# For an Indian Screen explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Langston Hughes.

## What happens

A vivid narrative poem depicting a tiger's desperate climb up a cliff to escape hunters, framed as an exotic, decorative image for an Indian screen. The tiger's struggle is contrasted with its aesthetic representation as a luxurious gift for a queen.

## Themes in this chapter

### Nature and the Elements

The tiger's physical struggle against the cliff and the natural landscape is central to the poem.

### Resilience and Joy

The tiger's determined climb and survival against hunters evoke resilience, while the screen's beauty suggests a celebratory transformation.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator describes the tiger's escape and the screen's imagery.

## Key lines

> Clutching at trees and clawing rocks And panting and climbing Until he reached the top

The tiger desperately grabs trees and rocks, breathing heavily as it climbs until it reaches the summit.

_Highlights the tiger's physical exertion and determination._

> A picture for an Indian screen Woven in silks of subtle sheen And broidered in yellow lace

An image suitable for an Indian screen, crafted from shimmering silks and embroidered with yellow lace.

_Transforms the violent scene into an ornate, decorative artwork._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters/for-an-indian-screen
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_15_se/chapters