Why did Sven keep the bird a secret from his colleagues ?From chapter – Feathered Friend
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
Sven kept the bird a secret from his colleagues because he feared they would not approve of having a pet on the space station and might make him get rid of it.
Explanation:
In the short story Feathered Friend by Arthur C. Clarke, Sven, a quiet and reserved character, secretly brings a bird—a yellow canary—onto the space station. He does not initially tell his colleagues about the bird because he believes they might disapprove of having a pet in a professional, scientific environment. Life on a space station is governed by strict regulations and routines to ensure safety and efficiency. Any unauthorized living creature could be seen as a contamination risk or a disruption to the carefully controlled environment. Sven, being aware of this, likely feared that his superiors would order the removal of the bird.
Despite the secrecy, Sven had a deeper reason for bringing the canary. In mining and other dangerous professions on Earth, canaries were traditionally used to detect toxic gases before humans could—because they are more sensitive to changes in the atmosphere. Sven’s choice to bring a canary, therefore, was both symbolic and practical. He trusted the bird’s instincts and sensitivity more than the station’s electronic warning systems.
When the life support system fails silently during the story, the canary shows signs of distress before any alarms are triggered. This proves the bird’s usefulness and justifies Sven’s decision. The bird ultimately saves the lives of everyone aboard by warning them of the danger in time. Sven’s secrecy, then, was not selfish but rather a precaution to protect both the bird and the crew.
Thus, Sven kept the bird a secret not only out of concern for rules and authority but also because he understood its potential value. His quiet defiance ends up being an act of wisdom and care, highlighting the theme that intuition and nature can still have a place in highly technological settings.
