The meaning of the word “wild” can be contextualized across different pieces of literature. In The Good Lion by Ernest Hemingway, there is a good lion from Venice who visits Africa on a trip and encounters many bad lions. The good lion regards the bad lions as uncivilized, and “wild” because they eat humans and lack proper manners. The bad lions view the good lion as pretentious, as he eats pasta/wine and acts like he is above everyone else in Africa. The wildness in this story manifests itself in the nature of society in Africa and Venice, and the level of domestication it holds. The good lion is characterized as very tamed, as “the good lion would sit and fold his wings back and ask politely if he might have a Negroni or an Americano.” The way he acts very polite and does not resemble a characteristic lion shows how he represents civilization. The bad lions “would roar with laughter and eat another Hindu trader and their wives would drink his blood, going lap, lap, lap with their tongues like big cats.” They are seen to be unrefined in their manners, and act seemingly unhinged in a way that comes across as uncivilized. However, they act like how typical lions would in what they eat and how they act. Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are presents “wild” in a pretty similar way. This story is about Max, a young boy who feels isolated and misunderstood. He escapes through his imagination on a journey with wild animals and nature. Sendak noted, “and when he came to the place where the wild things are they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.” The wildness in this context is similar in that the animals are untamed and barbaric. Max is seen taming the wild things with a magic trick, and he, himself represents civilization. “Wild” could also be interpreted in the way this fantasy land is a representation of Max’s fantastical, nonsensical imagination.
In both stories, there are similar themes of traveling away from home and strong use of personification. There are clear dichotomies between “tamed” vs. “untamed” for allowing the reader to understand the meaning of wild. Wildness exists in the undomesticated nature of the animals in both stories, and are similar in that aspect even though they are vastly different stories with different plots and characters.
I like how you recognized the similar themes in the fact that they are both away from home in a sense, as well as the personification. Also the recognition of the fact that the animals in both stories are wild and untamed is very important. The lions in the first text seem very similar to the wild animals in the second one. Very good job of catching the details and great analysis on them!
I found how you defined Max’s and the good lion’s similarities to be well written. Magic being a form of civility used to best the wilds was an interesting take on the content of the book. The mention of the good lion humble personality and the bad lions rude mocking also felt like it conveyed your thoughts well.