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Rikki-Tikki-Tavi from The Jungle Book Good vs. Evil Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)

Quote #4

But just as Teddy was stooping, something flinched a little in the dust, and a tiny voice said: "Be careful. I am death!" It was Karait, the dusty brown snakeling that lies for choice on the dusty earth; […]. (34)

We know Teddy is good because of the way he treated Rikki-tikki when he was near death. And Rikki-tikki's protection of Teddy here is a bid to protect goodness. (Plus, it's just good manners: you save me, I save you.)

Quote #5

Teddy's mother picked [Rikki-tikki] up from the dust and hugged him, crying that he had saved Teddy from death, and Teddy's father said that he was a providence, and Teddy looked on with big scared eyes. Rikki-tikki was rather amused at all the fuss, which, of course, he did not understand. (37)

Hm, this is interesting. It's almost as if Rikki-tikki says he sides with neither good nor evil. He just does what he does because that's what he does. What do you think?

Quote #6

"So long as the bungalow is empty, we are king and queen of the garden; and remember that as soon as our eggs in the melon-bed hatch (as they may to-morrow), our children will need room and quiet." (54)

Ah, it's the old "evil force trying to take over the kingdom" story. Classic. Oh, sure, it's only a garden in India, but for the critters, it might as well be a kingdom. But… they only want "room and quiet" for their kids. Are they really evil? And wasn't it their kingdom that got taken over first?