SKIMBLESHANKS: THE RAILWAY CAT POEM (SUMMARY+ANALYSIS) 2024
Get complete information about the skimbleshanks the railway cat written by Thomas Stearns Eliot, summary, literary devices or figures of speech, about the author, reflection as well as importance of skimbleshanks
ABOUT THE AUTHOR-
"Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 1888–4 January 1965) was born in Missouri, but he moved to England at the age of 25 and became a British citizen.
Eliot's childhood struggled with a congenital double inguinal hernia; he could not participate in many physical activities and thus was prevented from socializing with his peers (friends). As he was often isolated, his love for literature developed. Once he learned to read, the young boy immediately became obsessed with books, favoring tales of savage life, the wild west, or Mark Twain's thrill-seeking Tom Sawyer.
Eliot's friend Robert Sencourt comments that the young Eliot "would often curl up in the window seat behind an enormous book."
From 1898 to 1905, Eliot attended Smith Academy, the boys college preparatory division of Washington Universe, where his studies included Latin, Ancient Greek, French, and German. He began to write poetry when he was 14 under the influence of Edward Fitzgerald's translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
He is known for his poems THE LOVE SONG OF J.ALFRED PRUFROCK and THE WASTE LAND. He was also known for seven plays, particularly Murder in the Cathedral. In 1948, he was awarded the Noble Prize for Literature.
Eliot wrote the cat poems in the 1930s and included them, under his assumed name of "old possum," in letters to his godchildren. Eliot loved cats and owned many during his life. He was fond of giving them peculiar names such as jellylorum, pettipaws, wiscus, and George pushdragon.
Skimbleshanks is a character in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical Cats, which is based on Eliot's book. The character is portrayed as a bright and energetic orange tabby cat who lives and works on the night mails."
INTRODUCTION TO THE POEM-
Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat” is a poem written by T.S. Eliot.
This is a story about Skimbleshanks, the train cat. He runs the train like a boss and ensures everything goes well within the train; without skimbleshanks, the train can't start. According to the poem, he watches over every person on the train to make sure nothing goes wrong. To contribute to the peaceful journey of the night mail train.
SKIMBLESHANKS: THE RAILWAY CAT POEM SUMMARY/EXPLANATION
WHEN THE NIGHT MAIL'S READY TO DEPART,
SAYING "SKIMBLE WHERE IS SKIMBLE HAS HE GONE TO HUNT THE THIMBLE?
WE MUST FIND HIM OR THE TRAIN CAN'T SATART."
ALL THE GUARDS AND ALL THE PORTERS AND THE STATIONSMASTER'S DAUGHTERS
THEY ARE SEARCHING HIGH AND LOW,
SAYING "SKIMBLE WHERE IS SKIMBLE FOR UNLESS HE'S VERY NIMBLE
THEN THE NIGHT MAIL CAN'T GO."
AT 11.42 THEN THE SIGNAL'S NEARLY DUE
AND THE PASSENGERS ARE FANTASTIC TO A MAN-
THEN SKIMBLE WILL APPEAR AND HE'LL SAUNTER TO THR NEAR:
HE'S BEEN BUSY IN THE LUGGAGE VAN!
The poem start in the Night mail train where passengers are whispering at 11:39, at the time of departure, everybody around is asking where is "skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble?" (Metaphor) the thimble metaphorically represent the important or less important things. People are worried about skimble at present because without him the train cannot start.
Everybody start searching for skimble - the guards, the porters, the stationmaster's daughter, everyone said that skimble has to be very "nimble" (fast and active) or else the train will delay. It is eleven forty two (11:42 P.M) and few more minutes of delay will make the train late. The passengers know that without skimble the green signal won't be given, so they are restless and mad. They create a lot of commotion together, then finally skimble will appear and then he will move quickly to the rare side of the train. He was working in the luggage for so long.
HE GIVES ONE FLASH OF HIS GLASS-GREEN EYES
AND THE SIGNAL GOES "ALL CLEAR!"
AND WE'RE OFF AT LAST FOR THE NORTHERN PART
OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE!
Skimble's glass-green eyes itself serve as a signal for the train to start (this show the importance of skimbleshanks for the running of train).
Immediately the signal goes green which means everything is now clear and the train may move. Finally we are ready (narrator and other passengers) to start our journey to the northern hemisphere.
YOU MAY SAY THAT BU AND LARGE IT IA SKIMBLE WHO'S IN CHARGE
OF THE SLEEPING CAR EXPRESS.
FROM THE DRIVER AND THE GUARDS TO THE BAGMEN PLAYING CARDS
HE WILL SUPERVISE THEM ALL, MORE OR LESS.
DOWN THE CORRIDOR HE PACES AND EXAMINES ALL THE FACES
OF THE TRAVELLERS IN THE FIRST AND THE THIRD;
HE ESTABLISHES CONTROL BY REGULAR PATROL
AND HE'D KNOW AT ONCE IF ANYTHING OCCURRED.
HE WILL WATCH YOU WITHOUT WINKING AND HE SEES WHAT YOU ARE THINKING
AND IT'S CERTAIN THAT HE DOESN'T APPROVE
OF HILARITY AND RIOT, SO THE FOLK ARE VERY QUIET
WHEN SKIMBLE IS ABOUT AND ON THR MOVE.
YOU CAN PLAY NO PRANKS WITH SKIMBLESHANKS!
HE'S A CAT THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED;
SO NOTHING GOES WRONG ON THE NORTHERN MAIL
WHEN SKIMBLESHANKS IS ABROAD
It is clear to all that skimble is the one which is incharge of everything on the train, the train also name as "sleeping train". Skimble supervises everybody whether he is "guards", the "driver"or or the "bagmen" (travelling sells men) playing card. From one corridor to the other he faces up and down and takes a good note of the people on the train. He has a kneen eyes for every details and does not discriminate between the first class passengers and the third class passengers.
He has the train completely over his control by constantly moving up and down the train keeping a continuous watch on the passengers activities. He could immediately tell if anything went wrong he will look into your eyes "without winking" and can read your mind. It is "certain" that he does not like too much commotion in the train, neither does he accept a lot of laughter (hilarity) not does he accept a fight (riot). So the people in the train are very quiet whenever they see skimble is near by, nobody can fool skimble or "play prank" anywhere. Skimbleshanks takes care of everything on the northern male and nothing goes wrong when the skimble is present.
OH, IT'S VERY PLEASANT WHEN YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR LITTLE DEN
WITH YOUR NAME WRITTEN UP ON THR DOOR.
AND THR BERTH IS VERY NEAT WITH A NEWLY FOLDED SHEET
AND THERE'S NOT A SPECK OF DUST ON THE FLOOR.
THERE IS EVERY SORT O LIGHT-YOU CAN MAKE IT DARK OR BRIGHT;
THERE'S A FUNNY LITTLE BASIN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WASH YOUR FACE IN
AND A CRANK TO SHUT THE WINDOW IF YOU SNEEZE.
THEN THE GUARD LOOK IN POLITELY AND WILL ASK YOU VERY BRIGHTLY
"DO YOU LIKE YOUR MORNING TEA WEAK OR STRONG?"
BUT SKIMBLE'S JUST BEHIND HIM AND WAS READY TO REMIND HIM,
FOR SKIMBLE WON'T LET ANYTHING GO WRONG.
AND WHEN YOU CREEP INTO YOUR COSY BERTH
AND PULL UP THE COUNTERPANE,
YOU OUGHT TO REFLECT THAT IT'S VERY NICE
TO KNOW TAHT YOU WON'T BE BOTHERED BY MICE---
YOU CAN LEAVE ALL THAT TO THR RAILWAY CAT,
THE CAT OF THE RAILWAY TRAIN!
It is very very satisfying once you have found your place to sit in the "little den".
The "berth" are maintain neatly with "folded sheet", the floor is absolutely clean without any dust, every type of required light is provided which can be mad dim and bright, there is a "handle" with which we can turn on the fan or the A.C (air conditioner) there is a "funny little basin" to wash hands and face and there is also an "crank to shut" the window to prevent cold and flew.
Soon the guards come in and ask politely whether he would take a "morning tea" or whether it would be strong or not. Although he come to ask, passengers know that skimble is behind this he ensure that the passengers are served their "morning tea" according to their taste. Skimble cannot allow anything to go wrong. Finally when it is night and he decide to lie down pulling up the bed spread, we have to accept that it is very nice to feel safe under skimble supervision as no "mice" can bother us. The railway cat will take care of that territory ran by the cat.
IN THR WATCHES OF THR NIGHT HE IS ALWAYS FRESH AND BRIGHT;
EVERY NOW AND THEN HE HAS A CUP OF TEA
WITH PERHAPS A DROP OF SCOTCH WHILE HE'S KEEPING ON THR WATCH,
ONLY STOPPING HERE AND THERE TO CATCH A FLEA.
YOU WERE FAST ASLEEP AT CREW AND SO YOU NEVER KNEW
THAT HE WAS WALKING UP AND DOWN THE STATION;
YOU WERE SLEEPING ALL THE WHILE HE WAS BUSY AT CARLISLE,
WHERE HE GREETS THE STATIONSMASTER WHILE ELATION.
BUT YOU SAW HIM AT DUMFRIES, WHERE HE SPEAKS TO THE POLICE
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT:
WHEN YOU GET TO GALLOWGATE THERE YOU FO NOT HAVE TO WAIT---
FOR SKIMBLESHANKS WILL HELP YOU TO GET OUT!
HE GIVES YOU A WAVE OF HIS LONG BROWN TAIL
WHICH SAYS: "I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN!
YOU'LL MEET WITHOUT FAIL ON THE MIDNIGHT MAIL
THE CAT OF THR RAILWAY TRAIN."
The cat is always alert and active during his watch in the night. Some times during his watch he has a "cup of tea" may be with a "drop of Scotch" . Never does he waste his time during his watch except when he is bother by a fly. "At Crewe"(Town in England) you were sleeping but he was walking up and down the station as a responsibility. You slept peacefully all the while "at Carlisle" (city in England) while he was greeting the station master with a lot of happiness. You must have seen him "at Dumfries" (town in Scotland) where he was speaking to the police like a detective. He was enquiring if anything was wrong and he needed to know it to help. When you will get down "to gallowgate" (city in Scotland) you do not have to wait for anything and will not be delayed because skimbleshanks will assist you to get out he will wave his long round train like a good day which will means that the passengers and they will meet again. They will meet without any fail on the train "midnight mail" as the cat will always be spotted in the train. He gaves the most essential part of the journey.
LITERATURE DEVICES/FIGURE OF SPEECH-
1.ALLITERATION:
2. PERSONIFICATION:
“HE GAVE ONE FLASH OF HIS EYES, AND THE SIGNAL WAS GIVEN “ALL CLEAR!” In this passage, skimbleshanks eyes are personified as having the ability to start the tain journey. This suggests human-like features of skimbleshanks eyes such as communication or commanding capabilities.This personification enhances the character role and emphasizes his importance in ensuring a safe journey for everyone on board..
3. IMAGERY:
Vivid imagery is used to describe scenes and settings, such as “glass-green eyes,” “cosy berth,” and “watching up and down the station,” creating visual pictures for the reader.
4. HYPERBOLE:
"HE WATCHES YOU WITHOUT WINKING AND HE SEES WHAT YOU ARE THINKING AND IT'S CERTAIN THAT HE DOESN'T APPROVE"
It is this hyperbole that can be used to show the alertness and almost supernatural powers of understanding that Skimbleshanks has towards passengers. Here, the poet suggests that Skimbleshanks sees into their brains disapprovingly, overestimating his awareness and control.
This exaggeration portrays Skimbleshanks as a strict enforcer of order on the train, through a funny and larger-than-life characterization.It also makes it more charming and entertaining by adding to its whimsical and fantastical tone.
5. IRONY:
The humor and light-heartedness in the poem come from cat being responsible for a railway locomotive and its travelers.
SIGNIFICANCE/CHARACTERISTICS OF SKIMBLESHANKS-
1. Skimbleshanks is integral to Night Mail Train:
Skimbleshanks plays an important role in running the night mail train. This signifies how essential he is for smooth departure of trains.
2. Responsibility and Leadership:
He presides over everything in regards to sleeping car express; ensuring smooth flow from drivers to passengers.
3. Vigilant and Observant:
Thus, Skimbleshanks’ vigilance extends even to little details. He maintains control at all times, disapproving any kind of ruckus or mischief.
4. Symbol of Comfort and Safety:
He is responsible for the passengers’ comfort and safety by cleaning and arranging their berths. This makes passengers confident that they are in safe hands.
5. Reliable and Helpful:
Skimbleshanks appears as a reliable person who can be relied upon for help, assisting passengers at different stops during the journey.As a whole, Skimbleshanks stands as an embodiment of efficiency, commitment, and dependability; hence ensuring smooth running of the night mail train besides ascertaining its occupants’ convenience.
PERSONAL REFLECTION -
This poem has an abiding impact through its charming presentation about how important a cat is in the operation of a night mail train.It reminds us of how even minuscule modes may play big roles in this type of system.
In Skimbleshanks, we see qualities like responsibility, hard work, alertness that go beyond just being railway.Thus it is a gentle reminder to us to appreciate these unsung heroes who diligently work behind the scenes so that we can sleep soundly.
Therefore it indicates that every role however small-seeming is significant in our daily existence. Henceforth “Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat” brings back memories of long gone days when trains were still romantic entities with their vivid depictions of crowded stations where people were preparing for their final journeys.
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