Key Points from "How to Tell Wild Animals" Poem for Easy Revision
The poem “How to tell wild animals” is composed by Carolyn Wells who became popular after this piece of literary work. In the poem, Wells is trying to point out the different ways in which wild animals can be justified. Here in the poem, Miss Wells describes wildlife in an entertaining and lively manner. She says that if we visit Asia, we should be aware of the different animals, and how they attack. To understand what the poetess said in her poem, visit Vedantu and check the experts’ views.
How to Tell Wild Animals Class 10 Summary
The Poem How to tell wild animals is written by Carolyn Wells, who became quite well-known become of this Poem. In this Poem, Miss Wells tries to point out different ways in which we can identify wild animals. Here in this Poem, she describes the wildlife in a lively manner. She tells us that if we go to Asia, we must be aware of the different animals and their ways of attacking, which we should know off. She places grave importance on being informed and keeping a general knowledge of the various animals out there just if we ever find ourselves in a situation where it becomes an absolute necessity to know about these animals.
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The Poem is quite humorous as the poet talks about the fearful animals in a very light way. She says if the roar of an animal is so fearsome that you are scared you are going to die, then that must be an Asian Lion. She also talks about the fearful Bengal Tiger that she explains as an animal that only kills men. Then she moves on to talk about if an animal is black-spotted and pounces on you, it is probably a leopard. Then she comes to the Bear apparently, which will try to hug you tightly till death. She then tries to differentiate between a Hyena and a Crocodile, and she moves on to talk about the Chameleon.
Summary of the Poem How to tell Wild Animals
In this poem, the poet describes dangerous animals in a manner that would scare us humans but is funny. She introduces these animals differently and peculiarly, which makes these animals sound so interesting. First, she starts with the Asian Lion that she starts by telling her readers if they were ever to go to Asia and they say an animal with tawny skin roars so fearlessly, which may scare us to death, then that animal is the Asian Lion.
Then she moves on to the Bengal tiger, which she describes as a royal animal that kills a man once it attacks. Once again, here we can see her sense of her humour as she says if a beautiful black striped animal kills us and eats us, then indeed it is a Bengal Tiger. The next animal has black-spotted skin, and if it jumps on us, it is a Leopard. She says there is no point in crying out for help or in pain because once it attacks, it will not stop attacking.
Then she brings in the giant animal that is the Bear, which is known for hugging but not in s lovable manner but that it hugs so tight to kill its prey.
After talking about the Bear, Miss Wells poses the question to her readers if they would be able to recognize Beasts that hunt their prey; from there, she answers it by comparing Crocodiles and Hyenas. She compares them by saying Hyenas always have smiling faces, whereas Crocodiles always have tears in their eyes. Towards the end, she talks about Chameleons and describes it as a creature that does not have wings and ears like an ordinary lizard. She uses those key features to differentiate between lizard and Chameleon. She also talks about the Chameleon's unique feature where it can change colours according to background and surface. She further explains this by saying when we see a tree, we see a tree only and not a chameleon sitting on it, and this is because it must have already changed its colour to match the branch of the tree.
Class 10 How to Tell Animals Summary
The poet places great importance on remaining informed and having basic knowledge of various animals in case if we encounter them where it becomes essential to know the animals. The poem is humorous as the poet describes feared animals in a witty way. She makes the point that if the roar of the animal is so fearsome that you are afraid that you are going to die then that animal can be identified as the Asian lion.
The poet also makes a mention of the Bengal tiger and she depicts it as the animal that only maims and kills men. Then she talks about the black-spotting of the animal and if that animal pounces upon you then it is likely to be a leopard. Then she describes the bear by saying that it might try to hug you tightly until death. She then makes the differentiation between the crocodile and the hyena, and then she goes on to mention the Chameleon.
About the Poet
Carolyn Wells was born in New Jersey, the USA on the 18th of June 1862, and she died in 1942. Wells was deeply into literary work since 1900 and she wrote more than 170 books in various genres such as children's books and detective books. She was recognized for her incredibly popular Patty Fairfield, A Nonsense Anthology, which is one of her most popular books. The Marjorie’s vacation - beginning another series, The Rubaiyat of Motor Car, Chain of Evidence; the Maxwell Mystery, The Book of Limericks, The Book of Humorous Verse, Murder in the Bookshop, and Horror house are some of her most prominent work.
Carolyn Wells was particularly known for her wit and humor as people were fascinated and intrigued by her unique takes. “How to tell wild animals” is one illustration of her wit through her work that conveys specific ideas to the readers and enthralls them with the presentation of her prose.
Log on to Vedantu to find the well-elaborated summary of ‘How to tell wild animals’ compiled by the top experts. Find out what the poetess wants to express through her fabulous lines and understand the inner meaning of this poem. By understanding what she exactly wants to understand, you can write answers to all the questions without any hassle.
FAQs on How to Tell Wild Animals Summary: Meaning, Theme & Poetic Devices
1. What is the central theme of the poem 'How to Tell Wild Animals'?
The central theme of the poem is the humorous and paradoxical identification of various dangerous wild animals. The poet, Carolyn Wells, uses dark humour and irony to describe these animals, suggesting that one can only identify them through fatal encounters. The poem playfully educates readers about the characteristics of animals like the Asian Lion, Bengal Tiger, and Bear, while maintaining a light-hearted and satirical tone.
2. How does the poet use irony and humour throughout the poem?
The poet masterfully blends irony and humour by presenting life-threatening situations as simple identification guides. For example, the suggestion that you will know it is a Bengal Tiger only when it is eating you is highly ironic. Similarly, a bear's deadly hug is described as a gentle 'caress'. This contrast between the dangerous reality and the casual, instructive tone creates a consistent source of dark humour.
3. What are the main poetic devices used in 'How to Tell Wild Animals'?
The poem is rich with poetic devices that enhance its humorous effect. The key devices used are:
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows a consistent ababcc rhyme scheme, giving it a musical and light-hearted quality.
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds, such as in 'roaming round' and 'he has'.
- Irony: The core of the poem, where the instructions for identifying animals are fatal and thus absurd.
- Personification: Animals are given human traits, like the Hyena's 'merry smiles' and the Crocodile's 'weeping'.
- Humour: The entire poem uses a humorous tone to describe dangerous animals, making the subject entertaining.
4. How can one distinguish between a Hyena and a Crocodile according to the poet?
The poet offers a humorous, human-like way to tell a Hyena from a Crocodile. She explains that a Hyena can be identified by its 'merry smile' as it attacks its prey. In contrast, a Crocodile is said to 'weep' as it devours its victim, referring to the idiom 'crocodile tears', which means false tears. This method relies on personification rather than actual animal behaviour.
5. Explain the poet’s description of the Leopard. What is the key identifying feature?
According to the poem, the key identifying feature of a Leopard is its relentless attack. The poet says that as soon as the beast 'has lept on you,' you will know it is a Leopard. The humour lies in the line, '’Twill do no good to roar with pain, / He’ll only lep and lep again.' This suggests its persistent and aggressive nature is its most defining characteristic, once again highlighting the poem's dark humour.
6. What is the significance of the title 'How to Tell Wild Animals'? Does it serve as a literal guide?
The title is highly significant because it is completely ironic. It mimics the title of a practical guidebook, leading the reader to expect useful advice. However, the 'methods' described are absurd and fatal. This satirical title sets the humorous tone for the entire poem, making it clear that it is a work of entertainment and not a literal instruction manual for identifying wildlife.
7. How does the poem create a contrast between the dangerous nature of the animals and the cheerful tone used?
The contrast is created through the poet's clever choice of words and the poem's rhythmic structure. Deadly actions are described with gentle words, like a bear's attack being a 'hug' or 'caress'. The steady ababcc rhyme scheme gives the poem a song-like, cheerful rhythm, which clashes sharply with the violent subject matter. This juxtaposition is the primary source of the poem's unique, dark humour.
8. Beyond the humour, what might be the poet's underlying message about humanity's perception of the wild?
Beyond the surface humour, the poem subtly comments on how humans often simplify or romanticise the wild. By presenting deadly predators in a comical, almost casual manner, the poet might be satirising our tendency to underestimate the true danger and power of nature. The poem serves as a playful, yet stark, reminder that wild animals are not to be trifled with, and our understanding of them is often dangerously superficial.
