English project for CBSE use.

1. Index
S.no Topic Page no.
1. Acknowledgement 2
2. Certificate 3
3. Central idea of poem 4
4. Two themes associated with the poem 5-7
5. Background of the poem 8-12
6. Message of the poem 13
7. Pictorial narration 14-20
8. Poem based on "Restriction and Freedom 21-24
7. Case study 25-26
9. Conclusion 27
10. Bibliography 28

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
• I would like to thank our English Teacher Mr. Jaswant (PGT) who guided us in doing this
project. He provided us with invaluable advice and helped us in difficult periods. His
motivation and help contributed tremendously to the successful completion of the project.
• Besides, I would like to thank all the group members for there constant support for
finalizing this project within the limited time frame by providing the equipment which we
needed.
• I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Principal Mam and Vice Principal mam for
providing us with all the facility that was required.

3. Certificate
This certificate is proudly presented for honorable achievement to
ADIT MISHRA of class XII- ‘A’
Awarded this day on successful completion of ENGLISH PROJECT (2021-
2022).
Name of student : ADIT MISHRA
Roll no. : 02 Class : XII-A
School : KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SHALIMAR BAGH
Session : 2021-2022
Group members :- Vishakha Singh , Nishant , Aryan , Gautam
Remarks :
Name of
teacher :
Date :
SIGNATURE

4. The central idea of the poem.
The central idea of the poem ”Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” by Adrienne Rich is how the power of the
patriarchy controls women’s forms but not their minds. The poem makes this point by presenting
the wild, interesting, powerful tigers embroidered by Aunt Jennifer and contrasting them with
Aunt Jennifer herself. The poem characterizes the tigers as topaz residents of a world of
green who do not fear men and pace in certainty around their perfect world. The happy words
and assured verbs in the stanza are suggestive of self-possessed power. The next part shifts to
Aunt Jennifer, who is stitching this vivid picture on a screen. She does not seem powerful at all.
Her fingers are fluttering through the wool, and she can hardly pull the tiny needle because the
massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band sits heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand. This image
suggests something like a prisoner’s ball and chain, and very clearly symbolizes the dominating
power of patriarchal institutions, such as marriage. The poem also predicts the future. There is
no hope for Aunt Jennifer. Her bondage lasts until her death, when her frightened hands lie in a
coffin, still dominated by men. Her tigers, however, continue unafraid on the screen she made.
Although her body has died, still mastered by her ordeals, the tigers, the denizens of her
imagination, persevere, royal and powerful. This is a feminist twist on the classic signature tune
of art’s ability to live longer than human life.

5. THE TWO MAIN THEMES ASSOCIATED
WITH THE POEM ARE :
• Evils of patriarchal
society
• Woman emancipation

6. EVILS OF PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY
The first and the foremost theme of this poem is the evils of patriarchal
society. In this poem, Aunt Jennifer is described as a victim of failed
marriage. She has been married to someone who is controlling her life (The
massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s
hand).
She remains terrified. Her fingers keep fluttering like the wings of bird
because of fear. While carving the tigers she cannot hold the needle
properly.
The poet describes wedding band as “Uncle’s wedding band” which means she
has absolutely no control over her life. Even after death, the ring of her
marriage will remain stick to her fingers. So, she is not free even after
death. The poet is against this type of mentality and society.

7. Women Emancipation
Second important theme of the poem Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers is
Women Emancipation and Upliftment. The poet belongs to a time
when the society was dominated by patriarchal thinking and
women had begun protesting against this dominance.
In the poem, the poet talks provides reasons why there is need
of the upliftment of women. Uncle is described as a stern
patriarch who controls the life of Aunt Jennifer.
The only way of escaping is her art where she feels relieved.
The poet is against this hellish life of women. She wants to
uplift the women so that they may not remain dependent on men
for food and shelter.

8. Note on the background of the poem
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ was written in 1951 and included in her
first book of poetry, A Change in the World. She explores
themes that include gender, power, or lack thereof, and
marriage. These are all seen through the time and dedication
that Jennifer gives to her needlepoint.
Through the short lines of the poem, the speaker embodies the
struggle this woman is going through and juxtaposes it against
the tigers that she’s creating. Their power is contrasted against
her own lack of power.

9. • In the first lines of this poem the speaker, who is
unnamed, describes Aunt Jennifer’s work. She’s creating a
needlepoint image of tigers. They’re beautiful, described as
brightly shining gemstones living in green canvas. There is also
the addition of men in the image. They’re watching the tigers
who move without fear. The speaker spends time describing
how fast Jennifer’s fingers move and the weight of the
wedding ring on her finger. The speaker looks to the future
at the end of the poem. One day Jennifer is going to die and
her frightened hands will stop moving. But, the tigers will
not.

10. • In the first stanza of ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers,’ the speaker begins by
describing the movement of the tigers across the fabric canvas. They are
prancing “across a screen” in a “world of green”. The perfect rhymes give this
poem a sing-song-like sound that is juxtaposed against the
darker subject matter. It creates a haunting atmosphere that allows for easy
contemplation of the problems of marriage. The speaker describes very clearly
how the tigers do not “fear the men beneath the tree”. They move without
fear or trepidation. It should be noted that this is a state that the artist,
Aunt Jennifer, does not know. She is not without fear as they are.
• The animals are personified. Rich uses words like “chivalric” (an older term
that connects to a certain, respectful yet patronizing treatment of women) to
describe them. They are masculine, without worry, and “certain” in their
actions. This makes it seem even less likely that Jennifer will find this same
strength.

11. • The speaker describes in the next stanza how quickly
Jennifer’s fingers move. They “flutter” through the
movements but are without real strength. The word “flutter”
evokes the image of birds’ wings and gentle movements. Her
hands find the “needle hard to pull”. There is something
weighing them down, a “wedding band”. The ring that ties her
to her husband keeps her from moving beyond who she is at
that moment. It “Sits heavily” on her hand, her mind, and her
soul.

12. • The third stanza begins with a striking move into the future.
The speaker looks towards the time in which Jennifer is going
to die. These lines are enjambed, encouraging a reader to
move smoothly and quickly through the stanza. She will stop
eventually as will the movement of her hands. But, the ring
will still be there. Even in death she will in some ways be tied
to her “ordeals”.
• As she struggles, suffers, and dies, the tigers will continue
to prance proudly on her page. They, unlike her, are
“unafraid”.

13. Message of the poem
• Women have been subjected to patriarchal norms and had to live under the
dominance of males throughout the ages. Even in the poem, Aunt Jennifer is a
victim of failed marriage and patriarchal husband who controls her life.
• But the poem gives the message of women emancipation and upliftment not by
revolting against their husbands but by expressing themselves in art. Art is
free unlike women’s married life. It is everlasting unlike humans life. And
finally, it is a world in which women can escape and feel better.
• In the poem, the tigers which Aunt Jennifer carves are totally different than
her. They are bold, fearless, courageous and move in chivalrous way. On the
other hand, Aunt Jennifer herself is a victim of failed marriage. Her husband
controls her life. She always remain afraid. Her fingers tremble like birds
flutter.
• The poet says that, the ring of her marriage will remain on her fingers even
after death. However her art (the tigers) will always remain bold and fearless.

14. PICTORIAL NARRATION
OF THE POEM

21. Maya Angelou
• Maya Angelou born Marguerite Annie
Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014)
was an American poet, memoirist,
and civil rights activist. She published
seven autobiographies, three books
of essays, several books of poetry, and
is credited with a list of plays, movies,
and television shows spanning over 50
years. She received dozens of awards
and more than 50 honorary
degrees. Angelou is best known for her
series of seven autobiographies, which
focus on her childhood and early adult
experiences. The first, I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings(1969), tells of her life
up to the age of 17 and brought her
international recognition and acclaim.

22. Still I Rise
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

23. You may shoot me with your words,
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

24. Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
~Maya Angelou

25. Case Study On Women Exploitation
The city, considered Gujarat’s economic hub and business capital, is known for its
small- and medium-scale industries (SMSIs) especially those connected with
weaving, dying-printing, embroidery and diamonds. A number of non-industrial,
informal sector livelihood activities, known as the fringe sub-sector, are
integrated with the city’s main industrial activities. Studies reveal that a high
number of migrant workers from all over India eke their livelihood from this
wide spectrum of economic activities combining both these sub-sectors in which
women constitute a significant proportion of this workforce. The article firstly
describes their demographic profile as well as their working conditions. It also
takes into account not only their contribution in terms of an economic income but
also outlines their impact in the social sphere. The article argues that though the
work milieu of the unorganized sector is as exploitative and oppressive for
women workers as it is for men, to a certain extent there is an element of
liberation for women in their social existence.

26. A large proportion of woman workers are engaged in home-based work. Often children and other
members also join them. It is a putting-out system that dates back to pre-capitalist times. In
simple terms, home-based workers (HBWs) bring home raw materials, work on them and return
the finished products to suppliers or intermediaries. HBWs hardly come into direct contact with
main producers. Papad, lace and brocade, hosiery, garments or embroideries on them, carpets,
incense sticks, beedis and toys are mostly manufactured in this fashion. Breman has reservations
about considering home-based work as a form of self-employment. In his view, contracting out-of-
production work creates an illusion of work being carried out as self-employment. But sourcing is
an organization of the labour process that sets entrepreneurs free from the botheration of
dealing with labour and from any possible claim on their responsibility as employers. The standard
mode of payment in this type of work is per piece-rate or on the basis of job work and because of
these methods, that suggest freedom to earners for carrying out work at will or even not to work
sometimes, and thereby, all home-based work is generally as self-employed. Certainly, most HBWs
self-exploit themselves due to a piece-rate payment method. In Marxist terms, this mode of
payment is considered regressive as payment of wages on time rates is considered a major
achievement in the emancipatory struggle.

27. CONCLUSION
1. The project helps in successful completion of study of poem “Aunt Jennifer’s
Tigers”.
2. This project was also helpful in understanding of meaning and objectives of
poem in a better manner.
3. This poem gave me better insight into the situation of women in society and
taught me how we can help the women to get free from patriarchal society.
4. The poet offered a platform to Aunt (women) to showcase skills that she
had and positively helped Aunt (women) to reach the masses highlighting the
oppressions of her unhappy married life.
5. The poem taught me how to break free ourselves from all the bondages by
just following our power of creativeness.

28. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.https://mycbseguide.com/questions/2384/#:~:text=The%20central%20theme%20of%20
%22Aunt,them%20with%20Aunt%20Jennifer%20herself.
2. https://englishnotes.com/what-is-the-theme-of-aunt-jennifers-tigers/
3. https://poemanalysis.com/adrienne-rich/aunt-jennifers-
tigers/#:~:text='Aunt%20Jennifer's%20Tigers'%20was%20written,Jennifer%20gives%20
to%20her%20needlepoint
4. https://englishnotes.com/what-is-the-message-of-the-poem-aunt-jennifers-tigers/
5. https://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboards/ykamath/aunt-jennifers-tiger2
6. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0049085719901051