How to Tell Wild Animals

How to Tell Wild Animals 

1. Central Idea: 

The poem humorously describes how to identify wild animals through exaggerated and comic encounters. 

2. Themes: 

 Humour in Nature: Wild animals are described in a playful, entertaining manner. 

 Danger and Curiosity: It explores human curiosity about animals despite the danger. 

 Satire of Instructional Guides: The poem mocks scientific guides by using absurd, fatal “instructions.” 

3. Message: 

The poem teaches that identifying wild animals might sound easy, but it can be dangerous and absurd in reality. 

4. Perspective: 

The poet adopts a humorous and ironic tone, speaking directly to the reader in a mock-instructional style. 

5. Poetic Devices: 

 Rhyme Scheme: Regular rhyme (AABB) adds musicality and humor. 

 Alliteration: E.g., “novice might nonplus” enhances rhythm. 

 Imagery: Vivid descriptions like “noble wild beasts yell” create mental pictures. 

 Irony: Instructions lead to fatal outcomes, creating situational irony. 

 Personification: Animals are given human traits or reactions. 

6. Setting (1 line): 

The poem is set in a fictional jungle or wild environment where dangerous animals are encountered. 

7. Total Characters: 

 Narrator/Poet: A witty, ironic observer giving mock-advice. 

 Wild Animals: Tiger, Asian Lion, Leopard, Bear, Crocodile, Chameleon – described with exaggerated traits. 

Character Traits (Animals): 

1. Asian Lion – Fearsome, roaring, noble. 

2. Bengal Tiger – Fierce, agile, aggressive. 

3. Leopard – Quick, dangerous, deadly. 

4. Bear – Huggable-looking but strong and wild. 

5. Crocodile – Deceptively calm, deadly. 

6. Chameleon – Quiet, color-changing, elusive. 

7. Hyena: If you see an animal with a merry smile, it's a hyena, and if it's crying, it's a crocodile.  

8. Narrator – Humorous, ironic, playful, sarcastic. 

Question and answers 

Q1-Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does? 

Ans-The actual word is dying which does not rhyme with lion. In order to create rhyme, it is written as ‘dyin’ in the 

poem. 

Q2- How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him? 

Ans--The poet differentiates between the two in the following manner- 

He says that if the beast is of yellow- brown colour that is tawny colour and it roars out so fiercely that you may die out of 

fear, then this is an Asian lion. 

Whereas, if the animal has black stripes on yellow background of hthe skin and he attacks to kill you, then it is a Bengal 

tiger. 

Q3- Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them 

like this? 

Ans-– The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ have not been spelled correctly. It is a poetic device known as poetic license which is 

used by the poet to lay emphasis on the actions of the leopard. 

Q4- Look at the line “A novice might nonplus”. How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why is the poet’s ‘incorrect’ 

line better in the poem? 

Ans--The correct order of the sentence is ‘a novice might be nonplussed’. The poet wrote it in order to bring rhyme to her 

poem. nonplus rhymes with thus. 

Q5- Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the ideas are funny as well. If 

there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these with the class, speaking briefly about 

what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny? 

Ans-– Yes, it is true that the poet has used the language in a way that it arises humour. The poet has used many lines that 

are funny. One such is ‘If he roars at you as you’re dyin’.You’ll know it is the Asian Lion…’ or the other one is ‘A noble 

wild beast greets you’. So his idea of explaining the characteristics of the wild animals is quite funny. 

HOTS Question: 

Q: How does the poet use humor and irony to make a serious topic like wild animal encounters entertaining? Illustrate 

with examples from the poem. 

Answer: 

The poet uses humor and irony by describing deadly encounters with wild animals as if they are simple identification tips. 

For instance, she says that if a creature "roars at you as you’re dying," then it must be an Asian Lion. This ironic 

suggestion – that you can only identify the animal after it attacks you – makes the poem funny despite the dangerous 

subject. The use of rhyming couplets, playful language, and exaggeration (like calling a leopard’s pounce a way to 

recognize it) turns serious warnings into comical instructions, making the poem amusing rather than frightening. 

Value-Based Question: 

Q: What lesson can we learn about the importance of caution and respect for nature from the poet’s humorous 

description of dangerous animals? 

Answer: 

Despite the humorous tone, the poem indirectly teaches us to be cautious and respectful of nature and wild animals. It 

shows that wild creatures, though fascinating, are dangerous and should not be taken lightly. The exaggeration in the 

poem reminds us that curiosity without caution can lead to harm. Thus, we must appreciate wildlife from a safe distance 

and understand that respect for nature also means recognizing its power and unpredictability.