Class 12 English (Vistas) Chapter 2 The Tiger King

Key Concept: Infant’s Remark

d) He spoke

[Solution Description] The ten-day-old infant, Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, astonished everyone by speaking clearly.

Key Concept: Character Identification

c) The astrologers

[Solution Description] The astrologers were the ones who made predictions about the Tiger King’s future and how he would die.

Key Concept: Satirical Elements, Real World Application

b) By showing the futility of trying to control nature through exaggerated characters

[Solution Description]

The story critiques human arrogance by illustrating how prideful attempts to dominate nature can lead to unforeseen consequences. It uses satire to mock characters who believe they are above natural laws, representing a broader commentary on how such attitudes contribute to environmental destruction. The real-world implication emphasizes the importance of respecting ecological balance, highlighting the necessity for responsible wildlife conservation efforts.

Key Concept: Character Action

b) He brought a tiger from Madras

[Solution Description] The dewan played a crucial role in helping the Maharaja with his quest to kill the hundredth tiger by bringing an old tiger from Madras. He aimed to ensure that the Maharaja would complete his goal.

Key Concept: Character Motivation

b) To defy the prophecy

[Solution Description] The Maharaja was driven by his desire to defy the prophecy that he would be killed by a tiger. By hunting them, he believed he could prevent his foretold fate and demonstrate his power over destiny.

Key Concept: Motivation Analysis

c) He wished to fulfill a prophecy and escape his destined fate.

[Solution Description] The Maharaja’s primary motivation for killing 100 tigers was driven by the prophecy foretold by an astrologer which stated that his death would come from the hundredth tiger. To defy this fate, he vowed to kill 100 tigers before any could kill him.

Key Concept: Simple Irony

b) He dies due to a tiger cub’s plaything

[Solution Description] The irony lies in the fact that despite all his efforts to defy the prophecy by killing a hundred tigers, the Maharaja’s downfall comes from an unexpected cause, fulfilling the very prediction he tried to avoid.

Key Concept: Character Identification

b) A wise fool or jester

[Solution Description] Characters who are often portrayed as clever, witty, or rebellious may utilize satire to challenge those in power by highlighting their flaws or absurdities.

Key Concept: Character Identification

c) The Dewan

[Solution Description]

The Dewan played a significant role in helping the Maharaja fulfill his vow. He even went as far as arranging a tiger from the People’s Park when it became difficult for the Maharaja to find one in his kingdom.

Key Concept: Character Motivation

b) To help the Maharaja fulfill his vow

[Solution Description] The Dewan is motivated by fear of losing his job, as the Maharaja needs to fulfill the vow of killing one hundred tigers, which was hindered by the lack of tigers in the area.

Key Concept: Basic Recall

c) They represented colonial influence and power.

[Solution Description] The British officials represented the colonial influence and exerted power over local rulers, often dictating political and economic policies.

Key Concept: Theme Identification

c) Human arrogance and nature’s retaliation

[Solution Description] The theme that emerges from the Maharaja’s obsessive quest to hunt tigers is human arrogance, highlighting how his pride and overconfidence lead to a disregard for nature and its consequences, ultimately resulting in his downfall.

Key Concept: Conflict Analysis

b) Man vs. Nature

[Solution Description] The main conflict between man and nature exemplifies the theme of human interference. The Maharaja’s attempts to dominate nature through his hunting expeditions highlight the destructive aspects of unchecked human ambition and its consequences on wildlife.

Key Concept: Astrologer’s Prediction

c) He would die one day

[Solution Description] The astrologers predicted that the Tiger King would meet his death by a tiger. This prediction sets the stage for the entire narrative and influences the actions of the Tiger King throughout the story.

Key Concept: Title Significance

c) It provides deep historical narratives

[Solution Description] Kalki Krishnamurthy’s work is significant due to his detailed portrayal of historical contexts and ability to weave cultural narratives into engaging stories, leaving a lasting impact on Indian literature.

Key Concept: Character Identification

b) Writers and social commentators

[Solution Description] Satire is commonly used by writers, comedians, and social commentators as a means to critique and highlight the follies or corruptions of those in power, often through humor or irony.

Key Concept: Basic Recall

d) It embodied the hidden power of destiny.

[Solution Description] The wooden tiger symbolized the hidden power of destiny and played a crucial role in fulfilling the astrologer’s prediction about the Maharaja’s fate.

Key Concept: Satire Identification

c) By highlighting the absurdity of the Maharaja’s obsession

[Solution Description] The story uses satire by exaggerating the Maharaja’s obsession with hunting tigers to point out the ridiculousness and harm of abusing natural resources for egoistic purposes, thereby critiquing those in power.

Key Concept: Consequences Evaluation

c) It risked political tension with the British government.

[Solution Description] By refusing the British officer permission to hunt tigers, the Maharaja put his kingdom at risk of facing political repercussions. Such actions could have resulted in strained relations with the British authorities who held significant power during that period, potentially destabilizing his rule or leading to sanctions.

Key Concept: Complex Cause and Effect, Real-World Application

b) It risked alliances by prioritizing personal goals over mutual benefits.

[Solution Description] The Maharaja married with the primary aim of locating more tigers in different territories. While this might have temporarily strengthened ties or created new ones, it was a strategy driven by self-interest rather than genuine alliance-building. In the long term, such an action could strain relations if the underlying motive is perceived as exploitative by the other kingdom.

Key Concept: Character Traits

c) Servile and cunning

[Solution Description] According to the syllabus, the Dewan is described with specific characteristics: servile and cunning. Servile means that he is obedient or eager to serve the Maharaja, whereas cunning refers to being skillful at deception.

Key Concept: Astrologer’s Prediction

b) He would die from a tiger

[Solution Description] The astrologer predicted that the Maharaja would meet his end due to a tiger. This prophecy formed a significant part of the story’s plot and motivated many actions of the Maharaja.

Key Concept: Irony Identification

d) He dies due to a wooden sliver

[Solution Description] The irony lies in the fact that despite killing 100 tigers to avoid the astrologer’s predicted fatal encounter with a tiger, the Maharaja ends up dying due to a completely unrelated cause: a wooden sliver. This highlights the futility of his attempts to outwit fate.

Key Concept: Symbolic Significance, Real World Application

a) It shows the unpredictable consequences of wielding unchecked power.

[Solution Description] The wooden toy tiger symbolizes the deceptive nature of perceived authority and control. In the story, the Maharaja believes he has conquered the danger forewarned by the astrologer by killing one hundred tigers. However, his unpredicted death by a harmless toy reflects how overconfidence in one’s control can lead to downfall. This symbol serves as a critique of modern-day figures who rely excessively on their authoritative powers without recognizing underlying vulnerabilities, thus relating to real-world scenarios where unchecked power often leads to unexpected failures.

Key Concept: Theme Exploration

b) The futility of human arrogance

[Solution Description] The Maharaja’s obsession with hunting symbolizes human conceit and arrogance, where he believes he can defy fate by sheer willpower. This showcases the theme that human arrogance often leads to downfall because nature or fate cannot be controlled.

Key Concept: Cause and Effect

b) It foretold he would die because of a tiger

[Solution Description] The astrologer’s prophecy predicted the Maharaja’s death would come from a tiger, prompting him to act in ways to prevent this fate through killing tigers.

Key Concept: Symbol Identification

c) The Maharaja’s downfall

[Solution Description] In the story, the wooden tiger is a symbol of the Maharaja’s downfall. It represents how his efforts to avoid fate ultimately led to his demise.

Key Concept: Title Significance

c) He significantly impacted Tamil literature and journalism

[Solution Description] Kalki Krishnamurthy made significant contributions to literature and journalism, which also supported the Indian independence movement by raising awareness through his writings.

Key Concept: Basic Comprehension

c) His death would be caused by a tiger.

[Solution Description] The initial prophecy made by the astrologers was that the Maharaja’s death would be caused by a tiger. This led the Maharaja to take a vow to kill one hundred tigers to counteract the prophecy.

Key Concept: Character Identification

b) He was arrogant

[Solution Description] The Tiger King is known for his arrogance, superstition, and obsession with avoiding his fate as predicted by astrologers.

Key Concept: Theme Analysis

b) Through his relentless tiger hunts

[Solution Description]

The theme of power is evident through the Maharaja’s authority over his kingdom and his obsession with killing tigers. His control is demonstrated by his relentless pursuit to kill 100 tigers in order to defy the prophecy about his death, highlighting his desire to manipulate fate and show dominance over nature.

Key Concept: Comparison

b) The dewan aids in practical matters; the astrologer offers guidance.

[Solution Description] The dewan and the astrologer play contrasting roles; while the astrologer provides ominous predictions that drive the Maharaja’s actions, the dewan acts pragmatically to help the Maharaja fulfill his goals, even if that means bending rules, like bringing a tiger from Madras. One influences through foresight, while the other manipulates circumstances directly.

Key Concept: Simple Cause and Effect

c) To fulfill his vow and control fate

[Solution Description] The Maharaja banned others from hunting tigers because he wanted to ensure that he himself killed all the tigers required to fulfill his vow and attempt to avert the prophecy.

Key Concept: Role of Dewan’s Influence

b) He brought a tiger from outside when no more could be found locally.

[Solution Description]

The dewan played a crucial role in assisting the Tiger King with his quest to kill a hundred tigers. He took supportive actions, such as bringing a tiger from another location, when the local population of tigers dwindled. This assistance reflects how the dewan influenced the king’s path, blending both external support and personal ambition in altering one’s course of life.

Key Concept: Complex Cause and Effect, Irony Identification

d) After orchestrating the death of the hundredth tiger, his false sense of security results in fatal negligence towards a minor hazard.

[Solution Description] The astrologers predicted that the Tiger King would be killed by the hundredth tiger he hunts. In response, the Maharaja embarked on a mission to kill exactly one hundred tigers, believing this would avert his fate. However, his obsessive quest altered his destiny in unexpected ways. Though he seemingly completed his task by killing ninety-nine tigers himself and arranging for the death of the hundredth through his subordinates, it was a toy tiger that ironically caused his death. This outcome highlights the complexity where the prophecy indirectly led to his downfall, as his complacence after thinking he had defeated fate allowed an unforeseen trivial event to bring about his end.

Key Concept: Infant’s Remark

d) He spoke

[Solution Description] When the Tiger King was ten days old, he miraculously spoke and questioned the astrologers about their prophecy regarding his death by a tiger.

Key Concept: Simple Cause and Effect

c) To prevent the loss of his kingdom

[Solution Description] The Maharaja refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers because he was determined to protect the tiger population within his kingdom. Allowing the officer to hunt would have undermined his efforts to save the tigers and could have resulted in negative consequences for his rule.