Law of the Jungle

The first section of the assigned Jungle Book reading brings many quetions to mind. One, how did the wolves and Mowgli speak with each other in a common tongue? Sure this is wrtitten from the point of view that animals speak English and that is the medium of communication, but as readers maybe we should assume that Mowgli adopted the language of Wolves and is merely relaying the tale back in English.



I think it is interesting that the dominant group assumes man like characteristics. For example, the wolves call themselves "Free People" even though they are wolves (866) and live under "The Law of the Jungle" (867). These wolves also meet at councils and discuss politcal issues such as leadership and hunting for the community. During the council, Shere Khan exclaims "No man's cub can run with the people of te jungle" (873). Here the wolves are described as people and Mowgli as an animal because the non-humans are the dominant species in this group. Was Kipling trying to influence children that animals are subservient to humans because our character traits are the strongest and most sucessful? To further this idea, Mowgli assumes a mental dominance over the pack with his use of the "Red Flower"(870) and parting words of "The Jungle is shut to me, and I must forget your talk of companionship; but I will be more merciful than ye are. Because I was all your borther in blood, I promise that when I am man among men I will not betray ye to men as ye have betrayed me" (874). Now, Mowgli assumes human characteristics such as compassion and the physical fear of fire to get his points across to his non animal "brothers."



The same issues of language and lack of identity come up in Kipling's chapter entilted the White Seal. These seals have "rules of the beach" and Matkah's wife refers to him as a "man" (878). Later on as Kotick is looking for "a quiet island with good firm beaches for seals t o live on, whre mem could not get them," Sea Vitch informs him to seek out Sea Cow who is referred to as a "person" (883). A dfferent old seal explains to Kotick that "there was once a story on the beaches that some day a white seal would come out of the north and lead the seal people to a quiet place" (883). Again the seals are referred to as "people" who are encouraged to "marry" in Kipling's rhetoric (883).