Comparing the story of “The King’s Ankus” in Rudyard
Kipling’s The Jungle Book to the plot
of “The Witch’s Headstone” in Neil Gaiman’s The
Graveyard Book suggests that the protagonists are motivated by different
ideals. Mowgli is motivated by curiosity while Bod seeks to help others.
Upon entering the white cobra’s lair, Mowgli is not fazed at
all by the treasure that surrounds him, even though “no mere money would begin
to pay the value of [it]” (Kipling 252). Similarly, Bod has no idea that the treasures
in the Celtic grave should be in a museum. Although they do not know the value
of the artifacts that they find, both characters have different motives for
removing them. Mowgli decides to take the ankus because the “gold-inlaid steel
with picture of elephant-catching” interests him (Kipling 252). The white cobra
tries to stop Mowgli from taking it because he believes “It is death!” (Kipling
254). Bod, on the other hand, removes the King’s broach to sell it for money to
buy Liza Hempstock a tombstone (Gaiman 122). When he enters the grave to remove
it, the sleer guarding the treasures also provides a warning similar to that of
the white cobra’s. Once Mowgli and Bod have removed the artifacts, they both
realize the consequences for taking them. Mowgli and Bagheera follow a group of
hunters until they have all killed each other, (Kipling 259) while Abanazer
Bolger traps Bod until he gets into a fight with his partner.
The result of each theft also highlights the different underlying motives
that Mowgli and Bod have for committing them. Mowgli takes the ankus out of
self-interest, and as a result he discovers the death it brings upon multiple
people overcome by greed. Bod takes the broach out of compassion for Liza and
does not actually come in contact with death, only greed. The more serious
consequences that Mowgli faces could possibly be a direct implication of his
decision to serve his own interests. The less serious consequence that Bod
manages to overcome is different because his motive for stealing is different
from Mowgli’s. Bod seeks to help others while Mowgli does what he wants for himself.
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