Student Question
In "The Tiger in the Tunnel", why didn't Baldeo run when he saw the tiger approaching?
Quick answer:
Baldeo doesn't run from the tiger because he is confident in his ability to fight, stemming from his tribal identity and masculine instincts to protect his family. He carries a small but deadly axe, a symbol of his courage and skill, which he uses to confront the tiger. Baldeo understands he cannot outrun the tiger, so he stands his ground, but ultimately he is killed despite injuring the animal.
Baldeo doesn't run away when he sees the tiger coming towards him because he feels confident in his ability to fight the animal. You can see evidence of Baldeo's confidence in the text. Much of his confidence is derived from his tribal identity and his masculine inclinations, which manifests itself in his desire to protect his family.
Baldeo walked confidently for being a tribal himself, he was used to the jungle and its ways. Like his fore-fathers he carried a small axe; fragile to look at but deadly when in use. He prided himself in his skill in wielding it against wild animals. He had killed a young boar with it once and the family had feasted on the flesh for three days. The axehead of pure steel, thin but ringing true like a bell, had been made by his father over a charcoal fire. This axe was part of...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
himself.
The axe represents Baldeo's courage and fighting spirit. It is also the instrument he uses to fight the tiger who corners him in the tunnel. Baldeo also stands his ground because he knows he can never outrun a healthy tiger. Yet, despite almost severing one of the tiger's legs, Baldeo is mauled to death by the enraged animal after he fails to retrieve his axe from the tiger's embedded flesh.
In "The Tiger in the Tunnel," why was Baldeo uneasy?
One reason why Baldeo is uneasy is because of what he might encounter in the jungle.
Baldeo sets out for the railway station late at night. As he walks through the jungle, the forest creatures are the only things that can be heard. Accordingly, the thoughts of the creatures he might have to confront triggers his uneasiness:
The eeriness of the place was increased by the neighbouring hills which overhung the main line threateningly. On entering the cutting with its sheer rock walls towering high above the rails, Baldeo could not help thinking about the wild animals he might encounter.
Baldeo is uneasy because he does not know what is out there in the vast darkness. He walks to his night job alone, and there is no one else around to dispel his uncertain thoughts. These ideas drift to what might be waiting for him in the dark jungle. Baldeo's uneasiness is further amplified when he thinks about "the man-eating tiger" that roams in the jungle. Baldeo does not know what is out there, but he knows that what is there will not friendly to him. He knows that "there is no shelter" when he is amongst the natural elements. This lack of certainty causes Baldeo's uneasiness.