Week 2 Reading Anthology

 Reading Notes: The Tiger, The Braham, and the Jackal by Joseph Jacobs 

"Tiger In the Cage" Source

    Plot: Tiger is stuck in a cage and has a man help him get out. The man is hesitant because the tiger might eat him. He lets it out due to the whimpering of the tiger. Once the tiger is let free it boasts that it will eat the man. The man becomes upset and looks for advice from things around him including the characters of the story.

    Characters: Braham, Tiger, Jackal, Tree, Road, Buffalo

    None of them gives advice until the Jackal comes around and acts as though he was lost his ability to understand things. The Braham tries to tell the Jackal about his situation with the Tiger while the Jackal still has no idea what is happening. Eventually, the Braham takes the Jackal to the Tiger to better explain the situation until the Jackal tricks the Tiger into getting back into the cage. 

    The other characters who did not give the man advice still gave the man lessons to take away. They told the man that he never provided them with anything so why should they do the same. I see the Jackal as a wise old man who has already lived most of his days and who knows wisdom that others do not possess yet, that is why he was able to trick the tiger back into the cage. I think this also shows that you must stick to your instinct and that whimpering and whining do not get you anywhere and can cause you even bigger problems. 

    The author had a unique style of writing and used inanimate objects to convey deep messages. Using inanimate objects brings a new element to writing and I hope to try this as well.