The end of The Graveyard Book is very similar to the end of
The Second Jungle Book. Mowgli leaves on his own accord, for Kaa said “Man goes
to Man at the last, but the Jungle does not cast him out” (Kipling 371). So too did Bod leave the Graveyard for the human
world. That being said, Bod was told
that he must leave, as the living did not belong amongst the dead (Gaiman
281). I found it very interesting at how
similar, yet different these endings were.
In the Jungle Book, Mowgli realizes that he needs to rejoin human society, as he is a man not a beast. Similarly, Nobody Owens needs to rejoin human society, as he is alive and not dead. That being said, Mowgli comes to this gradual realization of that he must leave for his own good, whereas Bod gradually lost his ability to see and communicate with the dead and is told that he does not belong there. This final chapter for Bod is almost a hybrid of the two chapters where Mowgli leaves the Jungle. The first where he uses fire to save the life of Akela and then leaves because he does not feel like he belongs there, and the second where he finally understands that he belongs in the human world and not in the Jungle. Likewise, Bod is told that he does not belong in the Graveyard, and while his friends do not cast him out with anger, they tell him that he has to go, and I think that Bod understands why.
Given these similarities and differences, it is important to note that while the Graveyard Book certainly drew inspiration from the Jungle Book, it is not just a modern update on Kipling’s work. Both stories tell the unique tale of a young boy raised in a foreign environment, who grows attached to his guardians, and must one day leave them behind to rejoin society. And whereas Kipling’s novel touches more on the societal and cultural issues of the day in British controlled India, Gaiman’s novel seems to be more of a strictly coming-of-age novel.
While I agree with some of what you said Daniel, I got the feeling that The Jungle Book could also be viewed as a coming-of-age novel, and likewise The Graveyard Book could be a commentary on current social issues. Zach for instance wrote in his blog post about how in The Graveyard Book, most of the living characters are flawed in nature (i.e. the kids that bully Bod, Jack who tries to murder Bod, etc.), which could be viewed as an intentional move by Gaiman in terms of creating a literary commentary. With regard to contemporary society, bullying especially is a salient moral issue that affects adolescents like Bod. Additionally, Mowgli in The Jungle Books must learn how to not only respect the Law of the Jungle, but also how to command it and use it to his advantage in order to cross that final threshold in the end, culminating in Mowgli rejoining the human world as Bod must join his. I suppose if we look at the stories in terms of similarities, both Mowgli and Bod come into their own, and in learning what they needed to about obedience and sacrifice, they both outgrow the world that each was raised in. As a reader, one also gets the sense that the animals of the Jungle and the ghosts of the Graveyard, in imparting worldly wisdom of life experiences on Mowgli and Bod respectively, help bring out the best in each individual. In sending them off to human civilization, a little piece of humanity is restored to a harsh, cruel, and at times downright bestial human-dominated world.
ReplyDeleteLike Hannah, I certainly feel that both The Jungle Book and The Graveyard Book have their childhood coming-of-age elements as well as multiple social commentaries. These two novels, among others such as several of the childhood favorites of Dr. Seuss, all detail a protagonist growing up often, without biological parents, in a world of the writer’s creation. In all works, particularly The Jungle Book and The Graveyard Book, the authors begin from the world in which the lived. The authors combat the problems of their time such as British imperialism and adolescent bullying. As Daniel said, it is clear that both boys must eventually leave the unusual communities in which they grew up. Mowgli must leave the jungle, even after learning the Law of the Jungle, and Bod must leave the graveyard, even after internalizing the Freedom of the Graveyard. These two laws both play an integral role in the stories and mirror our own society’s laws and customs that children must learn as they age. Despite these laws created by animals and ghosts respectively, Mowgli and Bod both must obey a higher law of nature and go live with their own kind. During this time, both encounter wonderful loving guardians who wish them well, as well as individuals who wish them harm. Regardless, both stories can be read as entertaining and instructive tales by children and adults alike.
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