Tikki Tavi Character Analysis

In the story “Rikki-tikki-tavi” by Rudyard Kipling their is a mongoose named Rikki-tikki-tavi. He is the main protagonist in the story. When he gets washed up in front of a British bungalow, the excitement just starts to happen. He will have to have a war with the evil. Along the way he shows the traits curiosity, cunningness, and bravery making him a hero. Rikki-tikki-tavi shows his curiosity when he first arrives at the British bungalow. He is amazed of how many things to find. ‘“There are more things to find out about this house” he said to himself, “ than all my family can find out in all their lives. I shall certainly stay to find out.” He spent all that day roaming the house.’ (17) This shows that Rikki-tikki has curiosity because
He used this trait to save the boy from Nagiana when she wanted to kill the boy. “Nagaina spun clear round, forgetting everything for the sake of the one egg and Rikki-tikki saw Teddy’s father shoot out a big hand, catch Teddy by the shoulder and drag him across the little table with the teacups safe and out of reach of Nagaina. “Tricked! Tricked! Tricked! Rick-tck-tck!” chuckled Rikki tikki. “The boy is safe and it is I-I-I that caught Nag by the hood last night in the bathroom.” (25) This shows how cunning he was to use the last egg to save the boy from Nagaina. He also used cunningness to destroy the all but one of the eggs by using Darzee (a bird) to lead Nagaina aways so he can destroy the eggs. “Darzee if you have a grain of sense you will fly off the the stables and pretend that your wing is broken and let Nagaina chase you away to this bush. I must get to the melon bed, and if I went there now, she’d see me.” (23) Cunningness was a trait that Rikki-tikki had to help him win the
When fighting with Nagaina, she went down to a hole “and she plunged into the rat hole where she and Nag used to live, his little white teeth were clenched on her tail and he went down with her and very few mongooses- however wise and old they maybe, care to go into the hole.” (27) This shows how brave Rikki-tikki was since none of the mongooses will ever go down, but he did because “Rikki-tikki knew he must catch her or all the trouble will begin again.” (26) Another time he showed bravery was when Nag was in the water jug he risked his life to jump in there and hold on. “Then he jumped. The head was lying a little clear from the water jar, under the curve of it; and as his teeth, Rikki braced his back against the bulge of the red earthenware to hold down the head. This gave him one second purchase, and he made the most of it. Then he was battered to and fro as a rat shaken by a dog…..” (22) He could of just let go,but he chose not to and wait into the humans killed Nag completely. This shows how brave he was. Bravery, cunningness, and curiosity are all unique traits of Rikki-tikki. All of these traits are shown starting from when he first arrived at the British bungalow until the very end. Rikki-tikki persists with these traits and shone through with all of them. These traits make him a true hero in the eyes of the