Are zoos morally

wrong?
Should they be
abolished?
• Throughout the world, countless thousands of animals and birds are kept in appalling conditions in zoos,
circuses and private ownership. Even in modern zoos lions, tigers and other big cats repeatedly pace,
frustrated because their hunting and territorial instincts are denied.
• At present Wild tigers are in crisis and the main threat is human activity, while captive animals are
exploited in zoos and circuses. In the wild, less than 5,000 tigers remain. The largest population is in India
but less than 1,500 survive there. Threats include habitat loss due to mining, damns, logging, farming and
human settlement; poaching for traditional Chinese medicine (tiger bone is used to treat rheumatoid
arthritis)
• Captive animals often feel trapped - a normal response considering that is exactly their situation.
A multitude of stories, ranging from a bi-polar polar bear being put on Prozac to donkeys and wildcats
that self-mutilate, point to the severe and cruel dysfunction that results from living in settings like zoos,
wildlife centers, circuses, and even private homes.
• Captive animals have no voice and are often at the mercy of their supposed caregivers who, in some
reported cases, have beaten, whipped, wounded, or otherwise tortured and tormented these animals. Even
when caregivers actually do try their best, the conditions under which some captive animals are forced to
live are unbearable. For example, animals with paw pads suffer from rough or hot pavement, wire cages
that cut and maim them, and diseases that come from living in unsanitary conditions. Food quality can
also be poor, and some animals have no choice but to drink dirty water.
 • George Leslie Norris (21 May 1921 – 6 April 2006), was a prize-winning Welsh poet and
short story writer. He taught at academic institutions in Britain and the United States,
including Brigham Young University. Norris is considered one of the most important Welsh
writers of the post-war period, and his literary publications have won many prizes.
• Up to 1974 he earned his living as a college lecturer, teacher and headmaster. From 1974 he
combined full-time writing with residencies at academic institutions in Britain and the
United States.
• Norris published his first poem in 1938 and by 1943, he published his first book of poetry. His career as a poet began
to take off when his first collection Finding Gold was published in 1967. By 1980 Norris published three volumes in
the Phoenix Living Poets. His publication Ransoms had won the Poetry Society's Alice Hunt Bartlett Prize in 1970.In
addition to poems and short stories, Norris published translation, biographies, and reviews. His personal works deal
with such themes as his Welsh home, his past, especially the pre-war period, his experiences as a teacher, nature, and
the life of the instinct. He is considered a fine technician. In 1989 he published a translation of Sonnets to
Orpheus with another professor at BYU.
• His work was won numerous awards, including the Cholmondeley Poetry Prize, the David Higham Memorial Prize,
the Katherine Mansfield Memorial Award, the AML Award for poetry (in 1996), and the Welsh Arts Council Senior
Fiction Award. He is also an honorary Doctor of Letters of the University of Glamorgan, and honorary Doctor of
Humane Letters of BYU. Leslie is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Welsh Academy.
• Leslie died on April 6, 2006 in Provo.
He stalks in his vivid stripes But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
The few steps of his cage, His strength behind bars,
On pads of velvet quiet, Stalking the length of his cage,
In his quiet rage. Ignoring visitors.

He should be lurking in shadow, He hears the last voice at night,

Sliding through long grass The patrolling cars,
Near the water hole And stares with his brilliant eyes
Where plump deer pass. At the brilliant stars.

He should be snarling around

houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!
Liberty and Freedom
Every human or animal loves freedom. No one likes to be imprisoned. In the poem, the tiger is not free. It
has been encaged and its liberty has been snatched away. It cannot show its power and courage as it used to
show in the jungle. It cannot roam around. Thus it has rage in its eyes. But it is encaged. Hence it cannot do
anything and thus remains quiet.
Animals Rights
The poet is also throwing light on the rights of animals. Man has encaged wild animals for his
entertainment. It is unjust because every living organism must have right to liberty and freedom. In the case
of tiger, he has been forcibly put in the cage.

The poem is a beautiful representation of the plight of animals. It is a shame that such a powerful, agile and
untamable animal like tiger should be caged in a zoo. In his natural and wild habitat, he doesn’t need the
help of any kind to hunt its own food. His hunting of deer at the water hole may seem rather cruel. He
hunts not for pleasure but for food. His presence in the natural habitat is necessary to maintain the balance
of food chain. Sometimes, the tiger may stray into human habitation. He only displays his strength and
ferociousness. But he doesn’t harm anyone till he is provoked. Even in the cage, he ignores all those who
come to the zoo to see him as entertainment. Like human beings, the tiger too loves and values his freedom.
He shows his anger, hatred and even defiance by walking about in rage in his cage. Human progress should
not be at the cost of destroying the natural habitats of untamable and proud animals like the tiger
The tiger is a proud creature. It is a shame that such a
powerful, agile and untamable animals should be caged in a
zoo. In his natural and wild habitat, he doesn’t need the help
of any kind to hunt its own food. His hunting of deer at the
waterhole may seem rather cruel. He hunts not for pleasure
but for food. His presence in the natural habitat is necessary
to maintain the balance of the food chain. Sometimes, the
tiger may stray into human habitation. He only displays his
strength and ferociousness, but he doesn’t harm anyone until
he is provoked. Even I the cage, he ignores all those who
come to the zoo to see him as entertainment. Like human
beings, the tiger too loves and values his freedom. He shows
his anger, hatred and even defiance by walking about in rage
in his cage. Human progress should not be at the cost of
destroying the natural habitats of untamable and proud
animals like the tiger.
The poem consists of 5 stanzas, each made up of 4
lines. The rhyme scheme is: abcb, abcb, abcb, abcb,
abcb. The poem has two distinct settings. The first
is the zoo where the tiger is held in a cage. The
second is the natural wild habitat of the tiger
which should have been his real place. The
personification of the tiger is evident ass the poet
calls him he and not it. The tense tone represents
the hidden rage of the tiger
‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ by Leslie Norris was written in 1938 when the poet was 17 years old.
From age 12, Norris wanted to be a poet and listened to the poetry of Dylan Thomas
and Vernon Watkins. Whatsoever, through this poem, he presents the attitude of men
towards animals. Men drive pleasure from captivating wild animals behind bars. It, not
only pains those animals but the poet’s heart also pains for their sufferings. Moreover,
through this poem, he advocates for the freedom of zoo-animals.
The poem begins with a description of a tiger that is very beautiful and is
walking in his little cage. He has beautiful stripes on his skin and has
velvet like soft paws. But the tiger is not happy and is quite angry about
being confined in the cage. The poet says that if the tiger was not
confined to the zoo cage, he would have been hiding himself behind the
long grass near some water body, in order to catch its prey that is the
deer. Also, he would have terrorised the residents of the villages around
the forest area. But the reality is totally opposite to this. He was confined
in a cage which was made up of strong building material and he was
helpless there. He could not show his power to the visitors, therefore,
never tried to terrorize them. The tiger is described as being powerless
and agonized by the poet. He says that during night also he is alone,
hearing the voice of the patrolling vehicles of police and looking at the
stars. The cage life has totally changed the tiger’s personality. The poet is
trying to say that the animal which is famous for its fearlessness and
freedom is confined and sad due to the human beings who want to derive
pleasure by looking at him in the zoo cage.
 ‘He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.’

Word meanings
• Stalks: follows
• Vivid: bright colored
• Pads: paws of tiger
• Rage: anger

Here the poet says that the tiger that is confined in the zoo moves around in the cage under his
bright colored skin. He further says that the tiger can take only a few steps because the cage is
small and it is not easy to move in it. One cannot hear his footsteps because he has very soft feet,
like velvet because of which there is no sound of the tiger’s footsteps. The tiger tries to control his
anger by quietly walking in the limited area of his cage. He is angry because he is not free.
• Rhyme scheme: abcb (cage-rage)
• Personification: The tiger is personified because the poet refers him as ‘he’.
• Metaphor: Tiger’s paws are compared with velvet (pads of velvet)
• Enjambment: Sentence is continuing to next line without any punctuation mark.
• Imagery: poet tries to create an image about the tiger (He stalks in his vivid stripes The few steps
of his cage)
• Consonance: use of ‘s’ sound (stalks, his, stripes)
• Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘I’ (in his vivid stripes)
• Oxymoron: use of adjectives opposite in meaning (quiet rage)
 ‘He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.’

Word meanings
• Sliding- moving quietly
• Water hole- small body of water
• Lurking: To be hidden as to wait for your prey

The poet says that if this tiger was free, he would have hid himself behind the long grass near the
water bodies so that he could easily catch a deer in order to have it as its food. Basically, the poet
wants to say that the actual life of a tiger is to live in jungle where he could catch his prey and eat
it but the tiger in the cage can not do so.
• Rhyme: rhyme scheme is abcb (grass-pass)
• Enjambment: Line continues to next line without punctuation marks. (Sliding through….deer
pass)
• Alliteration: use of sound ‘p’ at the start of two words (plump pass)
• Imagery: The poet has tries to create an image of tiger’s activities (lurking in shadow).
 ‘He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!’

Word meanings
• Snarling: warning sounds made by animals
• Baring: uncovered
• Fangs: Sharp tooth of animals
• Terrorising- scaring, evoking fear

The poet says that if the tiger would have been free, he would have snarled around the houses
located at the outskirts of the forest. He would terrorise people with his sharp tooth and claws.
This would create fear among the people living in the villages
• Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (edge, village)
• Enjambment: Line continues to next line without punctuation marks (He should be snarling
around houses At the jungle’s edge,)
• Onomatopoeia: using words which denote sound (snarling)
• Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘I’ (should, around, houses), (Baring, his, white, his)
• Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (his, fangs, his, claws)
 ‘But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.’

Word meanings
• Concrete: building made of bricks, cement, sand and water
• Stalking- stride somewhere in a proud, stiff, or angry manner.
• Behind bars- in captivity

Now the poet comes to the reality of the tiger that is inside the cage. He says that the tiger is
confined in a strong cell which is made of strong building material. He further says that as the
tiger is behind bars, so his ferociousness is also behind the bars. He just stalks in the cage. He
never tries to terrorise the visitors because his power is restricted by the cage. Therefore, he never
tries to terrorise the visitors as he cannot attack them.
• Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (bars-visitors)
• Personification: The tiger is personified because the poet refers him as ‘he’.
• Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘e’ (he, locked, concrete, cell)
• Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (his, strength, bars)
• Alliteration: use of sound ‘b’ at the start of two words (behind bars)
 ‘He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.’
Word meanings
• Patrolling: to guard, to vigil
• Brilliant- brightly shining

The poet says that in the night, the tiger hears the sounds of the patrolling cars. Patrolling cars
are the vehicles of police which are used to guard at night. So, in the night the tiger hears the
sounds of these cars. He then stares at the shining stars with his shining eyes. The poet wants to
say that the tiger is sad and as he is confined in the cage, so, he cannot do anything. Therefore, he
stares at the stars in the night and tries to divert his thoughts towards them.
• Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (cars-stars)
• Enjambment: Line three continues to line four without any punctuation mark. (And stares with
his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.)
• Alliteration: use of sound ‘h’ in the starting of two words (he hears)
• Assonance: use of ‘I’ sound (with, his, brilliant)
Through the poem 'A tiger in the zoo', the poet , Leslie Norris tries to impart the message that wild
animals are better off in their natural surroundings , rather than in captivity. Even though they
face the risk of getting killed or poisoned in their habitat, they are at least free to roam wherever
they want, hunt their own prey and live with their brethren.

In the zoo they are forced to live in concrete cells, in a helpless and frustrated state, depending upon
the zookeepers for food and water. They are kept as showpieces to entertain and educate the public.
They are helpless, they are at the mercy of the authorities. They can't even reveal their anger,
which builds up inside them. The noble, mighty and ferocious tiger is reduced to the state of a poor,
helpless creature.

The animals, just like humans, long for freedom. They look longingly at the stars with their
brilliant eyes. When humans don't like being kept captive, how can they did the same to animals?
Thus , the poet tells that wild animals should not be kept captive, rather they should be let free in
their natural habitats
He stalks in his vivid stripes,
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
(a) Why the tiger could walk only a few steps?
(b) How does the tiger move in the cage?
(c) What are the two qualities of the animal under reference?
(d) Why is he in quiet rage?

Answers:

(a) The tiger could walk only a few steps because he was locked in a very small cage.
(b) The tiger moves very slowly and quietly in a threatening way.
(c) The tiger has vivid stripes on his body and soft velvet pads.
(d) He is in quiet rage as he is locked and his freedom has been curtailed. Thus, he is unable to show
his anger and ferocity.
Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(i) On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage.
(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition?

Answer:
This repetition used by the poet is a poetic effect in order to increase the intensity of the tiger’s
rage and his silent helplessness from the concrete cell of the cage. ‘Velvet quiet’ refers to the velvet
pads of the tiger which are quiet and unable to run or leap. The tiger could do nothing but just
walk around the limited space of his cage. The use of ‘quiet rage’ signifies the anger and ferocious
nature of the tiger that is building up inside him as he wants to run out freely into the forest and
attack a deer. However, the tiger’s rage is quiet as he is locked inside the cage and is in a helpless
condition. The repetition of ‘quiet’ has given a lyrical beauty to the poem. Similarly, the use of the
term ‘brilliant’ for both the tiger’s eyes and the stars also portrays the majestic nature of these
lines. The tiger stares at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes as he dreams about how beautiful
and pleasing life, he could have led in the forest. Thus, the repetition depicts a wonderful effect and
brings magnificence to the poem.
Freedom is a birth right. It is the most beautiful gift of god. It is valuable for all human beings as
well as for creatures,” Discuss with reference to the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo.”.
Answer:
Freedom is the most beautiful gift of god. Freedom is a birthright, without freedom all is in vain.
Since the man has come on his earth, he tries to enslave the weaker sections for his own selfishness.
If a bird lives in a golden cage, it cannot become happy. It loves to fly freely in an open sky. In the
same way, if ‘ a man lives in a prison and gets everything, he cannot feel happiness. But if a man
lives freely, he will be happy even in poor conditions. In this poem, we find the descriptions of two
tigers, one is in a cage and second in an open field/forest. There is a great contrast between their
behaviors.

Describe the tiger in the cage.

Answer:
The tiger in the cage is just a diminished form of his original self. He paces up and down in the cage
restlessly. He is confined in the narrow cell and keeps staring the stars as if longing for freedom. He
is helpless and draws pity for his condition.
What is the tiger doing? Why is he ignoring the visitors?
Answer:
The tiger is slowly and quietly moving along the length of the cage in a threatening manner. He is
ignoring the visitors because he considers them devoid of any feelings. None of them thinks of
releasing him from his prison. Thus, he stops taking any notice of them.

Why do you think the tiger looks at the stars?

Answer:
The tiger feels very helpless in the cage. He stares with hope at the brilliant stars shining in the sky.
He hopes for the day when he would be able to run free in the wild. The brilliant stars, thus,
provides him with some sort of comfort.
But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
(a) What does the phrase ‘his strength behind the bar’ suggests?
(b) Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?
(c) What is the tiger doing in the cage?
(d) What does the expression ‘stalking the length of the cage’ imply?

Answer:
(a) It means that he is helpless as he is locked in a cage.
(b) The tiger ignores the visitors because he considers them devoid of feelings as none of them tries
to help him out of the prison.
(c) The tiger is moving slowly and quietly along the length of the cage.
(d) It implies walking to and fro in helplessness.
1. He should be snarling around houses At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!
a) What does the poet try to suggest through these lines?
(b) How does the tiger scare the people?
(c) Why does ‘he’ snarl?
(d) How does ‘he’ show his presence?

2. He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass,
Near the water hole,
Where plump deer pass.
(a) Who is ‘He’ here?
(b) Where should he be lurking?
(c) Where should he be sliding?
(d) Who would pass through the water hole?
1. Love for freedom is the natural instinct of every living being. Comment(80-100 words)
2. What does the poet convey through the poem? (30-40 words)
3. Why should the tiger snarl around houses at the edge of the forest? (30-40 words)
4. Why does the tiger express his rage quietly? (30-40 words)