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The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling - review
There is probably not a single child in the world without a preconceived idea of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Show me one who doesn't know about Mowgli's adventures through the jungle with bumbling, kindly Baloo and cunning Bagheera, thanks to Disney's version of the book.
However, start reading the original and all preconceived notions might as well be thrown out the window. This is a dark and often unhappy tale which left me nervous and frightened and is more prone to cause a nightmare than a sweet dream.
Kipling tells the story of little Mowgli, a village boy who falls into the hands of a pack of wolves who raise him as their own in the Indian jungle. As he matures he starts to understand the 'Law of the Jungle' and the book follows his many adventures alongside the myriad creatures around him. Those include Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black panther, who become his tutors and protectors. As a child reader, one of the most disturbing parts of this relationship is the physical violence Baloo and Bagheera continuously seem to use against Mowgli as part of their teaching.
'Bagheera gave him half a dozen love taps (…) but for a seven-year-old boy [this] amounted to as severe a beating as you could wish to avoid.' I found it very difficult to like these two characters because of this abuse towards Mowgli and without sympathetic characters to relate to the book was hard to enjoy. I wanted Mowgli to escape from these two almost as much as I wanted him to escape the terrible monkeys. I don't think Kipling intended the reader to feel this way, but perhaps in his days, hitting a child was more common.
Kipling does manage to create an intense world that sucks you in with his descriptions of the jungle and the creatures that live there. I felt myself hearing the strange noises, feeling the ground slither with snakes and sweating in the heat of the penetrating environment of the jungle's overpowering force. When Mowgli swings from the vines in the gripped of the monkeys I thought it was a moment of release and wanted him to swing to freedom. But once again, the terror of the place gets the better of him and he is back down below suffering another beating for getting himself into trouble.
After reading this classic, I actually felt rather bewildered: it didn't contain a single character that I either understood or felt empathy towards. I should have felt some harmony with Mowgli as a young boy, but I didn't understand why he was not miserable in his situation. Why would he like and respect Baloo and Bagheera when they physically hurt him for no reason at all?
The books I enjoy give me a character I can understand and root for, but in my opinion The Jungle Book has failed here. Rather than a page-turner I found myself fearful to turn the pages of Kipling's book, as I knew I would be haunted by Mowgli's sad existence.
Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop .
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The Jungle Book
By rudyard kipling.
Kipling's 1894 masterpiece is a collection of exciting tales in fable form, imparting life-transforming wisdom, while evoking imperialist themes.
Article written by Ebuka Igbokwe
Bachelor's degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
‘ The Jungle Book ‘ is a collection of short stories featuring anthropomorphic animals told in fable style. In the main stories, Mowgli, an abandoned baby, is adopted by wolf parents in the Indian jungle and raised by the panther Bagheera and the bear Baloo. He has several adventures in the jungle and tries to avoid death at the hands of a tiger, Shere Khan, his mortal enemy. The novel explores abandonment, belonging, rules and responsibility, loyalty, and coming-of-age themes.
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was a British author and poet best known for his captivating storytelling and exploration of colonial and cultural themes. Born in Bombay, India, Kipling spent his early years there and returned to India after a decade in England, and his Indian experience influenced his work . His notable achievements include iconic works such as ‘ The Jungle Book ‘, ‘ Just So Stories ‘ and ‘ Kim ‘, and the classic poem If— ‘, known for its timeless wisdom. Kipling’s writing often reflects the cultural blend of the colonial British living in and immersed in the Indian culture. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907.
Hardly any children’s book has had, and continues to have, the far-reaching influence of ‘ The Jungle Book ‘. Since it was first published in 1894, it has been reissued in different print editions and audiobook formats. It has inspired books by other writers like Heinlein and Gaiman. This masterpiece has been adapted into popular movies, radio broadcasts, and cartoons every decade since the 1930s and the inception of mass media. It is a credit to Kipling’s narrative genius that this work still resonates with many readers, even today.
Kipling’s storytelling prowess is evident in the engaging narrative that weaves together the adventures of Mowgli and other characters in ‘ The Jungle Book ‘. The stories’ premises are wild and exciting and transport young readers to an exotic world rich and full of life. The episodic structure also keeps readers intrigued. The structure of the stories is straightforward, and the conflicts are resolved cleanly and swiftly. However, this simplistic structure limits how deeply the characters may be developed. Also, its episodic formula and the lack of a continuous and overarching plot stand in the way of more elaborate storytelling.
Most of ‘ The Jungle Book ‘ is set in India, and for most of the English reading world of his time and certainly for us modern readers, it is an exotic world. Kipling richly draws it with lush vegetation, colorful and exciting wildlife, and captivating vistas. Kipling’s vivid descriptions create an immersive environment that captures the imagination of readers. The setting allowed Kipling to explore the contrasts between cultures and how rich their diversity is, as he infused elements of Indian folklore, mythology, and traditions in his stories.
In addition, this choice setting lends a vibrancy and authenticity to his fables, making them more believable in their exotic context. However, Kipling has been criticized for colonial biases, perpetuating certain stereotypes about the exoticism of India and its wildlife. his portrayal is mainly Eurocentric, and he does not fully represent the cultures he highlights in treating the place he portrays as the other.
Characterization
The characters in ‘ The Jungle Book ‘ are diverse, well-developed, and memorable. From the wise and crafty Bagheera to the upbeat and earnest Baloo and the menacing Shere Khan, each character is well-defined and unique to bring an explosive reaction, and the narrative comes alive with their personalities. Kipling does not present us with “good” or “bad” characters; each character’s motives and actions seem justified and natural even when we disagree with them. Shere Khan is a man-cub eater because he is lame and cannot hunt as effectively as other predators. And our hero, Mowgli, is not above using sneak tactics to attack and eliminate his tiger archenemy.
A strong criticism against ‘ The Jungle Book ‘ for its characterization is that the book is limited in its representation of female characters. The focus is predominantly on male characters, and the absence of strong female voices is a noticeable limitation.
Themes and Symbolism
The Jungle Book’s timeless appeal and ability to speak across generations lies in the universal themes it explores . These also make it enjoyable to readers of various ages and backgrounds. These themes include courage, friendship, and living harmoniously with nature and society. Kipling embeds moral and ethical themes throughout the stories, offering valuable lessons and giving readers opportunities for reflection.
Modern reviewers criticize Kipling colonial biases, reflecting the imperialistic attitudes of the time, and he comes across as condescending or ethnocentric at times. However, Kipling’s storytelling also demonstrates a cultural sensitivity by incorporating ideals and elements of Indian folklore and mythology.
‘ The Jungle Book ‘ dialogue is conversational, paunchy, and vibrant. The characters’ speech is rich in humor and idiom, and Kipling’s skill as a masterful poet shines here as he creates a dialogue with a rhythmic quality. The only shortcoming is that the characters talk in a dated style that might have been appreciated in his time. People, especially young readers, may prefer a more straightforward speech style.
- Writing Style
Kipling’s narrative style is known for its vivid descriptions and his masterful employment of language to create rich imagery. Readers can vividly imagine the lush landscapes and diverse characters, enhancing the immersive quality of the storytelling. Kipling’s rhythmic prose adds a musical quality to the narrative, contributing to the oral storytelling tradition. The cadence of the language can make the stories engaging and enjoyable to read aloud. Kipling skillfully employs anthropomorphism, giving human qualities to animals. This literary device allows a unique exploration of human themes and behaviors through the animals living in human-like social groups.
The Jungle Book Review: A Series of Rollicking Adventures with Anthropomorphic Animals
Book Title: The Jungle Book
Book Description: 'The Jungle Book' by Rudyard Kipling is a timeless collection of stories set in the Indian jungle. The main stories follow Mowgli, a young boy raised in a wolf pack by Father and Mother Wolf, his foster parents, and the panther Bagheera and the bear Baloo as mentors, as he faces off against his nemesis, a lame tiger Shere Khan. Filled with vivid descriptions, moral lessons, and a sense of adventure, Kipling's classic work explores themes of identity, belonging, and what it takes to live in harmony in society.
Book Author: Rudyard Kipling
Book Edition: Ape Books Classics
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Organization: Ape Books
Date published: August 16, 2016
Illustrator: John Lockwood Kipling
ISBN: 978-3961300402
Number Of Pages: 154
- Lasting Effect on Reader
The Jungle Book Review
‘ The Jungle Book ‘ by Rudyard Kipling presents memorable characters in exotic plots, crafting eternally enchanting tales with mastery and sensitivity. However, a tinge of imperialism, reflecting the prejudices of his time, pervades Kipling’s narratives.
- lively adventure tales
- replete with moral lessons
- narrated in colorful and rhythmic language
- promotes imperialistic views
- broken-up narrative
- lack of female characters
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About Ebuka Igbokwe
Ebuka Igbokwe is the founder and former leader of a book club, the Liber Book Club, in 2016 and managed it for four years. Ebuka has also authored several children's books. He shares philosophical insights on his newsletter, Carefree Sketches and has published several short stories on a few literary blogs online.
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