The Young Adult Book Club that I am part of recently read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. This is a charming little story about a gorilla that lives in a glass cage at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. While this is a work of fiction, the story is based on a real gorilla named Ivan who spent twenty-seven years living in a cage at a shopping mall before being moved to a zoo in Atlanta, GA.
A number of discussions can be generated after reading this. Some of the topics addressed include environmental issues, the treatment of animals, animals and humans supporting each other during difficult times, dying wishes, and the power people have to make a difference when they stand up for what they believe in. I definitely think there is something in there for every reader.
This is a very quick read despite the fact that it looks much longer. Even though there are 300 pages, Applegate has chosen to separate paragraphs by following each one with an extra space before beginning the next paragraph as opposed to using indents. When you combine the extra spaces with a great deal of conversation, then there’s only about six paragraphs comprised of two or three sentences on each page. This may provide young or reluctant readers an opportunity to gain some confidence since it appears as though they are reading something much more challenging from the outside.
A number of the pages are also enhanced with some cute little illustrations created by Patricia Castelao. These definitely help bring the story to life.
After our book club’s discussion, I got to thinking about the amount of personification Applegate uses to bring Ivan, a gorilla and also the main character, to life. I had always thought personification meant giving human qualities to inanimate objects. After doing some research, I learned it can also be applied to animals. However, the more accurate term for giving human qualities to animals is anthropomorphism.
The One and Only Ivan is filled with fabulous examples of anthropomorphism since the story is told from Ivan’s point of view. Supporting characters include two elephants and a stray dog. There are human characters as well including Ivan’s owner Mack, the mall’s custodian, and his daughter. Each of them add their elements to this touching story.
Since school is out of session for the summer, and I don’t intend on making the 60 mile round trip dive, I will retype the textual examples instead of using the fancy copy machine.
On pages 40-41, there are two short chapters that illustrate Ivan’s ability to experience feelings and share them just like a human would.
Page 40: three visitors
Three visitors are here: a woman, a boy, a girl.
I strut across my domain for them. I dangle from my
tire swing, I eat three banana peels in a row.
The boy spits at my window. The girl throws a handful
of pebbles.
Sometimes I’m glad the glass is there.
Page 41: my visitors return
After the show, the spit-pebble children come back.
I display my impressive teeth. I splash in my filthy
pool. I grunt and hoot. I eat and eat and eat some more.
The children pound their pathetic chests. They toss
more pebbles.
“Slimy chimps,” I mutter. I throw a me-ball at them.
Sometimes I wish the glass were not there.
This should give you just a taste of what you’ll find from Ivan’s perspective. I won’t waste any more of your time. You’ll have to check it out yourself to learn what a me-ball is and how animal and human forces join together to make a difference in the lives of the animals held in captivity at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2012. Print.
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