Survival of the Fittest

Moral(s): Only the strong will survive // Survival of the Fittest

The Laws of the Jungle were created for protection for the creatures of the forest. There were sayings for help, understanding and even, security. In an effort to protect Mowgli and the animals of the Forest, Baloo taught Mowgli how to speak to other animals, how to tell what trees were what, where he could travel, and how to conduct himself in different situations. Mowgli couldn’t protect himself physically from other animals and these same animals were bound to the Law, so they couldn’t outright attack him.

As an example for civility and power, the Pack's Laws are upheld and revered, not unlike the Laws of the humans. Every situation has a possible answer and protocols are followed, even if they are not respected. Animals knew their place and when they didn't (i.e Bander-Log), they were considered outcast and were ignored. Within the Pack, there was a hierarchy, with Akala as leader.

Most animals relied on strength and force, while others had to rely on the fear that other animals simply accepted. In Mowgli’s Brothers, Akala claimed that the younger wolves knew that he was aging and positioned him against a kill that was stronger than he was. Interestingly enough, Akala and Bagheera knew that the time would soon come that the Pack would turn against Akala, and thus Mowgli, and a new leader would be accepted.

" [Akala] was thinking of the time that comes to every leader of every pack when his strength goes from him and he gets feebler and feebler till at last he is killed by the wolves and a new leader comes up -- to be killed in his own turn."

While Akala accepted that his time was coming, Bagheera, who was explaining the process of changing command to Mowgli, devised a plan so that Mowgli wouldn’t become victim to the same fate. It is then that Bagheera tells Mowgli to find the Red Flower and bring it with him to the Council Rock meeting. Alone, Mowgli could not stand against the Pack but wielding the feared Red Flower, the boy assumed authority over those stronger. With the fire in his hand, Mowgli commands the Wolf Pack to allow Akala to live on. Easily, the wolves could have overtaken the man-cub, but as he held the weapon of fire in his hand, they were too frightened to do so.

In Tiger! Tiger! Mowgli ventures into the village and is taken into the tribe there. It is in this village that Mowgli learns the ways of man against the ways of the Jungle and the reader is confronted with the strength of Mowgli.

"[Mowgli] did not know his own strength in the least. In the Jungle he knew he was weak compared with the beasts, but in the village people said that he was as strong as a bull."

It was not Mowgli's physical strength that allowed him to gain control over the oxen that killed Shere Khan, but his mental capacity. It's very clear that he could easily be over taken by any group of animals in the jungle, by force; however, no animal shared the intelligence or natural wit to out think Mowgli.

Conclusion: physical strength can be overtaken by mental strength on any given day. Akala knew that the day when he could not longer be the leader of the Pack would come and a new leader would step in and take his place. For Mowgli, there was no one to take his place, because obviously a man-child didn't belong in the Jungle. It was Mowgli's destiny to lead.

Tee's Moral

Moral: The instability represented in imperialist roles of both Mowgli and Rikki-Tikki, are warnings by the author to the British Empire’s impending decline.
When Kipling wrote The Jungle Books, the British Empire was at its pinnacle; however, the empire was also on the heels to begin declining. I believe Kipling saw this decline coming and as a result, began writing The Jungle Books to foreshadow the events that would eventually eat away at England’s absolute monarchy. Kipling identifies himself with Mowgli because he too is a frog, an amphibian, a creature that is able to line in water and on land. The author is an Indian, but he was raised and followed the British law. Also, Kipling traveled seamlessly between America, the western world, and Indian, the eastern world. So his knowledge and prospective aids him to create a character such as Mowgli, who is both strong and weak.
Mowgli’s strength lies in his mental capacity in contrast to the other animals such as the wolves. For example, Baloo cannot teach the wolves all the laws of the jungle because their mental capacity cannot contain large amounts of knowledge. On the other hand, Baloo does teach Mowgli all the laws and as a result, Mowgli has safe passage into other parts of the jungle. Also, Mowgli mental strength is showcased in his ability to strategize, as he does when he gets the other animals to aid him in killing Shere Khane. However, the killing of Shere Khane also demonstrates Mowgli’s weakness, which is his lesser physical constitution compared to the animals. He gets Aklea and Grey Wolf to start a stampede of cattle that circles around Shere Khane killing him. All Mowgli does is give orders just like a king or queen when colonizing and conquering. Mowgli’s weakness symbolizes his instability. Kipling’s “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” is more or less the same character as Mowgli. The mongoose is like Mowgli in the sense that this white British Family cleans him up to be part of their family with the sole purpose of using him as protection. Rikki-Tikki’s imperial role is instable due to the fact that he too eats eggs. So if the family stops feeding him, he will then eat the bird’s eggs. So as well as the garden’s protector he is also its enemy if worse comes to worse for him.
My moral presents the best possible lesson to be gained from Kipling because it reminds the audience to pay attention to the instability of the characters both their strength and weakness.

Be Kind to Strangers

At the beginning of Kaa's Hunting, Kipling includes a list of Baloo's maxims; the third maxim reads: "Oppress not the cubs of the stranger, but hail them as Sister and Brother/For though they are little and fubsy, it may be the Bear is their mother." In plain language this maxim advises one to treat strangers with respect because one never knows who the strangers might be associated with. If we keep this maxim in mind while reading The Jungle Books we can see how the deaths of Shere Khan, members of the Bandar Log, and Nag, Nagina, and their unborn snake babies could have been avoided.

In Mowgli's Brothers we learn of Shere Khan's desire to kill the man-cub Mowgli. Shere Kahn, instead of treating the stranger Mowgli with respect, decides that it would be better to eat him. Shere Khan does not know, however, that Mowgli's "mother" is Raksha, who would rather fight to the death than see Mowgli taken away by Shere Khan. As Mowgli grows up, Raksha teaches him the he will have to kill Shere Khan one day, which he eventually does in the ravine. Had Shere Khan been a little bit nicer to Mowgli in the beginning, Mowgli would most likely not have killed him. However, he goes against the advice of Baloo's maxim, and though he escapes the wrath of Mowgli's mother, his mistreatment of the stranger Mowgli ultimately leads to his demise.

In Kaa's Hunting we learn about the Bandar Log, the wild monkey folk who reside above the forest floor and who do not live according to the law of the jungle. Because they do not follow the law, they have never heard Baloo's maxims. They do not know that they should treat the stranger Mowgli with respect when they come across him in the jungle. Had they known that Mowgli's guardians (sort of like mothers...or fathers), Baloo and Bagheera, would enlist the help of Kaa to help them find Mowgli, perhaps the Bandar Log would have treated Mowgli differently. Yet they do not. Rather, they abduct Mowgli, drag him through the treetops, and treat him like a hostage. Because they do not follow the maxim of Baloo, they encounter their greatest enemy--Kaa--and this encounter leads to many of their deaths.

Finally, in 'Rikki-Tikki-Tavi' we see how Nag and Nagina mistreat the stranger Rikki-Tikki almost as soon as they meet him. Nagina never even says a word to him; she simply tries to kill him. Had they followed Baloo's maxim and treated Rikki-Tikki nicely, maybe they could have worked something out. Maybe. But that would mean Rikki-Tikki would have to go against his snake-killing instincts, which is apparently quite hard for him to do. Needless to say, their initial hostility towards Rikki-Tikki does not help their cause, and it begins the war that eventually leads to their deaths and the deaths of their unborn snakelings. Though they are not hurt by Rikki-Tikki's mother, they are still hurt by their mistreatment of a stranger.

These conflicts deal with the mistreatment of strangers. Apparently Baloo knows what he is talking about.

NEVER underestimate your opponent....

In both the story of Rikki Rikki Tavi and of Mowgli, there is an impression of a “lesser” or “weaker” opponent in the conflicts within the story. For instance, the story of Mowgli begins as baby Mowgli is saved from Shere Khan who hopes to eat the abandoned child in the camp ground of the men. Here, the idea of a weak and vulnerable opponent (Mowgli) is introduced to the “mighty” Shere Khan (who at the same time is known for his lameness). As the story goes, Mowgli grows up amongst the wolf pack, learning all that Baloo and Bagheera can offer to him. However, Mowgli’s fortune within the wolf pack will not last, as Shere Khan continues to prey on Mowgli, influencing the other wolves to turn their backs against Mowgli.

As we already may know, The Law of the Jungle states that no animal is to eat Man, as “Man is the weakest and most defenseless of all living things, and it is unsportsmanlike to touch him”. However, Shere Khan does not follow the law, as he sees Mowgli as an easy conquest because of man’s weakness. And yet, despite this physical weakness found within Mowgli it is Shere Khan who is weaker of the two, as he lacks the mental and intellectual capacity of Mowgli. Thus, without physically partaking in a battle with Shere Khan, Mowgli traps the lame tiger in a canyon, only to be run over by a herd of buffalo stampeding.

On the other hand, RIkki Tikki Tavi is not a “weak” character, but he is clearly outnumbered by Nag and Nagaina, and thus it can be presumed that the two snakes are physically stronger than single Rikki Tikki Tavi. Upon the first meeting of the two snakes, RIkki Tikki Tavi is talking with Darzee whose baby egg has just been killed by the snakes. As Rikki Tikki Tavi learns about the presence of two giant cobras in the garden, the two snakes attempt to make their first attack on the mongoose. Nag emerges in front of Rikki Tikki Tavi, while Nagaina attempts to sneak up on the young mongoose. Rikki Tikki Tavi jumps into the air before Nagaina can deliver a deadly attack; he escapes harm and realizes that he is no match for two snakes.

The snakes remain threatened by the presence of RIkki Tikki Tavi, and thus continue to find ways to attack the mongoose. Nagaina and Nag’s attempt to kill Rikki Tikki and the white family is foiled again, as Rikki Tikki Tavi carefully plans his attack on Nag, “Now if I kill him here, Nagaina will know; and if I fight him on the open floor the odds are in his favor” (51). Just like Mowgli, Rikki Tikki Tavi resorts to a cunning plan on top of his swift actions in order to successfully kill both Nag and Nagaina. He seizes the moment in which Nag is weakest, as he is sleeping in the hose and attacks the cobra planning precisely that an attack on the head is the most efficient. The death of Nagaina is soon to follow, as RIkki Tikki formulates another plan, this time to kill the vengeful Nagaina.

In both stories, the characters of Mowgli and Rikki Tikki Tavi seemed to have some sort of physical disadvantage, when it came to fighting the Shere Khan and the cobras. Had Mowgli physically fought Shere Khan alone, the likelihood of a victory by the man, would be highly doubtful (Hence Baloo and Bagheera’s attempts to teach Mowgli everything there was about the jungle). Thus Mowgli relied on his intelligence and was successful in his defeat of the lame tiger. As for Rikki Tikki Tavi, while the killing of the snakes was a part of his natural environment, Rikki Tikki seemed doubtful in himself, which made him more cautionary as he attempted to kill the snakes. He carefully thought about each move and attack, and was able to take the two snakes out one by one.

In the end, however, the victories of Mowgli and Rikki Tikki Tavi could not have occurred had their opponents not fully believed that they were at advantage. Shere Khan pretty much focused on Mowgli’s physical weakness, thinking that death to the man would be relatively easy, but he never considered that Mowgli would be capable of planning Shere Khan’s death. Likewise, the two cobras assumed that because there were two of them, the likelihood of a victory would be greater.

Needless to say, next time you pick a fight with someone, don’t base it solely on appearances, because some times you get more than what you bargained for (your own death).

A Victorian Era Viewpoint: Pride and Madness in the Jungle Books:

Rudyard Kipling’s characters Mowgli, Shere Khan, and Rikki- Tikki Tavi have different degrees of pride and madness, which lead to a moral of the Jungle Books. In Mowgli’s Brothers, Shere Khan exhibits pride by intimidating and challenging all of the other jungle creatures. Mowgli assumes the role of the colonizer by challenging Shere Khan’s pride. The boy holds the fire, called the Red Flower, under Shere Khan’s chin. He attempts to assert his dominance over Shere Khan by calling him a “dog” and to do as he says or he will “set that coat ablaze” (19). With the burning torch near his head, Shere Khan’s “ears lay flat back on his head” and he closes his eyes. By not pulling away at all from Mowgli’s fire, Shere Khan is fearless of the boy. Shere Khan’s non-submissive behavior toward Mowgli proves that he cannot and will not be colonized. He exhibits pride by refusing to be colonized; therefore, he possesses Dewanee—madness.

Therefore, In ‘Tiger! Tiger!’, Mowgli plans to kill Shere Khan. Mowgli realizes that he cannot colonize Shere Khan due to the tigers pride driven actions and refusal to be colonized. Therefore, Shere Khan possesses mad pride. However as he is trampled not only with the help of Mowgli but a majority of the jungle creatures, he is referred to as soft. Soft refers to a lesser and defeated object. Therefore, Shere Khan’s mad pride leads not only to his personal destruction but also the destruction of the jungle community.

In contrast to Shere Khan, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, a fearless mongoose, removes himself from the wild and chooses to become tame and live with a British family. He assumes the role as colonizer by protecting the family he lives with as well as creating a community within the garden. Therefore, he has model pride as opposed to mad pride. When there is conflict in the garden or in the British household, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi steps up and takes action to resolve the conflict. Nag and Nagaina, two cobras that live in the garden cause a conflict by eating one of the bird’s eggs. Rikki-Tikki makes it his personal duty, as colonizer, to defeat the cobras.

However, he has too much model pride. Rikki-Tikki attempts to defeat Nag alone while in the British family’s bathroom. Rikki-Tikki spots Nag, jumps on top of him, and bites him on the back of the head. While the mongoose struggles to defeat Nag, the man of the household aims his shotgun in the general direction of the brawl, fires a shot, and successfully kills Nag. Rikki-Tikki does not defeat and destroy Nag, the British man does. However, Rikki-Tikki believes he has the power to defeat a cobra as strong and powerful as Nag; therefore his self-esteem and pride increase.

With a boost of self-confidence, Rikki-Tikki embarks on a mission to destroy Nagaina. However, in attempts to find and destroy Nagaina, he abuses his power as a colonizer by threatening his colony of animals in the garden. He threatens to roll all of the bird’s chicks out of their nest if the birds do not assist him in finding and distracting Nagaina. However, Rikki-Tikki’s hunger for power does not end there. He finds Nagaina’s eggs and kills all of them except one. Upon finding Nagaina, Rikki-Tikki taunts her by waiving the small egg in her face. Nagaina begs for Rikki-Tikki to give her back her egg. She moves away from the British family and lowers her hood to Rikki- Tikki —a sign of submission. Both cobras did not posses madness, Rikki-Tikki created their madness with his over excessive pride. In attempts to destroy the madness that Rikki- Tikki creates by defeating Nag and Nagaina, Rikki-Tikki becomes consumed in madness. His eyes flicker like “hot coals;” his pride induced madness is dirty and cruel (100).

Mowgli represents the pride of a colonizer and the colonized. He is the frog— native of both jungle and man. In Mowgli’s Brothers, Baloo and Bagheera teach him the Law of the Jungle. He becomes initiated into the wolf pack. Bagherra tells Mowgli he must fulfill his destiny as a man, introducing him to the Red Flower, as also known as the fire. Consumed by his destiny as a man, Mowgli asserts his control over his wolf pack. He attempts to colonize them with the fire pot. Mowgli begins hitting every wolf right and left with the fire to assert his control. He then feels empty inside and heavy tears fall from his eyes. He feels immense guilt and shame for physically harming and openly shaming his family, the pack. Despite his destined attack on the pack, Mowgli promises that when he is “a man among men [that he] will not betray [the Pack] to men as [man has] betrayed him” (18). Therefore, Mowgli becomes the ideal character in the Jungle Books.

Mowgli is the median character between Shere Khan and Rikki-Tikki. Because of Shere Khan’s pride he gave himself the label of madness; therefore, he is destroyed. Shere Khan’s mad pride cannot be seen as one to follow. Rikki-Tikki’s pride gave rise not only to his madness but madness of the other garden creatures. Therefore, Rikki-Tikki’s model pride cannot be seen as one to follow. This brings us to a moral of the Jungle Books from the Victorian Era viewpoint:

Every colonizer should embody the same attributes as Kipling’s character, Mowgli, who is a creature of the jungle as well as a man. A community can be reached with a stable amount of control and pride; however, if there is too much control and pride, the community becomes full of Dewanee—the madness.

Might Makes Right: The Moral of The Jungle Books

Though it was difficult to find a single overarching moral in Kipling’s rich and complex stories, the one that stuck out the most for me was “might makes right,” or, to be more specific, those with strength and cunning have the ability to do as they wish. The characters of The Jungle Books—Mowgli in particular—who possess more strength and/or cunning than others are able to overcome obstacles such as societal laws, to manipulate other characters, and to generally get their way.

Even considering the fact that most people would expect the beasts of the jungle to be wild and uncivilized, these animals have a societal code known as the Law of the Jungle, which all jungle residents are supposed to obey. These rules are based on necessity, as the Law of the Jungle “never orders anything without reason” (37). Still, it is obvious from the beginning of the stories that the rules aren’t always followed. In “Mowgli’s Brothers,” Tabaqui brings the news that Shere Khan plans to hunt nearby during the next moon. Father Wolf snaps that “by the Law of the Jungle he has no right to change his quarters without due warning” (36). Shere Khan also kills humans, an act that is against the Law of the Jungle as well, as the law “forbids every beast to eat man except when he is killing to show his children how to kill” (37). With the theme of “might makes right,” of course, Shere Khan is able to make his own right through his own power; no one dares oppose him and his strength is left unchecked, regardless of the Law of the Jungle.

Shere Khan, of course, is not the only animal subject to the moral “might makes right,” and not all of the examples of this moral exist in a wholly negative light. For example, in “Kaa’s Hunting,” the titular character is described as “very old and cunning,” and it is said of his strength that “when he had once lapped his huge coils round anybody there was no more to be said” (65). Many animals, notably the Bandar-log, fear Kaa as a result of such might, and it is only with the aid of Kaa that Mowgli is rescued from the mob of monkeys. On the other hand, Kaa also has the power to manipulate animals into following his will; he is able to subdue the monkeys, and even the cunning Bagheera later states, “in a little time, had I stayed, I should have walked down his throat” (77). Kaa’s power is no small matter. Unlike Shere Khan, he follows the Law of the Jungle, but the example of his command over the monkeys demonstrates that he is willing to use his power to the detriment of others.

Also, the moral “might makes right” is not exclusive to the animal kingdom. Man is paradoxically portrayed as both powerless and strong. While men are initially described as defenseless, it is also said that man’s destructive hunts for man-eaters in the jungle from time to time are the reason “everybody in the jungle suffers” (37). Mowgli initially shares in this paradox as well. Although he is physically weaker by far than the other animals of the jungle, he has a natural skill as a human that gives him the upper hand. He discovers that “if he stared hard at any wolf, the wolf would be forced to drop his eyes” (43). To make things better, Mowgli eventually learns everything from the Wood and Water Laws to the Master Words of the Jungle, and at one point he even boasts that “The jungle has many tongues. I know them all” (57). These words, representative of Mowgli’s knowledge of the jungle, allow him safe passage through different areas and put him in a position of power. Not only is he one of very few animals who are able to acquire safe passage from any group of creatures in the jungle, but he also has the added benefit of being human, which raises him above all animals. Once he is also aided by the “Red Flower,” Mowgli’s “might” has become very powerful. It is this might that allows Mowgli to initially drive Shere Khan away in “Mowgli’s Brothers” and in “‘Tiger! Tiger!’” to kill him. Mowgli’s cleverness in killing Shere Khan is portrayed in a positive light; it suggests to the reader that some types of “might makes right” can be used in a positive way.

However, it is worth noting that Kipling was doubtless in favor of one group’s supremacy over another, so this blog wouldn’t be complete without a look at the imperialist motives in his text. The idea of imperialism, like the moral, is first seen in the beginning of “Mowgli’s Brothers.” In the discussion of the Law of the Jungle, we read that man-killing leads to “the arrival of white men on elephants, with guns, and hundreds of brown men with gongs and rockets and torches” (37). The blatant binary between white and brown men, as well as the fact that white men are physically higher and have better, more advanced weapons than simpler aid hints at Kipling’s imperialist agenda. Many other instances in the text—such as the way that Mowgli is able to make other animals look away as though it is perfectly natural, or the way that he later commands the wolves and bulls in his fight against Shere Khan without doing the work himself—further support the rising theme of imperialism.

By the end of Mowgli’s stories—at least the stories we’ve read in class—the societal laws are negatively affected by “might makes right” ideology of some other characters, specifically Shere Khan. In the end, the tiger’s manipulations change the wolf pack from Free People in “Mowgli’s Brothers” to lawless, “lame,” and “mangy” animals at the end of “‘Tiger! Tiger!’” (95). The Law of the Jungle has been tossed aside, and the wolves have been thrown into disorder. Kipling may have intended for some of the “might makes right” moral—namely, the part about imperialism—to be seen in a positive light, but most of the power of the characters can be seen negatively as well. Shere Khan, of course, has led the wolfpack into disorder, but even Mowgli’s actions can be seen in a negative light. We get the story from Mowgli’s point of view—making us empathize with his situation—but what if we’d gotten the story from his wolfpack and bulls, whom he orders about without second thoughts? And of course, as modern readers we know that Kipling’s prized imperialism changed the culture of India in many ways.

Obviously, though the “might makes right” moral would have been accepted in Kipling’s time, it is more ambiguous in modern times. While Mowgli’s cleverness in escaping Shere Khan and the fact that we empathize with him as a protagonist make us see him in a positive light, there are also negative aspects of his actions as well. And if the moral of the story is supposed to teach the readers a lesson to bring with them into real life, the ideas of imperialism and manipulating others don’t seem like the best of themes for a didactic text.

Follow the Rules...OR ELSE: A Moral in the Jungle

Moral of The Jungle Books: Always follow the rules set before you or be punished for your actions.

Children’s stories are often known for their fantastic settings, exciting adventures, and moralistic endings. The moral to these childhood stories are the things that stick with the readers long after they have become adults. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Books is no exception to this norm. Though there are many stories within the Books, there is a reoccurring moral: follow the rules set before you, and you will be rewarded. On the flipside, deviate from the rules, and you will be punished. The Jungle Books much is determined by different sets of laws. The civilized animals follow various laws of the jungle in order to survive in their own microcosms. These laws (called the Law of the Jungle) are crucial to life in the Mowgli stories, as well as the garden and family in “Rikki-Tikki Tavi.”

Shere Khan is the main antagonist in most of the Mowgli stories. His attack on Man begins Mowgli’s adventure through the jungle, and his death is the end of Mowgli’s life-long goal. Kipling goes out of his way to make this poor tiger unappealing to his Victorian audience. A tiger is already not going to be a loveable character in a children’s story (this is pre-Aladdin,) but the fact that he’s a lame tiger adds to his hideous image. If there’s anything worse than a regular tiger, it’s definitely a tiger that limps! The tiger also does not like to hunt challenging game and often goes for slow cattle. Shere Khan attempting to kill the infant Mowgli is the ultimate reason why the audience is not going to like him. “The Law of the Jungle, which never orders anything without a reason, forbids every beast to eat Man except when he is killing to show his children how to kill…,” but Shere Khan obviously does not care about the Law of the Jungle (Kipling 3.) He also teaches the younger wolves to feel bitter towards Mowgli because they cannot look him in the eye and urges them to kick the Man-Cub out of the pack. Essentially, Shere Khan manipulates the wolf pack into turning against Mowgli so he can finally reap the fruits of his failed hunt.

As a result of his discord with the Law of the Jungle, Shere Khan is killed by Mowgli, who is righteous and follows every Law diligently. In contrast to the tiger, Mowgli learns the Master Word from Baloo, and he learns how to live in harmony with the Jungle and its inhabitants. Part of the reason Mowgli is not afraid of the other animals is because he has been so faithful to the Jungle’s Laws. He even says, “’I was born in the jungle, I have obeyed the Laws of the Jungle…’” when Bagheera warns him that Shere Khan wants to kill him (Kipling 12.) Indeed, Mowgli’s obedience to the Law of the Jungle and to his studies saves his life twice in “Kaa’s Hunting.” The only way Baloo and Bagheera found Mowgli after the Monkey-People took him is because he remembered the Master Word. When Rann the Kite delivers Mowgli’s distress message, he adds, “The boy held the Master Word. I could have done no less [than to help him] (Kipling 34.)” Mowgli’s Master Word saves him again when he is deposited into the snake-filled ruins (I bet dear, old Indiana Jones would’ve liked that Master Word in his day.)

Eventually, Mowgli’s harmony with the Law of the Jungle and Shere Khan’s discord clash in a final battle between the two. Mowgli uses his loyalty to the wolves (those who remained loyal to him) to kill the tiger. Although the cattle that trample Shere Khan are given to Mowgli as a job for Man, I think the cattle are seen as ironic in respect to how Shere Khan dies. The lame, lazy tiger would only kill cattle before Mowgli came into the picture. Killing cattle and killing man are against the Law of the Jungle. As a result, Mowgli and the cattle get revenge on Shere Khan, and the tiger gets what he deserves. The triumph of Mowgli and the defeat of Shere Khan are evident examples of the righteous being rewarded and the wicked being punished.

Rikki-Tikki Tavi’s story shows that those who make sure others follow rules are also rewarded. In an imperialistic society, it is crucial that there are those who make sure others are following the rules and laws of the mother country. These people must protect the mother country from the uncivilized and put these rouges in their places. Under these circumstances, Rikki-Tikki Tavi is a mongoose among men. From the first encounter with his enemy, the cobra, Rikki knows that is duty is to kill snakes and to protect his newfound, good, British family; he takes his job in stride. Rikki kills the evil cobras Nag and Nagaina, and he saves the lives of the family and the garden-dwellers. His rewards are free meals from the good, British family every night and bragging rights for life. He asks his (good, British) family, “What are you bothering for? All the cobras are dead; and if they weren’t, I’m here” to let them know that he will continue to protect them (Kipling 102.) Although Rikki is essentially being civilized and used by the family, I don’t think Kipling’s Victorian England audience is going to find this to be negative. Rikki is still an animal that a child will adore but not necessarily relate to personally. Instead, they will look to see how this loveable creature does his job well and is rewarded for it. The snakes, on the other hand, cause trouble and are severely punished.

I think that Kipling’s moral of following rules fits perfectly with Victorian imperialism. The primary goal of imperialism is to take “primitive” countries, civilize them, and control them. In order to control these different countries, those living in the “primitive countries” must be obedient under the mother country’s rule. In order to have obedient subjects, the mother country’s rules must be instilled in the people (especially within the mother country itself.) The mother country shows the uncivilized people that those who follow the rules will be greatly rewarded. Those who do not follow the rules are seen as being uncivilized, uncouth, and uncool. They are also punished severely. Nobody wants to be a trouble-maker, especially one like Shere Khan, so the children reading The Jungle Books will strive to be good children and follow the rules like Mowgli and. Then they will grow up to become obedient adults of Victorian England who will then set out to instill Imperial values on the uncivilized parts of the world!