The most important theme in the short story, "The Tigers Heart" is power. The
main character in this story is more powerful than everyone else because he has
something they do not. In order to maintain this power, he is forced to cover up his own
bravery.
This is a story about a man who, asked to hunt a tiger with a rifle, kills it with a
machete and covers it up to protect his status in the village.
In a small jungle village of Latin America the day is very different from the
night. Everybody is tense during the darkness, except for Pepe because he has a rifle.
One night there was a ruckus which Pepe decided to ignore; he knew there would be company in the morning. He awoke early in the morning. Two men came to the door and Pepe asked what had happened.
Pepe y Rico
Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven, CT
White Clam pizza at Pepe's Pizzeria NapoletanaOne of the men said "a devil, but this morning I saw only the tracks of a tiger." A tiger had raped him of a goat. "'This is why I have come to you, Pepe', Juan Aria said. A troubled frown overspread his face. 'I hope you will follow and kill this tiger, for you are the only man who can do so.' They talked up a deal and Pepe was off with his rifle to catch this ferocious tiger.
Pepe went to look at the tracks of the tiger, to tell where it had last been. He already noticed that he had an advantage over the beast; his front left paw [the tiger] had been injured. Pepe began to leave the village in search of this tiger. As he departed, the people of the village stared in admiration. Pepe began to walk through the forest following the tracks of...