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Between the passage from the Jungle Book, and the story of the White Seal the theme of hierarchy is easy to pick out. Though when reading these passages, one must remember that it is a man that has written these stories telling them through the eyes of the central animal figures. It is true that animals do have their own systems of hierarchy. Wolves and dogs alike have leaders to lead their packs, while many of the feline family walk alone.
In both of these passages, men are referenced to be killers and to be feared. In the jungles and on the sea, men have taken the lives of animals for food and for the adrenaline of the hunt for centuries. These passages also shed light of the laws of the jungle and within the seal clans as well. The character Kotick (a white seal) took leadership after fighting the largest seals on the beach. Calling out, “Here you, fat pigs of the sea! Who comes with me to the Sea Cow’s tunnel? Answer, or I shall teach you again.” Kotick thus established himself the leader of those who would follow him. They in turn called out, “We will follow Kotick, the White Seal.” (866)
2. A rare white seal
The leadership of the wolves was settled once the current leader failed to complete a kill. The younger wolves would turn to kill the leader, with the successful one taking the role of leader of the pack. The character Mowgli would have to follow a different path then the brothers he grew up with, since he was born of men. Once he had taken the life of Shere Khan he asks himself questions aloud in song. “ Waters of the Waingunga, the Man-Pack have cast me out. I did them no harm, but they were afraid of me. Why? Wolf-Pack, ye have cast me out too. The jungle is shut to me and the village gates are shut. Why?”(877)
Images:
1. http://books4u.in/uploads/the_jungle_book%20(Custom).jpg
2. http://img39.imageshack.us/i/45801137rrrleucistic027.jpg/ (white seal)
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