Rikki-Tavi By Rudyard Kipling: Character Analysis

A high summer flood captured Rikki-tikki and carried him away from his mother and father to a roadside ditch. This was the beginning of a fierce war fought by Rikki-tikki, the mongoose. These events occur in the short story “Rikki-tikki-tavi” by Rudyard Kipling. The story takes place in a bungalow in the Segowlee cantonment in India. It depicts that sometimes, it is necessary to put yourself at risk to protect or defend others. Rikki-tikki puts himself at risk to save the family that he now lives with, showing that he is a brave character. He is also very curious and intelligent.

“He looked at the cotton-wool, decided that it was not good to eat, ran all around the table, sat up and put his fur in order, scratched himself, and jumped on the small boy's shoulder.” This statement from the story shows that Rikki-tikki is intelligent. He could analyze the cotton-wool, and conclude that it was not edible. The sentence “That bite paralysed Karait, and Rikki-tikki was just going to eat him up from the tail, after the custom of his family at dinner, when he remembered that a full meal makes a slow mongoose, and if wanted all his strength and quickness ready, he must keep himself thin.” shows intelligence, too. This action later enables him to fight Nag and Nagaina with stealth and peak body performance. …show more content…
Curiosity causes Rikki-tikki to explore the garden. Rikki-tikki also says “There are more things to find out about in this house than all my family could find out in all their lives. I shall certainly stay and find out.” Rikki-tikki does stay and explore the bungalow and its garden, and encounters Nag. To defeat this powerful snake he needs to be