In the short story “Rikki-tikki-tavi” Rudyard Kipling talks about a courageous but mean mongoose named Rikki-tikki-tavi and a sinister and smart snake named Nagaina. Also the theme of the story is about the importance of family. First, Rikki is a brave bully, he was washed away from his home to the humans that he lives with now. ”marks or no marks, do you think it is right for you to eat fledglings out of a nest?”(Kipling 8). In that quote Rikki is talking to Nagaina’s husband, Nag. Rikki is firm because he is talking back to someone who he is afraid of. “ Rikki-tikki smashed two eggs, and tumbled backward down the melon bed with the third egg in his mouth, and scuttled to the veranda as hard as he could put foot to the ground.”(Kipling 28) shows that Rikki is an intimidator. Rikki is a mean jerk who murdered unhatched eggs. He also killed the eggs mother and father.This shows that Rikki is a sensible jerk.
Next, Nagaina is sinister yet wise snake. “ ‘When the house is emptied of people,’ said Nagaina to her husband, ‘he will have to go away, and then the garden will be our own again. Go in quietly, and remember that the big man who killed Karait is the first one
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“Rikki-tikki tingled all over with rage and hatred at this, and then Nag’s head came through the sluice, and his five feet of cold body followed it. Angry as he was, Rikki-tikki was very frightened as he saw the size of the big cobra.”(Kipling 18). Rikki is mad because the cobras are plotting to kill his family. While the cobras are slaughtering Rikki's family for their own. “ ‘Give me the egg, Rikki-tikki. Give me the last of my eggs, and I will go away and never come back,’ ” (Kipling 31). Nagaina was protecting what was left of her family. she evan said she would her home for her child. All of the quotes show this family related theme.
All in all Nagaina and Rikki enjoy their families as well as intelligent