„Pride goes before a fall‟. Justify the statement on basis of the chapter Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger.
Answers
Wise men have rightly said, 'Pride goes before a fall.' Similarly vanity, like pride is bound to meet frustration and dejection. Life is a glorious gift meant to be pursued for higher pursuits such as self-improvement, self-actualization, and serving the suffering humankind. Where is the time for vain materialistic pursuits in such a competitive world? But unfortunately a major portion of human beings indulge in materialistic pursuits. They waste their time, money, energies and other resources almost all their life later on to realize the futility of it.
The best example that shows the misery of vain people is the character of Mrs. Packletide in the story Mrs Packletide's tiger by Saki. We see how her pride and vain ambition of outshining Loona Bimberton ends up in her shame, embarrassment, and financial loss. She is left with nothing but regret and remorse. The author has masterfully brought home the point that vain people like her don't get anything useful in their lives; their vain endeavours bear no sweet fruit. On the contrary they have to bear loss on all fronts. Miss Mebbin's act of extorting a huge sum of money at the end of the story must have given Mrs Packletide a lot of pain. It must have deprived her of all the joy and peace she must be feeling after the tiger hunt. What an irony of circumstances!
From Mrs. Packletide's embarrassment we learn that we should neither be jealous of others' success nor be vainglorious.
Answer:
Astute men have properly stated, 'Pride goes before a fall.'
Similarly vanity, similar to pride will undoubtedly meet dissatisfaction and sadness.
Life is a magnificent blessing intended to be sought after for higher interests, for example, personal growth, self-completion, and serving the enduring mankind.
Where is the ideal opportunity for vain materialistic interests in such an aggressive world?
In any case, shockingly a noteworthy segment of people enjoy materialistic interests.