Tikki Tikki Tembo Summary & Key Insights

Arlene Mosel's "Tikki Tikki Tembo," illustrated by Blair Lent, tells the story of a family deeply entrenched in a rigid and potentially dangerous naming tradition. The narrative centers around a family living in China, where children are given extraordinarily long and complicated names. The protagonist is Tikki Tikki Tembo-no-sa-ri-ba-se-ri-ba-se-ri-ba-to, a young boy whose name is so cumbersome it is almost impossible for anyone to pronounce correctly. His brother, Tiko, is given a short and easily remembered name.

The story's central plot revolves around a fateful incident at the village well. One hot summer day, the brothers go to the well to draw water. While playing near the well, Tikki Tikki Tembo-no-sa-ri-ba-se-ri-ba-se-ri-ba-to falls in. His long and unwieldy name becomes a significant obstacle to his rescue. His father, frantically trying to save him, calls out his son's full name, repeatedly stumbling over its length and causing a delay. This delay proves fatal. By the time he manages to shout the entire name, Tikki Tikki Tembo is pulled out, but he is already dead.

The tragedy underscores the story's overarching themes of the dangers of tradition and the importance of clarity and simplicity. The excessively long names, a tradition adhered to by the family, serve as a powerful symbol of a potentially harmful adherence to custom. The contrast between the brothers' names – the impractically long name and the simple, easy-to-remember name – highlights this conflict. The story implicitly criticizes the family's stubborn adherence to tradition at the expense of practicality and, ultimately, human life. The delay in rescue isn't simply due to the father's panicked state; it's directly caused by the unnecessarily complicated naming convention.

The story is not just about the dangers of tradition, but also about the profound consequences of poor communication. The sheer length of Tikki Tikki Tembo's name directly leads to his death, highlighting the importance of concise and effective communication in emergencies. The father's struggle to remember and pronounce his son's full name vividly illustrates the detrimental effects of unnecessarily complex language and the value of clear, direct expression.

Beyond the brothers and their father, the mother serves as a secondary but significant character, her grief amplified by the senselessness of her son's death. She represents the emotional toll of clinging to customs that can be so detrimental. Ultimately, "Tikki Tikki Tembo" is a cautionary tale, offering a poignant reflection on cultural practices and their potential consequences, while emphasizing the value of simplicity and clear communication in life and death situations. The story's stark ending leaves a lasting impression, emphasizing the heartbreaking price of clinging to tradition without critical evaluation.