Mrs Packletide’Stiger - Exemplar Essay

Mrs Packletide’sTiger - Exemplar Essay

Mrs Packletide’s Tiger by Saki (HH Munro) is a short story in which one character’s disloyalty to another proves the crux of the plot. Set mostly in Colonial India, the author aims to highlight and ridicule the pretentious nature of the upper classes of Edwardian society. With sophisticated language we are encouraged ingeniously to dislike Mrs Packletide who endeavours to shoot a tiger in order to upstage her rival Loona Bimberton. The satirical tone employed throughout the story enables us to applaud her comeuppance at the hands of her paid companion, Miss Mebbin. From the beginning the satirical tone employed increases our dislike of the petty Mrs Packletide whose motive for shooting a tiger was that her rival Loona Bimberton had recently flown in an “aeroplane by an Algerian aviator.” This feat in these times was considered not only a daring and brave feat (because aeroplanes had just been invented and were nothing like the comfortable, reliable modes of transport they are today) but Saki’s tone also shows us his repulsion of these classes by implying that this feat of Loona Bimberton’s was only a show of bravery. The word “carried” suggests she had to be helped and coaxed along the way and in the end it was only her greed for the fame it would bring her that made her do it. The alliteration highlights Mrs Packletide’s outage at being bettered by a rival and we see her petty nature emerge from beneath her mask of society’s fashion. Our dislike of Mrs Packletide’s character increases as the story continues along with Saki’s sarcasm. The word “ostensibly” used by the author to describe how Mrs Packletide is planning to show off the tiger skin rug to her friends seemingly in order to honour Loona Bimberton, is really an excuse to show off to her rival and upstage her. Similarly her offer of a thousand rupees for the chance to shoot a tiger “without overmuch risk or exertion” shows the extravagance of this ridiculous expedition on which she is intent and reminds us of her shallow nature. This detail allows the author’s theme to grow, showing us the stupid side of Mrs Packletide. She has no sense of the value of money or the actual excitement of hunting: the hunt, the chase, the kill. Saki then introduces Mrs Packletide’s paid companion, Miss Mebbin as having a: “morbid dread of performing an atom more service than she had paid for.” This statement of Miss Mebbin’s nature immediately creates in our minds a stingy, strict, sneering, cold-hearted woman. It also suggests she is observant and cautious, not for others but for herself. The title “Miss” combined with the detailed description of her thrifty nature creates an image of a mean old spinster. The idea that she is greedy is highlighted in the way he writes that she: “adopted a protective elder-sister attitude to money.” Saki is suggesting that on the surface she is unthreatening but in truth she cares for money so much she treats it as a person, a sibling even. This revelation prepares us for her betrayal of Mrs Packletide. On the night of the shoot Mrs Packletide reassures Miss Mebbin of the lack of danger showing that Mrs Packletide knows how much of a farce this expedition really is. Miss Mebbin wasn’t actually mortally afraid but rather was concerned in case she missed a bonus in her pay. The shooting’s absurd nature is highlighted even more when Saki introduces the added detail of Mrs Packletide playing “Patience” with cards as she awaits the old decrepit tiger to go for the obvious bait. In the end Mrs Packletide misses the stationary tiger – and kills the bait instead! However, the tiger dies of a heart attack because of the loud gun report. Mrs Packletide ignores this fact and claims she shot the tiger, assuming Miss Mebbin will not say a word as she is merely a “paid companion.” The villagers keep quiet so as not to jeopardise their reward. Upon returning to England Mrs Packletide has her revenge and gains admiration from everyone except, of course, Loona Bimberton. Once the fuss has died down we begin to see Mrs Packletide enjoying happiness and we beg for repercussions. Saki answers our pleas! Miss Mebbin returns to her old boss to blackmail her into paying for an idyllic cottage, which she does, promptly. We cheer enthusiastically! In my view Saki achieved his goal superbly. By making Mrs Packletide such a fake show-off with his sardonic tone and extravagant language, we grow hateful of her. Her petty, selfish nature annoys us and the extremes she will go to achieve her aims are deplorable. Although Miss Mebbin is a nasty piece of work herself, we still support her disloyalty towards Mrs Packletide because it results in her comeuppance. The betrayal of Mrs Packletide gives us the ending we want to this humorous story and leaves us in no doubt as to Saki’s feelings towards the upper classes.