I Want Something in a Cage — Study Notes

1. Introduction

"I Want Something in a Cage" is a thought-provoking story from the NCERT Class 7 textbook "An Alien Hand". It is written by L. E. Greeve. The story is set in a pet shop run by a man named Mr Purcell, who sells birds, cats, dogs and monkeys, keeping small creatures in cages.

One windy morning, a strange customer enters the shop. He is poorly dressed, with short hair, and he wants to buy "something in a cage" - a small bird. He buys a pair of white doves from Mr Purcell. The reader expects a simple transaction, but what follows is deeply moving.

The story's power lies in its ending: the man, who has just spent all the money he earned over ten years in prison, sets the doves free outside the shop. Mr Purcell is left puzzled and even insulted. The story contrasts the cruelty of caging creatures with the beauty of freedom, and raises deep questions about the value of liberty.

2. Author

The story is written by L. E. Greeve, an American author. The story is a short, compact narrative that packs a powerful moral punch. Greeve's tale is celebrated for its use of contrast, irony and a memorable twist at the end. Though the author may not be as famous as Kipling or O. Henry, "I Want Something in a Cage" is widely studied because of its simple language and its profound theme of freedom versus captivity. Students should remember the author's name for exam questions.

3. Summary

Mr Purcell is the owner of a pet shop. He sells cats, dogs, monkeys, fish food and bird seed. Birds and other small creatures are kept in cages, and they move about madly, making a lot of noise. But Mr Purcell is used to the noise. Every morning, he sits on a high stool behind the counter and reads the morning paper, smiling or frowning as he reads.

One rough, windy day, a stranger enters the shop without ringing the door bell. He wears a cheap, ill-fitting suit and has short-cropped hair. He looks at the cages and says he wants something in a cage - something small, a bird. He points to a cage containing two white doves. Mr Purcell asks five dollars and fifty cents for them. The man is sad because he has only five dollars, but Mr Purcell completes the deal and hands over the cage.

The man asks Mr Purcell whether the noise of the caged birds bothers him. Mr Purcell replies that he does not even hear it. Then the stranger reveals that he earned those five dollars through ten years of hard labour in prison, at the rate of fifty cents a year. He turns and walks out of the shop. Just outside, he lifts the cage, takes out one dove, then the other, and sets both free into the air. He drops the empty cage and walks away.

Mr Purcell stands perplexed. He cannot understand why the man freed the birds he had paid so much to buy. He also feels a sort of insult, realising that while he makes his living by robbing creatures of their freedom, this stranger spent his entire earnings simply to liberate two doves.

4. Characters

5. Theme

The central theme of the story is freedom versus captivity. The stranger, who spent ten years in prison, knows the true value of liberty. He buys two doves only to release them, while Mr Purcell, who keeps animals caged for a living, cannot understand this act. Another theme is the contrast between material value and human feeling: Mr Purcell sees the birds as merchandise, while the stranger sees them as fellow beings who deserve freedom. The story also criticises the cruelty of caging living creatures and suggests that those who profit from captivity become blind to its injustice.

6. Literary Devices

• Irony: The man works ten years in prison, spends everything on doves, then sets them free - the opposite of what Mr Purcell expects.
• Contrast: Mr Purcell's commercial blindness contrasts with the stranger's deep love of freedom.
• Symbolism: The cage and the doves symbolise captivity and freedom.
• Suspense: The reader wonders why the man buys the birds.
• Pathos: The man's revelation about his ten years in prison is deeply moving.
• Twist ending: The sudden release of the birds gives the story its emotional power.

7. Quick Revision Tables

Table 1: The Two Main Characters

Table 2: Sequence of Events

8. Mind Map

9. Important Diagrams (SVG)

Diagram 1: The Stranger's Act of Freedom

Diagram 2: Two Views of the Birds

10. Common Mistakes

1. Students often think the stranger buys the birds for pets; he buys them only to set them free.
2. Many believe the man rings the door bell; the bell does not ring when he enters.
3. Students sometimes say the price was five dollars exactly; it was five dollars and fifty cents.
4. Some students think the man spent the money earned through business; he earned it through ten years of hard labour in prison at fifty cents a year.
5. Students frequently say Mr Purcell is happy at the end; he is puzzled and even feels insulted.
6. Many forget the author's name; the story is written by L. E. Greeve.
7. Students sometimes think the story is about a zoo; it is about a small pet shop.

11. Exam Tips

1. Memorise the author's name: L. E. Greeve.
2. Describe Mr Purcell: a pet shop owner used to the noise of caged creatures.
3. Explain the stranger's background: ten years in prison, fifty cents a year.
4. State the price of the doves: five dollars and fifty cents.
5. Describe the ending clearly: the man sets the doves free and drops the cage.
6. Explain the theme: freedom versus captivity.
7. Practise answering why Mr Purcell felt insulted by the man's act.

12. Conclusion

"I Want Something in a Cage" is a small story with a powerful heart. Through the simple act of a stranger freeing two doves, L. E. Greeve contrasts two very different ways of seeing the world. Mr Purcell, whose life is built on keeping creatures caged, cannot grasp the meaning of the stranger's gesture, while the ex-prisoner, who spent a decade behind bars, knows exactly what freedom is worth. The story is a quiet but sharp criticism of those who profit from captivity and a moving tribute to the value of liberty. It leaves readers reflecting on the cages - physical and emotional - that surround all living beings, and the joy of setting them free.