started showing his dangerous, wild instincts. He began stalking the cook and even the narrator, making it unsafe to keep him at home.
• Q: What were Timothy's two companions at home, and what was their relationship like? A: Step 1: Identify the companions. The story mentions two companions for Timothy in the household. Step 2: Name the first companion and describe the relationship. The first was Toto, the monkey, who was bold enough to pull the young tiger by the tail. Timothy would get angry, and Toto would climb up the curtains to escape. Step 3: Name the second companion and describe the relationship. The second was a small mongrel puppy found by the narrator. Initially, the puppy was scared of Timothy, but they eventually became good friends. Timothy would allow the puppy to crawl on his back and rest there. Final answer: Timothy's two companions were Toto the monkey and a small mongrel puppy. The monkey, Toto, would tease Timothy by pulling his tail. The puppy was initially afraid but later became a good friend, and Timothy would even let the puppy rest on his back.
• Q: Describe the 'shocking revelation' Grandfather experienced at the zoo. A: Step 1: Describe Grandfather's interaction with the tiger. Grandfather visited the zoo and went to the cage where he believed Timothy was kept. He stroked the tiger's forehead, tickled his ear, and smacked him across the mouth, and the tiger seemed to enjoy the attention. Step 2: Explain the keeper's intervention. A keeper, who had been watching, was alarmed. When Grandfather told him it was his tiger, the keeper delivered shocking news. Step 3: State the revelation clearly. The keeper revealed that Grandfather's tiger, Timothy, had died of pneumonia two months ago. The tiger Grandfather was petting was a different, very dangerous tiger that was caught only a month before. Final answer: The shocking revelation was that the tiger Grandfather was affectionately petting at the zoo was not Timothy. The zookeeper informed him that his Timothy had died two months earlier from pneumonia, and the current tiger was a very dangerous one recently captured from the wild.
• Q: What does the ending of the story tell us about wild animals? A: Step 1: Analyze the final scene. The story ends with Grandfather's horrified realization and his difficult walk away from the zoo. He had believed he had tamed a tiger, but the reality was much different. Step 2: Interpret the keeper's warning. The keeper's fear and his statement that the new tiger was 'very dangerous' contrasts sharply with Grandfather's gentle memory of Timothy. Step 3: Formulate the main message. The ending powerfully suggests that wild animals, despite being raised in a loving human environment, retain their wild instincts. It implies that a tiger belongs in the wild or a secure enclosure, not as a domestic pet, because its true nature is untamable and potentially dangerous. Final answer: The ending of the story teaches us that wild animals ultimately belong in the wild. Even when raised with love and care like Timothy, their innate, wild instincts can take over, making them unpredictable and dangerous. The story serves as a reminder that we cannot completely tame a wild creature's fundamental nature.

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