explanation of chapter 13 The Tiger aIn The Tunnel
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Answer:
The Tiger in the Tunnel” tells the story of an Indian family who faces the stark reality of their humble existence with honor and duty. These themes permeate the characters’ lives and actions, and highlight Bond’s take on the place of service and family, as well as the theme of protection in relation to family.
Tembu is a twelve-year-old boy who lives with his father, Baldeo, as well as his mother and younger sister. They live in a tribal village on the outskirts of a jungle, in India. The family faces a meager subsistence, as they are dependent upon a nearby rice field for produce, and the field provides very little. To earn more money, Baldeo works as a watchman for the railroad. He is stationed at a nearby way station, and must sit in a bare hut near the tunnel of the story’s namesake, which is cut into the rock. Baldeo’s job is to keep the signal lamp lit, and to also ensure that there are no obstructions in the tunnel so that the overland mail can pass through the tunnel.
Occasionally, Tembu accompanies his father on his job, thus sleeping inside the little hut. One night he awakens to find his father leaving to check the signal lamp, and thinks to go with his father. Baldeo, however, tells Tembu to remain in the hut, where it is warm and safe.
Baldeo heads to the tunnel, and while walking in the dark, thinks about the various animals he might encounter along the way. The villagers all tell stories of an infamous tiger known as a “man-eater.” The tiger has supposedly been seen quite often in the area, especially around the tunnel. Baldeo, however, has never seen or even heard the tiger while on his trips to check on the signal lamp. Even if he did, Baldeo feels certain that he can handle himself. Not only is he familiar with the jungle, he carries a weapon. It is a small axe that Baldeo knows how to use both deftly and expertly. It was given to Baldeo by his father, and he sees it as an extension of his own person.