Ozma of Oz · Chapter
VIII: The Hungry Tiger explained
Dorothy reunites with the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, introduces Tiktok, and retrieves Billina from the chicken house after a fight.
What happens
Dorothy reunites with the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, introduces Tiktok, and retrieves Billina from the chicken house after a fight. She meets the Hungry Tiger, who struggles with his conscience about eating living creatures. The group gathers for a conference to plan the liberation of the royal family of Ev.
Themes in this chapter
Friendship and Loyalty
Dorothy's warm reunions with the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion highlight the bonds of friendship.
Good Versus Evil
The Hungry Tiger's internal conflict between his savage nature and his conscience exemplifies the struggle between good and evil.
Characters to notice
- Dorothy Gale
Reunites with friends, retrieves Billina, and participates in the conference.
- Scarecrow
Embraces Dorothy and welcomes Tiktok.
- Tin Woodman
Embraces Dorothy gently and shakes hands with Tiktok.
- Tik-Tok
Wound up by Dorothy and introduced to the company.
- Billina
Found fighting a rooster in the chicken house; brought back by Dorothy.
- Cowardly Lion
Greets Dorothy and introduces the Hungry Tiger.
- Hungry Tiger
Describes his constant hunger and moral struggle; introduced as a new friend.
- Princess Langwidere
Present in the drawing-room during the conference.
Key passages
“The first thing Dorothy did was to rush into the embrace of the Scarecrow, whose painted face beamed with delight as he pressed her form to his straw-padded bosom.”
Dorothy immediately hugged the Scarecrow, who was overjoyed to see her.
Reunion with Scarecrow.
“I am a good beast, perhaps, but a disgracefully bad tiger. For it is the nature of tigers to be cruel and ferocious, and in refusing to eat harmless living creatures I am acting as no good tiger has ever before acted.”
The Hungry Tiger considers himself a good beast but a bad tiger because he refuses to harm others.
Tiger's moral dilemma.
“Why, Billina! have you been fighting? I really think I have, retorted Billina. Do you think I'd let that speckled villain of a rooster lord it over me, and claim to run this chicken house, as long as I'm able to peck and scratch? Not if my name is Bill!”
Dorothy is shocked to find Billina fighting a rooster, but Billina defends her actions.
Billina's fight with the rooster.