Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Jungle Book, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Laws of Nature
Human and Animal Relationships
Loyalty
British Imperialism
Coming of Age
Summary
Analysis
It is summer in India when a flood arrives, disturbing a young mongoose named Rikki-tikki-tavi. The flood ruins Rikki-tikki-tavi’s burrow, so he has nowhere to live. It almost kills Rikki-tikki-tavi, who was not ready for the flood. Luckily, an English boy, Teddy, who lives nearby, rescues him. Teddy takes Rikki-tikki-tavi home to his parents and explains what happened.
“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” is another story about human and animal relationships, this time featuring an English boy and his family. It is a story that scholars often interpret as a defense of English Imperialism for reasons that will become clear as the story progresses.
Themes
Teddy and his parents take care of Rikki-tikki-tavi and revive him to full health. When Rikki-tikki-tavi feels better, he climbs up on Teddy’s shoulder; from that moment on, he and Teddy are friends. Even once Rikki-tikki-tavi feels better, Teddy and his family continue caring for him. They give him food and allow him free range in their house. Rikki-tikki-tavi is a curious animal who takes full advantage of his privileges. He eats whatever he can get his hands on and excitedly explores the home.
“Rikki-tikki-tavi” is also a story about loyalty; because the English family protects Rikki-tikki-tavi, he becomes fiercely loyal to them. The trust between the English family and Rikki-tikki-tavi runs both ways. He is allowed free range in their home, and, in return, he respects their boundaries. If one reads the story as an allegory for British Imperialism, Rikki-tikki-tavi is Kipling’s notion of the ideal Indian. He is respectful, loyal and appreciates how his British masters purportedly “improve” his quality of life.
Themes
At night, Teddy and Rikki-tikki-tavi sleep next to each other in the same bed. Teddy’s mother is not sure about the arrangement. Although she likes Rikki-tikki-tavi, he is still a wild animal, and she worries he might bite Teddy while Teddy is sleeping. However, Teddy’s father tells her she has nothing to worry about. If anything, he thinks, Rikki-tikki-tavi will protect Teddy. They live in an area with many snakes, the natural enemies of mongooses. Teddy’s father hopes Rikki-tikki-tavi will scare any snakes away and save Teddy from getting bit.
Read allegorically, Teddy’s mother’s concern suggests she does not trust even the most loyal and well-displayed Indians because they are still “wild.” Words like “wild,” “savage,” and “uncivilized” are common words in the colonialist vocabulary, and any time Kipling uses them, readers should keep this double meaning—and its racist connotations—in mind.
Themes
The following day, Rikki-tikki-tavi goes outside and explores his new family’s garden. The family lives in Segowlee, a part of India with many British families. While exploring the garden, Rikki-tikki-tavi hears a bird named Darzee crying. When Rikki-tikki-tavi investigates, he discovers that one of Darzee’s babies fell out of the nest, and then a cobra named Nag ate it.
Segowlee is a city located in northern India, near the Nepal border. Kipling himself lived in India, though not in Segowlee. The garden in this section is much like the jungle in the Mowgli stories and the Bering Sea in “The White Seal”; it is a thriving ecosystem with its own set of rules. However, also like those other environments, there is an outside threat (Nag) that is destructive.
Themes
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Nag appears and tells Rikki-tikki-tavi that he is a special snake blessed by the god Brahm. Indeed, Nag’s hood has a special marking, and his presence frightens Rikki-tikki-tavi. However, Rikki-tikki-tavi soon gets over his fear and reminds himself that snakes are prey for mongooses.
Here, Kipling explicitly links Nag to Hinduism, referencing the god Brahm; by extension, he links Nag with Indian people as a whole. In Hinduism, Brahm (or Brahma) is the original creator of the universe. To be blessed by Brahm is a high honor.
Themes
Nag continues talking to Rikki-tikki-tavi as a way to distract him. Meanwhile, Nag’s wife, Nagaina, slithers up behind Rikki-tikki-tavi and prepares to strike. However, before Nagaina can do anything, Darzee and his family warn Rikki-tikki-tavi about her presence. When Rikki-tikki-tavi discovers the snakes’ trick, he becomes irritated. However, he knows it would be dangerous to take on both Nag and Nagaina simultaneously, so he decides to back off and devise a better plan.
Like Shere Khan and the Bandar-log, the snakes rely on deception to achieve their goals. They do not care about anyone other than themselves, and thus they are a threat to the entire garden. Allegorically, the snakes represent those in India who oppose the British Empire and seek to disrupt the British colonial presence in India. Unlike Rikki-tikki-tavi, they have no loyalty—a quality Kipling repeatedly applauds. Of course, it’s unclear why the snakes should feel loyal to people who invaded their garden, but Kipling, in his staunch defense of British imperialism, does not address this issue.
Themes
Not long after Rikki-tikki-tavi’s encounter with Nag and Nagaina, he is outside with Teddy and sees a venomous snake named Karait coming after the young boy. Before Karait can get to Teddy, Rikki-tikki-tavi springs into action and bites him. Rikki-tikki-tavi’s bite paralyzes Karait, giving Teddy time to grab a stick and beat him to death. After the fight, Rikki-tikki-tavi thinks about eating Karait. However, he decides not to because he knows he will have to fight Nag and Nagaina soon and does not want to be too full to move quickly.
Here, Teddy and Rikki-tikki-tavi work in unison to quickly dispatch Karait. Allegorically, it is a show of what British and Indian people can do when working together against those that would stand against them. Meanwhile, the “justice” for Karait is swift and violent. He never stood a chance against the combined force of Teddy and Rikki-tikki-tavi. This is also a moment where the bond between Teddy and Rikki-tikki-tavi grows, and Rikki-tikki-tavi gets to repay Teddy for saving him.
Themes
That evening, Rikki-tikki-tavi wanders outside, where he finds Chuchundra, a muskrat. Chuchundra informs Rikki-tikki-tavi that he thinks Nag and Nagaina will try and get into the house. Rikki-tikki-tavi finds Nag and Nagaina nearby, though he stays out of their sight. Rikki-tikki-tavi listens in on their conversation, hoping to find a way to counteract their plan.
Like the Mowgli stories, everyone else in the jungle is allied against the snakes, giving them a leg up. The snakes have only each other to rely on, which ensures someone will foil their plans.
Themes
Nag and Nagaina discuss their plans to kill Teddy and his family. They want to get rid of the British family so that Rikki-tikki-tavi will go away—that way, they can once again rule the backyard and raise their young without fear. Nag thinks the best way to kill Teddy’s father is to hide in his bathroom. Rikki-tikki-tavi overhears the plan and decides he will do whatever he can to ensure the safety of Teddy and his family.
If Nag and Nagaina represent those that would rebel against the British Empire, then by modern standards their plan seems morally justifiable. They want to rid their home of foreign invaders so they can raise their children without foreign influence. However, Kipling represents the snakes as evil and selfish because they are a threat to the British Empire and its western values.
Themes
That night Nag goes and hides in the bathroom and waits for the morning. However, Rikki-tikki-tavi does not give Nag time to let his plan unfold. Rikki-tikki-tavi watches until Nag falls asleep and then attacks. Rikki-tikki-tavi strikes Nag right above his hood, which contains his unique markings. Once Rikki-tikki-tavi bites down, he decides to hold on for dear life. Nag trashes around, but Rikki-tikki-tavi does not give in. Eventually, Nag and Rikki-tikki-tavi create enough noise that Teddy’s father enters the bathroom and finds them. Luckily, Teddy’s father brings his gun with him, and he uses it to shoot and kill Nag.
Rikki-tikki-tavi attacks the part of Nag that Kipling uses to associate him with Indian culture. The fight with Nag is not easy, as he proves to be a worthy opponent. However, like Karait before him, Nag is no match for the combined force of Rikki-tikki-tavi and his British family. Given the allegorical nature of the story, Nag’s death serves as a warning to anyone who would rise up against the British Empire.
Themes
Literary Devices
Although the fight with Nag was a close call, Rikki-tikki-tavi does not get hurt. Exhausted, he returns to Teddy’s room and goes to sleep. The next day, Rikki-tikki-tavi is pleased with himself for his bravery. However, he knows Nagaina is still out there, and he will have to deal with her and her eggs. He decides to pay Darzee another visit and figure out what to do.
Again, Kipling portrays loyalty and bravery as admirable traits. However, his reason for doing so here is suspect because the loyalty he rewards is essentially loyalty to the British Empire. In fact, one could read all of the stories in The Jungle Book through this lens, though it is most explicit in this story.
Themes
When Rikki-tikki-tavi finds Darzee, he is overjoyed because Nag is dead. Darzee’s happiness annoys Rikki-tikki-tavi because he knows no one will be safe until he destroys Nagaina and her eggs. Rikki-tikki-tavi tries to make a plan with Darzee; he wants Darzee to pretend he has a hurt wing to lure Nagaina away from her eggs. Then, when Nagaina is not looking, Rikki-tikki-tavi can destroy them. Darzee is unsure about the plan; he does not think it is right to destroy the eggs. However, Darzee’s wife speaks up and offers to carry out the plan in her husband’s place. She thinks that more cobras will only lead to despair for every other living thing in the garden.
Rikki-tikki-tavi’s desire to destroy Nagaina’s eggs, in particular, suggests that he wants to eliminate all threats, including potential future threats to the existing hierarchy. Read allegorically, this sentiment is deeply troubling, suggesting that Rikki-tikki-tavi wants to wipe out Indian culture as a whole, replacing it with the new western values he is loyal to..
Themes
Darzee’s wife lures Nagaina away from her eggs. Meanwhile, Rikki-tikki-tavi sneaks into Nagaina’s nest and destroys the eggs one by one. Before he can finish his task, Rikki-tikki-tavi hears Darzee screaming that Nagaina has gone into the house intending to kill someone. Rikki-tikki-tavi quickly destroys two of the three remaining eggs and snatches up the third one. Then, he goes inside, where he sees Nagaina preparing to attack Teddy and his family while they sit at their breakfast table. Teddy and his family are paralyzed with fear and unsure of what they can do.
Although the allegorical reading of this story is problematic from a modern perspective, it is important to remember that Rikki-tikki-tavi is the hero in the story and that he, too, represents a part of the Indian population. In this section of the story, only Rikki-tikki-tavi can save the British family, and he does so willingly because he is loyal to them, recognizing the ways they have improved his quality of life. Read allegorically, such an interpretation suggests that the British Empire improved living conditions of Indian people and ignores the starvation and suffering that India experienced under British rule.
Themes
Rikki-tikki-tavi tries to get Nagaina to fight him, but she remains focused on the humans. Then, Rikki-tikki-tavi tells her that he smashed all her eggs and only one is left. This information catches Nagaina’s attention, and she turns to look at Rikki-tikki-tavi. Meanwhile, Teddy’s father quickly gets Teddy away from Nagaina and goes to look for his gun.
The British family manages to get to safety thanks to Rikki-tikki-tavi, their Indian/mongoose savior. However, the fight is not over yet, as Nagaina still poses a threat—and one egg remains.
Themes
Rikki-tikki-tavi and Nagaina fight over the egg. Eventually, Nagaina manages to steal it from Rikki-tikki-tavi. Then, she retreats to a hole in the ground. Rikki-tikki-tavi follows Nagaina into the hole even though he knows it is dangerous. Before long, he comes out of the hole and says he killed Nagaina once and for all. Afterward, he falls asleep on the spot.
The destruction of Nagaina and the final egg is a great victory for Rikki-tikki-tavi, whose garden is now free of outside threats. He can fall asleep on the spot without fear because no one is left to hurt him. Like Kotick, he creates a utopic space for himself and his friends.
Themes
When Rikki-tikki-tavi wakes up, he celebrates his victory with the rest of the animals in the garden. Everyone is thrilled the cobras are dead. After, Rikki-tiki-tavi goes inside and eats dinner with Teddy and his family. Although Rikki-tikki-tavi is pleased with himself, he plans to remain vigilant. He knows that more snakes could come, and when they do, he wants to be ready.
The end of “Rikki-tikki-tavi” is reminiscent of “Lukannon” in that it takes the pessimistic view that there is always another threat on the horizon. In this case, the moral of the story is that there will always be more uprisings against the British Empire, so both the English and Indian forces loyal to the British Empire should be ready to meet them.
Themes
