A Tiger in the House: Summary and Analysis: 2022

A Tiger in the House is a beautiful story by Ruskin Bond and is about Timothy. Grandfather finds Timothy near the intricate roots of the banyan tree and goes on to become a part of the Grandfather’s family. The story talks about the journey Timothy has from being a cub to an adult tiger.

A Tiger in the House Summary

While the grandfather was passing through the Terai jungle, he discovered a tiger cub hiding under a banyan tree and brought him home. He was named Timothy. At first, he was only fed with milk, but he could not digest it, so he was given a diet of meat, pigeons, and rabbits.

Timothy found two companions in the house- the monkey, Toto, and a mischievous puppy who used to pull Timothy’s tail. Initially, Timothy was scared of the puppy. One of his favorite things to do was to move close to the narrator silently. He soon became the size of a hunting dog, and people kept their distance from him on the roads. He had clean habits and slept in the cook’s quarters.

As Timothy grew up, he became dangerous and was not very friendly. Grandmother said that he could kill the cook, Mahmoud, someday. He started to go after the pets and had to be chained more often. Grandfather decided that it was time to transfer him to the Lucknow zoo, where the authorities received him gladly.

After six months, grandfather went to Lucknow and decided to meet Timothy. He went to the cage and said ‘hello.’ H.’even put both his hands around his head, patted him, and tickled his ears. He hit him lightly when he growled. The leopard in the next cage was growling and scaring him. Grandfather went to request the authorities to change his cage. Grandfather was talking to a keeper and told him that he gave Timothy to the zoo, and now seemed like the time to say goodbye to him. Another keeper watched as he was alarmed. A keeper recognized him and told grandfather that Timothy passed away two months ago because of pneumonia, and the tiger in the cage was dangerous and was caught last month. The tiger was still licking his arms. Grandfather withdrew his arm and left the zoo.

A Tiger in the House Analysis

Once, the author’s grandfather was walking down the forest along with people and found a tiger cub. He decided to bring him home. The grandmother named him Timothy and gave him a bottle of milk. As Timothy grew older, they also fed him with raw mutton, cod liver, pigeons, and rabbits.

As a cub, Timothy was friends with the monkey, Toto, and a puppy. Timothy was scared of the puppy initially, but they soon became friends, and the puppy rested on Timothy’s back. The author was Timothy’s favorite when he came to live with his grandparents. He would be around him and pretend to bite his ankles.

Timothy used to sleep in the cook’s quarters. As he became older, about six months old, he became less friendly. He used to eat the small animals, pulled his chain hard, and snarled at everybody. But, he had clean habits and used to scrub his face with his paws, just like a cat.

Timothy was becoming dangerous as he grew up, so the grandfather decided to take him to the zoo in Lucknow. He was taken in the first-class compartment. Grandfather visited him after six months. He went and patted the tiger’s forehead, prickled his ears, and whacked his mouth. The tiger licked grandfather’s hands and sprang away when the leopard in the next cage snarled at him. Grandfather decided to meet the Superintendent and request that Timothy was transferred into another cage. However, he could not meet him.

He went back to big the tiger goodbye and patted the tiger. A keeper recognized the grandfather and told him that Timothy passed away because of pneumonia. He also told him that the tiger was trapped last month and is very dangerous. The tiger was still licking grandfather’s arm. He somehow took out his hand, gave the keeper a disrespectful look, and said ‘goodnight’ to the tiger.

A Tiger in the House Theme

In the story, the narrator talks about a childhood anecdote and its theme that love and faith are extremely powerful and can move mountains. Timothy was sent to the zoo. There, the grandfather unknowingly patted a very dangerous tiger. His loving action changed the fierce tiger into an unbelievable pet, and the bystanders were surprised. The story reflects that one’s fundamental nature or traits do not change a person, irrespective of the environment.

The story is an excellent example of people receiving love when they give it. Love and affection changed even the most terrifying of animals and have the power to affect society too. The dangerous tiger was possibly stunned by such behavior and reciprocated it soon enough. It is a heartwarming and exciting story.

A Tiger in the House Analysis Key Points

This is a famous story by Ruskin Bond. The narrator’s grandfather brings home various animals and takes care of them. The story is about a tiger cub, Timothy, who the grandfather brought home. Initially, he was very amicable with the two other pets in the house. There was a monkey, Toto, and a puppy. As he grew up, he became dangerous and had to be left in the zoo. They took him to the zoo in Lucknow.

After six months, grandfather visited the zoo and patted the tiger, and the tiger licked his hands. The tiger was scared of the leopard in his cage. So, grandfather requested the authorities to change cages. He came to know that this was a wild tiger that was trapped the previous month. Also, that Timothy passed away two months ago because of pneumonia. He bid the tiger goodnight and went home.