“Rikki-tikki-tavi” Cumulating Writing Task

We were learning what makes a good essay and how to apply it to our essays before we worked on this project. We were supposed to write an essay on our thoughts on if Rikki-tikki-tavi was good guy or a bad guy. Since we did worked on how to make essays and how to make them good, I tried my best to apply it to this piece. I’m proud of this because I tried my best to apply everything we learned beforehand.

In the story Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the author Rudyard Kipling wrote “Rikki-Tikki had a right to be proud of himself, but not too proud.” I disagree with this statement because killing a baby animal that have not even hatched from their egg is a cruel thing to do, especially if you kill multiple baby animals. In the text it says; “He bit off the top of the eggs… taking care to crush the young cobras.” (Kipling, 240). This is not a good thing, he’s murdering children so he can benefit from it and not have competition over the garden anymore. He shouldn’t be proud of killing them, because even if Nagaina is evil, she loves and care for her children and it’s not right to take them away from her.

Another thing Rikki-Tikki should not be proud of is that he was very mean to Chuchundra, a very shy muskrat who was only trying to help him. In the text he says, “…you must tell me. Quick Chuchundra, or I’ll bite you!” (Kipling, 236). This was a mean act to do, Chuchundra was very scared and Rikki-Tikki got him even more scared which is another thing he shouldn’t be proud of.

Also, in the text it says, “When the cobra runs for her life she goes like a whip lash flicked across a horse’s neck. Rikki-Tikki knew he must catch her…” (Kipling, 242). Nagaina is running because she is done fighting. She obviously fears Rikki now and he doesn’t have to chase and kill her, if she’s scared of him she would stay out of his way. He kills her anyway, which is not something to be proud of.

My last reason why Rikki-Tikki should not be proud of himself is that he is sick if he thinks it is “funny” to murder eggs of baby animals that will hatch very soon. In the text it says, “…there were only three eggs left and Rikki-Tikki began chuckling to himself…” (Kipling, 240). Rikki is laughing at the fact that he is killing these poor baby cobras. Nagaina must’ve been so upset, her children are killed and so was her husband, even after that she was killed by Rikki too. It was an evil thing to do, especially if he is laughing.

Overall, Rikki-Tikki should not be proud of what he accomplished because he killed many animals in the process. Killing is not an acceptable thing to do, it’s a very evil thing to do. Rikki shouldn’t be proud of committing an action so evil. He was also mean to other animals who tried to help him along the way.