Short Answer Questions
Question 1. 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 2. 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.
Question 3. 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 4. 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 5. A cat “I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through”. (Jules Verne)
Which law is Macavity breaking in the light of the comment above?
Answer: “A cat. I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through”. In this line, Macavity breaks the law of gravity.
Question 6. 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 7. 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.
8. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
Macavity’s a Mystery: 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!
- What is the other name given to Macavity cat?
Ans. The other name given to Macavity is the Hidden Paw. - What kind of cat is Macavity?
Ans. Macavity is a mysterious and criminal cat. - Why is Macavity the bafflement of Scotland Yard?
Ans. Macavity is the bafflement of the Scotland Yard because he can defy the law and is never caught by the Flying Squad.
9. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
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 doomed;
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed.
- Why is Macavity called a ginger cat?
Ans. Macavity is called a ginger cat because he’s very tall and thin. - How would you know that it is a Macavity cat?
Ans. We would know it is a Macavity cat as its eyes were sunken in and his brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly doomed. - What kind of coat and whiskers did Macavity have?
Ans. Macavity had dusty coat and uncombed whiskers.
Long Answer Questions
- Why does the poet call Macavity a “mystery cat”?
- The poet calls Macavity a mystery cat because he’s an expert at escaping. Every time a crime occurs, Macavity is never there—he mysteriously vanishes before anyone can catch him in the act.
- What adjectives describe Macavity’s character?
- Macavity is described with many colorful adjectives: he’s ginger, a source of bafflement, deceitful, suave, and possesses a fiendish, monstrous nature. He’s called a fakir and is known for his depravity and criminal tendencies.
- Why is Macavity termed a “criminal”?
- Macavity is labeled a criminal because he defies human laws with ease. His activities are akin to criminal offenses, as he indulges in actions that break all forms of law and order.
- What does “powers of levitation” suggest?
- The phrase “powers of levitation” suggests Macavity’s remarkable ability to leap and bound. Cats are known for jumping, but Macavity’s jumps are extraordinary, almost as if he’s defying gravity.
- What would you do if a cat entered your kitchen? Would you keep a cat as a pet?
- If a cat entered my kitchen, I’d gently shoo it away. Personally, I wouldn’t choose to keep a cat as a pet.
- “Macavity is never there.” Elaborate.
- Macavity seems to always vanish when crime occurs. He’s around when all is quiet, but the moment something suspicious happens, he’s miles away, feigning innocence as though he has no clue what occurred. Though often suspected, his cunning nature leaves no evidence.
- What impression does the poet give of Macavity, the mystery cat? Why is he called mysterious?
- T.S. Eliot portrays Macavity as a cat who’s perpetually evading justice. Known for his law-breaking ways, he’s there when things are calm but vanishes when there’s trouble—stolen jewels, missing milk, broken glass—Macavity’s nowhere to be found. He’s so skilled that he leaves no trace, ensuring he can’t be caught, making him truly mysterious.
- There are other cats like Mungojerrie and Griddlebone, but “there’s no one like Macavity.” Explain.
- While many cats, like Mungojerrie and Griddlebone, are mischievous, Macavity stands out for his craftiness. Other cats might be naughty, but Macavity is masterfully deceptive. He might seem sluggish, but he’s always plotting his next move, which makes him unique.
- Describe Macavity’s appearance.
- Macavity is tall, thin, with sunken eyes and a contemplative expression. His dusty-colored fur and rough whiskers give him a scruffy look, and his head has a distinctive, almost crowned, shape.
- How does Macavity move?
- Macavity slinks about with the stealth of a snake, moving smoothly and silently as he plots his next scheme.
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