“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage" is a quote from Lao Tzu. Tzu’s quote is a true message about life that is expressed in many ways, such as Rikki-Tikki-tavi. The theme of the fictional story Rikki-Tikki-tavi by Rudyard Kipling is that when someone you care about is in danger, it can give you courage.

Rikki-Tikki is a loving and brave character in this story. For example, Rikki-Tikki took Nagaina’s last egg, distracting her, so Teddy could be taken out of harm's way (para 89-91). This shows that Rikki-Tikki is caring because he diverted Nagaina so that his family can be safe. If Rikki-Tikki did not love them, he never would have had the courage to kill Nagaina. In addition, Rikki-Tikki …show more content…
In one case, Nagaina goes inside the veranda and confronts Rikki-Tikki’s family saying, “Son of the big man that killed Nag, stay still. I am not ready yet. Wait a little. Keep very still, all you three! If you move, I strike, and if you do not move, I strike” (para 82-84). This indicates anthropomorphism because Nagaina is talking, which is a human attribute, and she is an animal. Supposing that Nag, her husband, whom she loved, did not died, Nagaina would not have had the courage to go into the house and threaten the family. Also, Rikki-Tikki smashes all Nagaina’s eggs, except for one which he brings to her, and she says, “Give me the egg, Rikki-Tikki. Give me the last of my eggs, and I will go away and never come back.” Then when Rikki-Tikki refused to give her the egg, she stole it from him and slithered as fast as she could away from the house (para 81-96). This displays anthropomorphism because Nagaina was asking Rikki-Tikki to give her her egg and that is a human feature cobras do not have. Nagaina’s egg gave her courage to steal it back from Rikki-Tikki because it was the last one and she loved it. In conclusion, Kipling includes anthropomorphism to support the