The Significance of Anthropomorphism in Children's StoriesA Study of Rudy Kipling's The Jungle Book.

Abstract

Anthropomorphism is giving human qualities and characteristics to non-humans, whether they are animals or plants, as in children’s stories. Because animals play an essential role in literature, this study examines the social and political aspects of anthropomorphism in The Jungle Book. Using animals in their real environment to represent stories directed at specific groups of people, instead of using humans to represent them, inevitably has great reasons and importance. Anthropomorphism gave these animals in stories abilities and characteristics related only to humans, including the ability to speak and other human qualities such as empathy, hatred, and friendship, as in the novel The Jungle Book. Enabling non-humans to speak, for example, opens new horizons for children and adults alike to learn about the behaviors and lifestyles of animals in their real environments and their relationships with other animals and humans alike. It also enables adults to obtain a broader and more comprehensive understanding of the writer’s messages about human societies, their types, behaviors, and political orientations by representing them in the form of animal groups. The study uses an objective approach by adapting the views of Adam Weitz and other theorists to analyze these aspects. The study concluded that giving human characteristics to non-humans, especially in literature, enables the writer to instill moral and cultural values ​​and customs in the hearts of children by making the characters their beloved animals. On the other hand, anthropomorphism allows drawing a picture in children's minds of human behaviors and feelings such as love, hate, love of power, and establishing friendships by embodying them with talking animals. Last but not least, anthropomorphism gives the writer a real opportunity to avoid directly presenting controversial and critical topics and representing them with non-human characters.