39 pages • 1 hour read
Sharon M. DraperTears of a Tiger
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1994A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Tiger and Its Tears
The image of a crying tiger is highly paradoxical, and as such, it is an apt depiction of the dichotomy between the calm exterior that Andy strives to project and the inner turmoil that slowly but surely overwhelms him. To the outside world, Andy tries to convey the sense that he is coping with his many issues and has everything together; the façade even seems to be effective enough to fool his coach, who compliments him on supporting his teammates. Ironically, however, it is the illustration of young Monty that most accurately captures the true nature of Andy’s hidden distress, for the image of a tiger with tears emphasizes the hints of deep emotion that escape even the most tightly crafted masks. Thus, the tiger represents an outward shell of strength that nonetheless teeters on the edge of collapse, if only people would know enough to interpret the finer details of the picture. It is also significant that Andy tells Monty that it is acceptable for tigers to cry, for in this statement, he attempts to provide himself with the reassurance that others have so far failed to give him.
Macbeth
During English class, the students are studying Shakespeare’s tragic play Macbeth. The specific scene that Sharon M. Draper chooses to feature is the one in which Lady Macbeth has died, and Macbeth must now face the prospect of his own impending death. During the reading, Andy leaves the classroom in deep distress because in Shakespeare’s classic play, he can see unmistakable parallels to his own life. In the context of Draper’s novel, Macbeth’s anguish is designed to reflect Andy’s own more realistic struggles, for just as Macbeth must die because he is a murderer, so too does Andy believe that he must die because of his part in Robbie’s fate. However, Draper also highlights the misguided nature of Andy’s tortured thoughts because even as the class questions whether Macbeth deserves such a death, the narrative also implies that Andy should not have such a poor regard for the value of his own life. Ultimately, however, the play is also used as a method of foreshadowing, for the fact that Macbeth does die also heralds Andy’s imminent death by his own hand. Like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Andy cannot let go of his guilt over what he has done, and he feels the need to atone. Because he feels responsible for Robbie’s death, Andy believes the only satisfactory atonement is to affect his own death as well.
Basketball
Basketball plays a significant role in the lives of the main characters and even provides them with a sense of team cohesion and individual identity, for each of the boys has long-term goals associated with their basketball careers. For Andy, who continues to suffer from The Harm of Societal Racism, basketball represents his saving grace, for it is the only way that his teachers believe he will be able to succeed and progress to college, as his grades will not make the cut. After Robbie dies, however, Andy’s thoughts surrounding basketball become infinitely more complicated. At first, he loves the game as much as he did prior to the accident, but as time progresses and his mental health continues to deteriorate, he loses his love for the game just as he loses all sense of himself. Ultimately, Andy’s attitude toward basketball can be interpreted as an effective way to measure his mental state at any given moment in the novel. While Andy attends therapy and focuses on recovering and working toward his future, he dedicates himself to being the best basketball player he can be. However, as he deteriorates and loses his ability to see a future for himself, the game becomes less important to him. He talks about it less often, plays it less seriously, and decides that he does not need to play for a college team. The waning of basketball’s importance to Andy therefore parallels his declining mental health quite precisely.
Related Titles
By Sharon M. Draper
