Twice-Told Tales.: Mowgli: Curious and Loyal

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Mowgli: Curious and Loyal

In Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, the protagonist Mowgli is present in the majority of the short stories. During these tales, he learns vital lessons that are illustrated more thoroughly in the additional short narratives. Mowgli is the lone character in the stories that traverses the human and the animal worlds seamlessly. He is born a human, he is raised by wolves in the jungle, he is friends with bears, panthers, and snakes, and ultimately he ends up back with his own kind – humans. Throughout the stories, Mowgli is characterized as inquisitive and loyal. The personality traits of curiosity and loyalty serve him well as he continuously crosses species boundaries.

Mowgli’s character trait of curiosity shines through from the very first book. In “Mowgli’s Brothers,” the small human baby is not afraid of the wolves that find him. He is simply curious. The narrator describes baby Mowgli holding on to a low branch and discovering he has an audience. The narrator says, “He looked up into Father Wolf’s eyes and laughed” (8). Even as an infant, Mowgli is curious about his surroundings and is not afraid. Mowgli continues to be inquisitive about his surroundings as he grows up. Mowgli is curious about the monkeys as well as the human villagers to some extent. Luckily, his overly inquisitive nature about his environment does not hamper his loyalty to his family and friends.

Loyalty, even to a family he is not related to by blood, or even by species, is one of Mowgli’s most outstanding characteristics. Mowgli is consistently loyal to his family, his mentors, and his friends – even in difficult situations. In “Mowgli’s Brothers,” Mowgli and the elderly leader Akela are exiled from the pack under Shere Khan’s urging. Mowgli is devastated and angry to be torn from the pack that raided him, including the only family he has ever known. Despite this tragedy, Mowgli is kind and loyal to his family and friends. He states, “The jungle is shut to me, and I must forget your talk and your companionship; but I will be more merciful than ye are… I promise that when I am a man among men I will not betray ye to men as ye have betrayed me”(21-22). The loyalty that shows through in Mowgli is unseen in most other characters. Mowgli overcomes his hurt for being turned away and unease about the unknown of the human village to remain loyal to his family. Overall, Mowgli’s curiosity and loyalty shine throughout Kipling’s The Jungle Book.

3 comments:

Daniel LawlerApril 22, 2015 at 3:04 PM
I also thought that Mowgli’s fearlessness and ability to learn were defining characteristics. When he looked at other animals, it was as if he was looking into their souls, and they had to turn their heads away. Not even Kaa could hold him under his great gaze, as he could of Baloo and Bagheera. It is this fearlessness coupled with the curiosity and loyalty that you have mentioned that kept Mowgli alive even as Shere Kahn was poisoning some of the wolves against him. This fearlessness was also seen when he was just an infant with the other wolves. Mother Wolf says that: “he came naked, by night, alone and very hungry; yet he was not afraid! Look, he has pushed one of my babies to the side already” (12). In the animal world it is survival of the fittest and even as a baby amongst wolf cubs, Mowgli pushes them aside so that he could eat. And finally, it is Mowgli’s ability to learn that sets him apart. Whereas most of the animals only know their own language, Mowgli knows the tongues of all the animals; this saves him when the monkeys capture him. So in addition to his curiosity and loyalty, Mowgli’s fearlessness and smarts shone too.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Jessie WardApril 22, 2015 at 4:43 PM
I think the connection you make with loyalty is very interesting. Loyalty is an important quality in a person. This loyalty is much harder to see in the movie. In our class discussion the words, “selfish” and “brat” were used to describe Mowgli. I find it hard to be selfish and loyal, which brings me to believe this strong word “loyalty” is not something the movie represents. Despite the movie lacking what I think is a noble trait, the book includes other examples of loyalty. I have said it before, but I truly believe Riki in Riki Tiki Tavi is a representative example of loyalty. Riki was taken from his home in India, to protect an English family. He does not have to save the family from cobras. He could easily run away or try to live on his own. He also did not have to kill off the family of cobras when he hears a rumor that they might attack. Riki sticks by the family the entire story. He does not consider running at all. Although Riki is only in one story, his loyalty is something to remember. Despite not being included in the movie, loyalty is an admirable trait and is important in the Jungle Book.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Martin M (806)April 23, 2015 at 12:40 PM
It is interesting that you brought up loyalty in with regards to this novel. Loyalty is something I hadn’t really thought of but after reading your post I can certainly see where you are coming from. I not only see loyalty in Mowgli though but also in the other characters.

Baloo in particular is an extremely loyal character. I think his role in the book is overlooked as he is a foolish character in the film. However Baloo’ loyalty cannot be understated he is a mentor figure to Mowgli and he teaches him about the law of the jungle. Mowgli cannot be loyal and survive without the others guiding him along the way. That is the true loyalty, Mowgli being raised by animals in a jungle where the law of the jungle determines how things work. Furthermore, because of the loyalty of the characters Mowgli develops as a character further.

The supporting characters make sure Mowgli’s curious nature is nurtured and he is able to grow throughout the novel as a result. Their loyalty not only helps Mowgli when he is growing up physically but also as he develops as a character.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Blog Guidelines

Throughout the semester, we will use the blog to expand upon the readings, to ask and answer questions, and to pursue new directions in class conversation. For those of you who may be shy, the blogspace is also an excellent place to express yourself.
I encourage you to be creative and innovative in your postings. However, as you post, please keep in mind the following guidelines:

Postings are always due by either noon or 8 p.m. on the date indicated on the syllabus. There is a time stamp. Don’t be late (no credit for late postings).

Postings should be 350-500 words and should incorporate material from the reading (such as small quotes or phrases, key words, or imagery). The post must clearly demonstrate that you have completed the assigned reading and thought about it. Think of the Blog Post as a mini-essay. Your responses to Blog Posts should engage with the details of that post. Explain why the post is valuable. Comment on how the post revised, strengthened, or changed your view of the novel. Feel free also to build on, or extend, the claim made by the post. Each comment should be 200-250 words in length. If the post is due on Sunday, you must demonstrate that you have completed and thought about the reading for Monday; if the post is due on Tuesday, you must demonstrate that you have completed and thought about the reading for Wednesday

Your tone may be less formal than the tone you might use in a paper, but you should remember that you are writing on a course-related blog. In other words, the blog is not your Facebook page or a personal blogspace. Please make sure that the content of your postings is related to the course, its readings, or our class discussions.

Suggested Topics. There is no need to answer all of the questions that follow. I include them to help you think about what to write: (a) Is there a question you have about the reading? If so, ask and suggest an answer for it. (b) What did you learn from the reading? Why do you find this aspect of the reading illuminating or interesting? (c) How might you connect the reading for Monday and Wednesday? (d) You may respond to the reading and class discussion—is there anything you don’t understand? Do you have a different interpretation that we haven’t discussed in class? (e) You may also respond to one of the essay questions about the novel you’ll find posted at Oncourse.

Respond respectfully to another person’s blog posting. If you choose to do so, please avoid personal attacks. Remember to be professional.

Remember that the blog is a public space, accessible and available to anyone. One useful way to think about it: avoid posting anything that you wouldn’t want a future employer to read.

Please review the course plagiarism policies, all of which apply to the blog, and remember to cite page numbers or outside sources when appropriate.

Blog postings will either receive a check mark or they will be graded. See the schedule above for details about grading blog posts.

Blog Rubric

Exceptional. The blog entry is focused and coherently integrates examples with explanations or analysis. The entry demonstrates awareness of its own limitations or implications, and it considers multiple perspectives when appropriate. The entry reflects in-depth engagement with the topic.

Satisfactory. The blog entry is reasonably focused, and explanations or analysis are mostly based on examples or other evidence. Fewer connections are made between ideas, and though new insights are offered, they are not fully developed. The entry reflects moderate engagement with the topic.

Underdeveloped. The blog entry is mostly description or summary, without consideration of alternative perspectives, and few connections are made between ideas. The entry reflects passing engagement with the topic.