Macavity: The Mystery Cat Poem Important Questions Class 8 Honeydew English
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. Having read the poem, try to guess whether the poet is fond of cats. If so, why does he call Macavity a fiend and monster?
Answer
Yes, It seems like the poet is fond of cats. He calls Macavity a ‘friend’ and a ‘monster’ because he might have wanted to portray an evil side. He might have used a cat in order to create a negative character who is a criminal and escape easily from police. The quick movements of a cat and its mysterious eyes might have influenced him to create this evil character in the form of a cat.
Question 2. Read the first stanza and think.
(i) Is Macavity a cat really?
(ii) If not, who can Macavity be?
Answer
(i) No, Macavity is not a cat. The cat is just a representation of the master criminal.
(ii) The poet did not mean Macavity as a cat. He just has given a poetic form using the cat to refer a criminal who is ferocious and very intelligent one. He commits the crime in a conning quiet manner as a cat does.
Question 3. How Macavity does outwit the world’s top investigation agencies?
Answer
Whenever investigation agencies reached the spot of crime, Macavity is not present there. He also didn’t leave any clue of him. These agencies were not able to found any sign of Macavity. Therefore, he outwitted the world’s top investigation agencies.
Question 4. Read stanza 3, and then, describe Macavity in two or three sentences of your own.
Answer
Macavity described as a ginger cat. He is tall and thin and you can recognise him by his eyes which are sunken; deeply lined brow and highly doomed head. He never takes care of his dress. His coat is dusty with neglect. He never combs his whiskers. He moves like a snake and is always wide awake.
Question 5. Describe Macavity.
Answer
Macavity is a tall and thin ginger cat whose eyebrows are deep with lines. He has sunken eyes which gives him a devil look. His coat is untidy and his whiskers are uncombed. He moves his head from side to side and his body movement is like that of a snake.
Question 6. What is the most remarkable thing about Macavity?
Answer: Macavity, known as the Mystery cat has defied all laws. He even defies the law of gravity. He possesses supernatural powers which allow him to levitate up in the air. He is so confident in his manner that whenever the crime is discovered, Macavity disappears without leaving a single trace.
Context Based Questions
Stanza 1
Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s Called the Hidden Paw
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the law.
He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the flying squad’s despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime – Macavity’s not there!
Explanation
Macavity is a mystery cat because no crime agency was ever able to arrest this criminal mastermind during or after his committing a crime. He is too clever to leave any evidence of his guilt. He is a puzzle for every detective agency in the world including Scotland Yard and Flying Squad who are specialized investigating crime. Whenever they reach the scene of crime – Macavity is not there. Macavity is too clever to be caught and he is nowhere near at the crime spot.
Questions
(i) What is the name of the mystery cat?
(ii) Why is it the bafflement of Scotland Yard?
(iii) What had helped him in escaping from the crime scene?
(iv) What is the rhyming scheme in the poem?
Answer
(i) The mystery cat was called as Macavity. It was also famous as the Hidden paw and master criminal.
(ii) He is a master criminal who fled from the crime scene. He was never caught.
(iii) It was believed that he had a ‘hidden paw’ which helped him in escaping the crime scene in no time.
(iv) ‘aa bb’ is the rhyming scheme in the poem.
Stanza 2
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare,
And when you reach the scene of crime – Macavity’s not there!
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air
But I tell you once and once again, Macavity’s not there!
Explanation
Not only does he breaks the humans law but also breaks the law of gravity. His brows are deeply lining as a result of continuous planning of crime.
Questions
(i) Why did the poet took the name thrice in a line?
(ii) What is the impact of its powerful ‘levitation’?
(iii) Why the search for him was futile?
(iv) Give the figure of speech used in the lines 1 personification.
Answer
(i) The poet tried to accentuate the uniqueness of the cat.
(ii) His levitation was so powerful that is caused a fakir to stare in bewilderment.
(iii) The cat leaves the crime scene swiftly. It couldn’t be found in basement or in air, so its search was futile.
(iv) It is attributing human qualities to an inanimate object 1 personification.
Stanza 3
Macavity’s a ginger cat, he’s very tall and thin;
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in.
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed;
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed.
He sways his head from side to side, his movements like a snake;
And when you think he’s half asleep, he’s always wide awake.
Explanation
Macavity has sunken eyes and “his head is highly doomed”. He never combs his whiskers. His movements resemble that of a snake. When you think he is sleeping, he is wide awake in fact.
Questions
(i) What did the poet say about Macavity in the above stanza?
(ii) How could he be recognized?
(iii) Describe the appearance of the cat?
(iv) How was its movement described by the poet?
(v) Which figure of speech is used in the lines?
Answer
(i) T.S. Eliot described Macavity as a ginger cat who is both tall and thin.
(ii) He could be recognized from his eyes which are deeply sunken in.
(iii) The cat was tall and thin with sunken eyes, domed head, deeply lined eyebrows. His coat was dusty and his whiskers were uncombed.
(iv) The poet described its movement like a snake. He might appear sleeping but he was wide awake.
(v) Simile – movements like a snake.
Stanza 4
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity
For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square
But when a crime’s discovered, then Macavity’s not there!
Explanation
Macavity is a devil in the cat’s shape. He is morally corrupt. You may meet and see him everywhere but whenever his crime is discovered you will not find him there.
Questions
(i) Which figure of speech is used in above stanza?
(ii) What was unusual about the cat?
(iii) Where could he be available?
(iv) What is Macavity compared to?
(v) What does the poet mean by calling the cat a ‘monster of depravity’?
(vi) What elements are obvious in the poem? ,
Answer
(i) Reputation – Macavity is used several lines
Simile – like Macavity Metaphor – a monster Personification — ‘He’.
(ii) The poet called it unusual as there was never seen a cat of such deceitfulness and tactfulness.
(iii) He could be available anywhere like in a street or in a square but not at a crime scene.
(iv) Macavity is compared to a devil in a cat’s shape.
(v) The poet was using derogatory comments against the deceitful and tactful cat.
(vi) The poet successfully loaded the humour in the poem.