RUBY PARK PUBLIC SCHOOL

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger - Saki

Reference to Context

“In a world that is supposed to be chiefly swayed by hunger and by love Mrs.
Packletide was an exception; her moments and motives were largely governed
by dislike of Loona Bimberton.”

(i) How Mrs. Packletide’s behaviour different from others?

(ii) What governed her motives?
(iii) Who was Loona Bimberton?
(iv) How was Mrs.Packletide an exception?

Answer:
(i) Mrs. Packletide’s behaviour was different from others. Satisfaction of the
primary human requirements like hunger and love was not as important to her
as defeating Miss Loona Bimberton was.
(ii) Her motives were governed by her intense hatred for Loona Bimberton.
(iii) Loona Bimberton was the arch rival of Mrs. Packletide. She was just as
vainglorious as the latter was, and both the women were in constant battle to be
on top of the social ladder.
(iv) Mrs. Packletide was neither swayed by love nor by hunger.

Answer the following:

1. “It was Mrs. Packletide’s pleasure and intention that she should shoot a
tiger.” Why was Mrs Packletide intent on shooting a tiger? What does this tell
us about her character?

Answer:
Mrs. Packletide did not nurse any lust or craze to shoot a tiger. She intended to
indulge in the game only because of her dislike for Loona Bimberton, who had
captured the limelight by flying eleven miles in an aeroplane piloted by an
Algerian aviator. Her motive was to dissipate the fame of her rival Loona.
Therefore, she planned to do something as adventurous as shooting a tiger. This
would definitely cause a sensation and the limelight would naturally shift on to
her.

2. What preparations were made for the shooting by the villagers?

3. Who accompanied Mrs. Packletide for the shooting? Was she helpful?

Louisa Mebbin, a ‘paid companion’ of Mrs. Packletide, accompanied her. She

was of no use to Mrs. Packletide. On the contrary, she distracted her mistress
persistently with her weird and unwarranted remarks. She was a thrifty woman.
She did not approve of wasting money for shooting an old tiger. She pretended
to be afraid of the tiger, to avoid putting in any extra work. She believed in
doing only as much as she was being paid for.

4. “Mrs. Packletide was pardonably annoyed at the discovery.” What led her to
be annoyed?

Miss. Louisa Mebbin’s observation led to the discovery that it was the goat that
died of the bullet of Mrs. Packletide’s rifle, and that the tiger was killed of heart
failure caused due to the banging noise of the rifle. This annoyed Mrs.
Packletide as the mortal wound was visible on the goat’s body but no wound
was visible on the tiger’s body.

5. What was LoonaBimberton’s reaction at Mrs. Packletide’s instant fame?

The vainglorious LoonaBirnberton, arch rival of Mrs. Packletide, expressed her

reaction in the most childish manner. She refrained from reading any paper or
weekly that carried the pictures and news about Mrs. Packletide for several
weeks. However with very repressed emotions, she accepted the birthday gift,
though she declined the luncheon invite.

6. Do you think Miss Mebbin was really devoted to Mrs. Packletide?

Miss Louisa Mebbin was Mrs. Packletide’s paid companion who escorted her
for the shooting. No, she was not at all devoted to her. Rather, her actions at the
platform revealed that she was money-minded and a manipulative woman. She
felt that she must in no case offer her services more than the amount she had
been paid for. On the other hand, she dissuaded Mrs. Packletide saying that she
ought not to have paid such a heavy amount for the old tiger. Shrewd as she
was, she further advised Mrs. Packletide that if the beast did not touch the goat,
she must not pay for shooting.
CBQ

1. “Materialistic morals of high sophisticated society lead to hollowness and

shallowness.” What Values do you learn from Mrs. Packletide’s materialistic
morals and vaingloriousness?
Answer:
The story ‘Mrs Packletide’s Tiger’ lays the shallowness and hollowness of the
so-called sophisticated elite of the society who go about pursuing hazardous
activities not to taste personal thrill and excitement but to impress people
around. They pose to expose themselves to risk and danger but in reality they
use money and power to ensure their safety and comfort while getting their false
brave images built.

The people like Mrs. Packletide who consider themselves smart enough to
outshine others often get outsmarted themselves. The actions of these
manipulative people can backfire and recoil on them. Like Mrs. Packletide tried
to outshine Loona Bimberton but she herself became a prey of Louisa Mebbin
who blackmailed Mrs. Packletide to earn money. Her weakness for publicity
and vaingloriousness made her a matter of laughter and humour. Mrs.
Packletide wanted to hunt a tiger but in reality she hunted a lamb. Mrs.
Packletide’s showy nature brought only hollowness and shallowness for her. A
person can be great by great thinking and good actions not by money and
vaingloriousness.

2. Before targeting anyone, one must not forget that even a biter can be bitter.”
Explain with the reference to the story Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger. What values do
you learn from the story?

It is Mrs. Packletide’s vanity that had made her enact the tiger hunting drama.
Her urge to outshine Loona Bimberton was nothing but an attempt to satisfy this
vanity. Her posing for the photographs and throwing on luncheon party with the
tiger skin prominently spread in the drawing room reflects this vain lady’s
efforts to prove her superiority and become a celebrity.

Mrs. Packletide targeted Mrs. Loona Bimberton but she herself was targetted by
Miss Mebbin. The manipulative Miss Mebbin started blackmailing Mrs.
Packletide. To keep her mouth shut and not to reveal that she (Mrs. Packletide)
hunted a lamb not a tiger, she had to pay an exorbitant price to Miss Mebbin.
Thus, the people who consider themselves smart enough to outshine others
often get outsmarted themselves we should try to get name and fame by our
good deed not by insulting and having rivalry to others. The manipulative
actions can be backfired and recoiled on ourselves.

3. Envy blinds men and makes it impossible for them to think clearly. Malcolm
X. Explain this quote in reference to the lesson, Mrs Packletide’s Tiger.