Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Mowgli and Bod: Circumstantial evidence



Both The Graveyard Book and The Jungle Book, can be interpreted as a behavior manual for children. Each work concentrates on slightly different values however both place a strong emphasis on obedience. The differences between cultures from modern day, and that of Kipling’s time are accentuated, especially in terms of the ways children should act.

Both books stress the importance of a teacher other than their parents. This figure is a respectable role model for the child who acts as both a friend and a mentor for the growing child. Bod learns from Silas who serves as a bridge between the live and the dead which he states himself “I am neither” (Graveyard Book 149). Similarly Bagheera serves as a bridge between the animals and the humans in that he was “born among men” (Jungle Book 16). Because these two mentors are associated with both sides of heritage of the children, they can help Bod and Mowgli understand their place in society.

Both books also stress the importance of obedience. Bod in general is fairly obedient. He stays within his realms within the Graveyard, and learns his lessons without much of a problem. Mowgli similarly memorizes the entire law of the Jungle, which is bolstered with his experiences with the monkeys. Both books utilize a story about breaking the rules, which has negative consequences (Mowgli and the Bandar-Log, and Bod with the Ghouls). Since they didn’t follow the rules, they found out why the rules exist.

However Mowgli and Bod’s personalities seem to differ as both grow older. As Bod grows older he begins to become slightly more independent and have his own ideas. Silas works with Bod’s needs and agrees that “we should do our best to satisfy your interest in stories and book and the world” (Graveyard Book 210). Bod has a need for knowledge, which allows him to grow as an individual to become more accustomed to his own people. However Mowgli, eventually still prefers the jungle, and finds fault with many of the men from the same culture of his origin. Instead of knowledge, Mowgli is thrown into a position of leadership. He has influence over all of the creatures in the jungle however they maintain that he must go back to his people “Akela by the river said it, that Mowgli should drive Mowgli back to the Man-Pack” (Jungle Book 332).

Each of these characters under different circumstances grow up in similar ways, but develop separately in terms of their circumstance.



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