Essay Questions

Why does Kev cut off his hand?

Kev has been haunted by the tiger throughout the play after shooting killing it. He believes that if he sacrifices his arm it will serve as a form of penance for his murder which will lead to the tiger's ghost leaving and no longer stalking him throughout the city. However, Kev ends up dying from his self-inflicted mutilation and himself becomes a ghost.

What is the significance of the tiger biting off Tom's arm?

Tom has attempted to feed the tiger. He seems to believe that this animal is tame and merely needs food to survive. But the deeper symbol is that a tiger is still a tiger, not a man. An animal with this type of power cannot merely become a normal part of day to day life in human society, it belongs to the wild. Thus, though this animal was caged for years it still has it's vicious instincts which lead to Tom's arm being taken along with the food he tries to feed the beast.

Why does Tom return to see Kev?

Kev's mind seems to have broken as he continues to see the ghost of the tiger. Tom reunites with Kev in order to get his help finding a golden gun and golden toilet seat that once belonged to Uday Hussein. So, instead of returning to appeal to his friend's needs, he is there to enlist him in a scheme to steal from the home of the former dictator's son. This story point leads to the demise of Kev.