The Return of Tarzan
I finished Tarzan! It was a really fun book to read. Of course, once I got to the end, I realized that Edgar Rice Burroughs had many more Tarzan books - there's a whole series! I already put the next book on hold (after Tarzan of the Apes comes The Return of Tarzan). read more I wonder if Tarzan was so popular as a movie because the story of Tarzan already had a big fan base. Have you all noticed how toys that were popular when we were kids are back again - just like fashion? Some things, like Legos, have remained constant; others, like My Little Ponies, Strawberry Shortcake, and (my favorite) the Care Bears, have been coming back with a vengeance with new toys, new movies, and new stories.
As I read the book, I realized that the Disney movie does use a lot of the original plot, but the book has a lot more explanation. For example, there is some background on Tarzan's parents, and the fact that he is really English nobility. His father was on a diplomatic assignment when there was a mutiny on the ship, and they were left on the coast of Africa to fend for themselves. Tantor is an elephant, and Kerchak is the head ape. And, of course, Tarzan rescues Jane, and they fall in love.
But there were some surprising differences too - more fighting, cannibalism (not by Tarzan), and a big emphasis on British superiority. The book makes it clear that Burroughs is an evolutionist, and Tarzan experiences his own mini-evolution in the book. Raised by apes, he grows slowly, but learns quickly and continues learning as he gets older. He even teaches himself to read and write.
It's kind of funny, because the book is rather racist - Tarzan can do all these wonderful things because of his noble heritage, even though he was raised by apes. He is brilliant, incredibly strong, and handsome, as opposed to the dirty cannibals with yellow teeth filed to points that beat their prisoners before eating them. The superiority of the white man is sometimes even more directly emphasized. White men suffer without making a sound and use their superior intelligence to trick the blacks. The cannibals are extremely superstitious, and Jane's black servant Esmerelda refers to the animals as "gorilephants" and "ripotamuses" and a "hipponocerous".
I really liked how Tarzan has to make some tough choices - choosing to act as a man instead of a beast. I also like Burroughs' choice to have many protagonists. It's hard to pick who you want to come out on top sometimes.
But most of all, I liked the book - I enjoyed reading it, and it kept me interested in both the characters and the plot. It moves at a reasonably quick pace, and it is something I would read just for fun!
PS I also thought it was great that the only swearing in the book was written as "_____" instead of putting any words there.
As I read the book, I realized that the Disney movie does use a lot of the original plot, but the book has a lot more explanation. For example, there is some background on Tarzan's parents, and the fact that he is really English nobility. His father was on a diplomatic assignment when there was a mutiny on the ship, and they were left on the coast of Africa to fend for themselves. Tantor is an elephant, and Kerchak is the head ape. And, of course, Tarzan rescues Jane, and they fall in love.
But there were some surprising differences too - more fighting, cannibalism (not by Tarzan), and a big emphasis on British superiority. The book makes it clear that Burroughs is an evolutionist, and Tarzan experiences his own mini-evolution in the book. Raised by apes, he grows slowly, but learns quickly and continues learning as he gets older. He even teaches himself to read and write.
It's kind of funny, because the book is rather racist - Tarzan can do all these wonderful things because of his noble heritage, even though he was raised by apes. He is brilliant, incredibly strong, and handsome, as opposed to the dirty cannibals with yellow teeth filed to points that beat their prisoners before eating them. The superiority of the white man is sometimes even more directly emphasized. White men suffer without making a sound and use their superior intelligence to trick the blacks. The cannibals are extremely superstitious, and Jane's black servant Esmerelda refers to the animals as "gorilephants" and "ripotamuses" and a "hipponocerous".
I really liked how Tarzan has to make some tough choices - choosing to act as a man instead of a beast. I also like Burroughs' choice to have many protagonists. It's hard to pick who you want to come out on top sometimes.
But most of all, I liked the book - I enjoyed reading it, and it kept me interested in both the characters and the plot. It moves at a reasonably quick pace, and it is something I would read just for fun!
PS I also thought it was great that the only swearing in the book was written as "_____" instead of putting any words there.
posted by Julie C | 11:16 AM
2 Comments:
i think aaron and i started listening to the book on tape on one of our long byu -> california trips. imagine jane's servent on tape... pretty bad!
i don't remember anything else- i always fall asleep!
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