XIX: Battling in the Arena explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Survival and Adaptation

  Carter and Kantos Kan use cunning and teamwork to survive the arena, adapting to the brutal conditions.

• Courage and Combat

  Both characters display bravery and skill in the arena, facing overwhelming odds.

• Honor and Custom

  The Warhoon customs of arena combat and the code of conduct among warriors are central to the chapter.

Characters to notice

• John Carter

  Imprisoned, then forced to fight in the arena; feigns death to escape.

• Kantos Kan

  Fellow prisoner and Heliumite padwar; fights in the arena and wins freedom by feigning Carter's death.

• Dejah Thoris

  Mentioned as having escaped with Sola; Kantos Kan believes she is safe.

• Sola

  Mentioned as having escaped with Dejah Thoris.

• Dak Kova

  Warhoon leader presiding over the arena games.

Key passages

• “Slowly I regained my composure and finally essayed again to attempt to remove the keys from the dead body of my former jailer. But as I reached out into the darkness to locate it I found to my horror that it was gone.”

  Carter calmed down and tried to take the keys from the dead jailer, but discovered the body had been dragged away by creatures in the dark.

  Highlights Carter's horror and the grim reality of his imprisonment.

• “My fellow prisoner was Kantos Kan, a padwar (lieutenant) in the navy of Helium.”

  Carter's cellmate was Kantos Kan, a Heliumite naval lieutenant.

  Introduces a key ally and source of information about Dejah Thoris.

• “Kantos Kan and I were now pitted against each other but as we approached to the encounter I whispered to him to prolong the battle until nearly dark in the hope that we might find some means of escape.”

  Carter and Kantos Kan pretended to fight, stalling for time until darkness to plan an escape.

  Shows their cleverness and teamwork to survive the arena.