Rikki – Tikki – Tavi
Vocabulary Introduction
Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling, the
author of this story,
was born in India
in1865 to British
parents, but he moved
to England when he
was six years old and
lived away from his
parents for many
years.
Though it was common
for English parents
living in India or
elsewhere to send their
children back to school
in England, Kipling
hated this part of his
life.
Rudyard Kipling
Early on, Kipling
worked as a journalist
and also published
stories and poems. In
1892, Kipling married
an American, Caroline
Balestier.
They lived in various
places over the years,
including America,
England, and South
Africa. During this time,
Kipling continued to
write and became
very famous all over
the world.
The setting is in the
country of India during
the 1880’s when the
British ruled the area.
We are here
India is over
here
During this time-
period families
lived in airy one-
story homes called
bungalows. It was
not uncommon to
find snakes,
insects, or wild
animals near or
even inside the
bungalow.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
is a mongoose.
Mongooses live in
southern Asia,
Africa, and southern
Europe, as well in
Puerto Rico and
some Caribbean
and Hawaiian
islands, where they
are an introduced
species.
Mongoose
Mongooses are
rather small,
agile, weasel-
like carnivores
native to Africa,
southern
Europe, and
Asia.
Woodlands,
Thick forests; in
dry acacia
brush, mountain
scrub,
abandoned
termite mounds.
Diet
Carnivore
Wild: beetles,
crabs,
earthworms, fallen
fruit,
grasshoppers,
ground birds &
their eggs,
millipedes, reptile
eggs, rodents,
scorpions, slugs,
snails, snakes &
termites
Besides the mongoose
the cobra snake is a
creature that is very
common in India. It is
poisonous and can
grow to about 16
inches in length.
The mongoose and the
cobra are natural
enemies.
Rudyard Kipling
“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” takes
place in India, where
Kipling was born. In
1907, Kipling was the
first English writer to
win the Nobel Prize in
literature, the highest
award given for
literature. Kipling died
in 1936 in London.
Why do we need to
know about the author
before we begin to
read?
Animals of India
Black Panther and Himalayan Black
Bear
Red Fox and the tiger
How are the animals of India different from the
ones in Texas?
Why?
Facts about India
The population is 1,065,070,607 ( as of July 2004)
The area is 3,287,000 sq km.
The speak Urdu or Hindi and English sometimes.
Their currency is counted in Rupees.
The have their own Hollywood but it is called “Bollywood”.
revive – verb - to bring back to life
or consciousness; resuscitate
cower - verb
crouch or curl up
consolation – noun – 1. The
act of consoling; 2. The state
of being consoled
scuttle – verb - to run or move
with short hurried movements
cunning - adj. - a
clear way meant
to trick or deceive
restless – adj. –
not able to be still
fledgling – noun - a young bird
cultivated – adj. -
developed for
human use
scornful – adj. -
with great dislike
mournful – adj. -
expressing
sorrow or grief
valiant - adj.- brave
and determined
gait – noun - way of
walking or running
immensely – adv.
- enormously
Characterization
What is a Static
Character? (Flat)
When we read be
looking for the
characters in the story
who stay the same
throughout.
What is a Dynamic
Character? (Round)
When we read be
looking for the
characters who
change as the story
moves along.
Prediction noun
Something foretold or predicted; a prophecy
Idiom noun
A speech form or an expression of a given language
that cannot be understood from the individual meanings
of its words.
Personification noun
A non-human object or being having human-like characteristics
Conflict
Internal:
In literature and drama, a struggle which takes place within the individual characters mind
External:
In literature, a struggle between two or more characters due to some outside force
Theme noun
The subject matter of a conversation, discussion, story, etc.
The Theme of Rikki-tikki-tavi is:
“Don’t give into fear”
Perseverance
Be thinking while we
read about which
character is showing
perseverance, how he
or she is showing it,
and why?