CBSE Class 10 English How to Tell Wild Animals Important Questions Set 03

Long Answer Questions

Question 1. How does the poet create humour in the poem ‘How to tell Wild Animals’?
Answer: The poem ‘How to tell Wild Animals’ is both informative and humorous. The poet has couched factual description in the mould of wit and humour. Humour has been created through both the description and language. Even the poet’s caution to the reader against the dangers of wild animals has been made through humorous statements.
The description of Asian Lion and the Bengal Tiger are full of wit as in both the cases, the way of identifying these wild beasts is interesting. One has to encounter a roaring Asian Lion to know it and be a prey of Bengal Tiger to be able to identify it. Similarly, the way to recognise a bear is to be tightly embraced by it. The smiling face of a hyena is contrasted with the weeping face of a crocodile in such a way that it provokes laughter. The Paradoxical statement about a chameleon that when there is nothing on the tree, there is a chameleon is full of wit, for the beast has the ability to camouflage and blend with its surroundings.
The language used by the poet at some places is full of humour. The poet has used poetic license to make the language interesting. For example, the word ‘leap’ is spelt as ‘lep’ and the word ‘ leapt’ is spelt as ‘lept’ to make them sound like the first syllable of the word ‘ leopard’. The final fatal stroke of the bear on the embraced victim has been humorously and ironically called a ‘caress’. Thus, the poet has mad factual statements in a highly humorous manner. There is a beautiful blend of gravity and humour.