Where The Wild Things Are and The Good Lion are completely different stories, yet they kind of have the same themes. Where the Wild Things Are kind of focuses on one’s imagination and one’s ability to think abstractly. In the book, it takes on a journey through the protagonist’s eyes into the wild with wild animals. The Good Lion focuses on the wild in Africa. It talks about the differences in culture between Africa and Italy, as the wild lions in Africa eat humans, while the Good Lion is outcasted because of his wings and food choice of pasta and scampi. These stories are similar in the fact that they both have a lot of personification and symbolism. They are also similar because they both have this underlying idea of being away from home, or “in the wild.” The Good Lion literally travels away from his home in Venice, while the protagonist in Where The Wild Things Are figuratively travels away from home in his imagination.
One line I chose from The Good Lion that illustrates being away from home was, “They all roared in African Lion dialect. Then the good lion circled higher and higher and set his course for Venice.” The first sentence represents the wildness of Africa, and the wild nature of the lions in Africa, as they all roared together trying to get the good lion. The good lion then used his magical wings to escape this wild place and head back home.
One line in Where the Wild Things Are that illustrates the wild place away from home was, “Max stepped into his private boat and waved good-bye… and into the night of his very own room where he found his supper waiting for him.” He was forced to leave his wild imagination and his wild animal friends in his imagination as shown in the first sentence. The second sentence illustrates the reality of being present minded in his home, as his dinner was ready.
-Major Wheless
I like how you discussed the similarity of both main characters being away from home and how they are entering a place that is unfamiliar and “wild” in a sense. I found it interesting how you analyzed the various uses of “wildness” in “The Good Lion”. I agree that the wild nature of the “African Lion dialect” contributes to Hemingway’s portrayal of Africa as a savage, uncivilized land compared to Venice. Good Job!
I really like how you discussed the theme of being away from home and how that ties into wildness! I had not noticed that before but I really like your analysis into how that plays into the overall theme of wildness!
I like how you mentioned that both stories are similar in the way that the protagonists travel away from home and intern this is when they get to have a wild experience. I actually hadn’t thought of this before and the stories now seem more similar than I thought they were! I agree with you that in the story “The Good Lion” the fact Africa is mentioned throughout gives the readers that idea that Africa is where the wildness exists, as when the good lion goes back to his home, he experiences this feeling of peace and no more wild experiences or threats to his life.
I really like the sentence you chose for the good lion, i think its means so much in such a concise structure. “They all roared in African Lion Dialect” is so interesting to read because it means so much. Us as people think of lions all roaring the same but I think what Hemingway was trying to do is emphasize that division of what is known to the good lion and what is unknown, creating that wild situation.