The Character of Ricki-Tikki in Ricki-Tikki-tavi

The main character in Rudyard Kipling’s short story Rikki- Tikki- tavi is a brave small mongoose named Rikki- Tikki who lives with a human family. He has a sort of problem with three deadly and un-forgetful snakes who want to harm the human family (Teddy, the Mother and the Father and Rikki-Tikki as well). During the course of the story, he has close contact with the snakes Nag, Karate, and Nagiana. However, Rikki-Tikki is brave, caring, and strong. As well, the three snakes are: cruel, mean, and uncaring deadly snakes that don’t care about the family nor there lives.

Rikki has a brave soul. Is that what the story is trying to tell us? I think yes. Why? Because there are examples proving how brave this little so called Mongoose is. One of those examples has to do with Nag and how the brave Rikki-Tikki kills the deadly snake in the bathroom. The snake was waiting for either one of the family members to walk into the bathroom and strike at once. But Rikki now, found Nag in the bathroom waiting to strike. Rikky bites Nag in the neck and kills him. Another example proving how brave he is, is when Rikki follows Nagiana in he snake hole, which every Mongoose knows not to do because of many reasons, and kills Nagiana and the egg is left unknown to be discovered. Lastly, the reason all behind all this is the fact that Rikky-Tikki was brave enough to actually attempt to kill or strike the three deadly snakes to save not just Teddy and his Mother and Father, but also the animals in the garden who were afraid of them because of what they have done in the past and would of continued if he haven’t of killed all three.

Secondly, Rikki-Tikki is just brave, but caring as well. For example, the love he had for the family, and willing to save them was just caring and thoughtful for a small Mongoose. He fought off the snakes not just for the family, but also for the animals and for himself. For all there safety, Rikki, as all mongooses priority in life was to attack and kill snakes, has killed Nag, Karate, and Nag’s wife, Nagiana.

Rikki has actually many more traits and desires, but third and last trait he mainly had was that he was strong like a warrior. Most all mongooses can attack a snake, but Rikky-Tikki can dodge any attack the snakes gave him. He also can attack a snake a lot more harder and has an amazing bite to the neck. He chatters with rage when he is angry or ready to fight. I think that is a true Mongoose to me. To mostly tie it up, the short story Rikki-Tikki-tavi was about bravery, courage, loyalty, care for others, and strength. What a true Mongoose to have in a family, and to have such a sentinel that is so brave, caring, and strong like a warrior.