Rikki Tiki Theme Essay
One theme that is present in the story “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” by Rudyard Kipling is that being curious can often save your life or the lives of others. This theme, while not stated definitely in the text, is prominent throughout.
This theme first presents itself in the first part of the story, when Rikki is found by Teddy and his family. Rikki is revived by the father after having been swept up by a flood and losing consciousness. Had Teddy not been curious enough to wander about and find the seemingly dead mongoose or tell his parents that he had found a ‘dead’ mongoose, Rikki would not have gotten revived by Teddy’s father and would have surely been devoured or attacked by a snake or some other animal while he lay unconscious on the ground. Teddy’s curiosity helped to save Rikki’s life as well as the lives of himself and his family, as without Rikki there to protect them, they all would have been bitten and killed by Nagaina and Nag. …show more content…
Rikki comes upon a tailor bird, Darzee, and his wife, who are weeping from the death of one of their babies at the hands of Nag. Rikki wonders aloud who Nag is, which would lead him to encounter Nag and Nagaina and also kill the snake Karait. Had Rikki not wondered aloud who Nag was, or if he had not been saved by Teddy’s curiosity, Kurait would still wander about in the garden, and Darzee and his wife would have many more children to weep and mourn for. Rikki’s innate curiosity led him to kill Karait and later Nag and Nagaina, saving his own life as well as the lives of Teddy and his family, Darzee and his wife and children, and the other animal inhabitants of the bungalow’s
This theme first presents itself in the first part of the story, when Rikki is found by Teddy and his family. Rikki is revived by the father after having been swept up by a flood and losing consciousness. Had Teddy not been curious enough to wander about and find the seemingly dead mongoose or tell his parents that he had found a ‘dead’ mongoose, Rikki would not have gotten revived by Teddy’s father and would have surely been devoured or attacked by a snake or some other animal while he lay unconscious on the ground. Teddy’s curiosity helped to save Rikki’s life as well as the lives of himself and his family, as without Rikki there to protect them, they all would have been bitten and killed by Nagaina and Nag. …show more content…
Rikki comes upon a tailor bird, Darzee, and his wife, who are weeping from the death of one of their babies at the hands of Nag. Rikki wonders aloud who Nag is, which would lead him to encounter Nag and Nagaina and also kill the snake Karait. Had Rikki not wondered aloud who Nag was, or if he had not been saved by Teddy’s curiosity, Kurait would still wander about in the garden, and Darzee and his wife would have many more children to weep and mourn for. Rikki’s innate curiosity led him to kill Karait and later Nag and Nagaina, saving his own life as well as the lives of Teddy and his family, Darzee and his wife and children, and the other animal inhabitants of the bungalow’s