Tarzan Of The Apes Character Analysis

Racial tensions and divides seem to be the norm these days; however, this epidemic is not new nor is it going away any time soon. The tale of Tarzan of the Apes brings to light many of the exaggerated beliefs held by whites during the early 1900’s and some still to this day. Tarzan couldn’t be more perfect and his nemesis couldn’t be more despicable. Throughout this story the imagery of good vs. evil is constant and consistent within the race of the characters and they are confined to the belief structure therein. As we explore Tarzan of the Apes you will see a reoccurring theme of white supremacy and hatred towards blacks. As written by Ullery, Tarzan grew in strength and stature and achieved supremacy over all animals. As we begin reading the excerpt of Tarzan of the Apes right away we see how Tarzan, who is white, has greater intelligence and wiser than his fellow apes, who are black. Berglund notes that Tarzan is described in such a way that his superior stock could …show more content…
The use of color in Tarzan of the Apes is just as important as the characters’ personalities. Moreover, through analysis and assessment I come to the conclusion that the innuendoes and the choice of characters used in this story was not by accident. Furthermore, the writer seems to have chosen the ape as the animal Tarzan rules over because they are black in color and further down on the evolutionary chart. Jurca believes that the premise of conflict in this story is a reminder to us all about the dangers of blacks and whites inhabiting the same neighborhood. Jurca goes on to further explain that even the imagery of Tarzan’s white family moving to Africa and building a home that was destroyed by the black apes is not by accident. The author seeks to draw the reader into the idea that whites owned homes and blacks destroyed