Jungle Tales of Tarzan · Chapter
IV: The God of Tarzan explained
Tarzan, having learned to read from his father's books, becomes obsessed with understanding the word 'God'.
What happens
Tarzan, having learned to read from his father's books, becomes obsessed with understanding the word 'God'. He questions the apes Mumga and Numgo, but their answers are unsatisfactory. Numgo suggests God might be Goro, the moon, but Tarzan's attempt to reach the moon fails. Following Numgo's advice to consult the Gomangani (blacks), Tarzan spies on Mbonga's village and witnesses a witch-doctor ceremony, mistaking the witch-doctor for God. Later, he hears Gazan, Teeka's baby, screaming and rushes to find Histah the snake attacking. Despite his own deep fear of snakes, Tarzan joins Teeka in attacking Histah to save Gazan.
Themes in this chapter
Curiosity and Knowledge
Tarzan's quest to understand the word 'God' drives the chapter, showcasing his relentless pursuit of knowledge through reading and direct investigation.
Survival and Instinct
Tarzan and Teeka's immediate, instinctive response to save Gazan from Histah highlights the primal survival drive and protective instincts.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Driven by curiosity, Tarzan searches for God, consulting apes and spying on the black village. He bravely fights Histah the snake to save Teeka and Gazan.
- Teeka
Teeka's baby Gazan is attacked by Histah. Despite her terror of snakes, she leaps onto the snake to save her child.
- Gazan
Teeka's baby, Gazan, is caught in the coils of Histah the snake and rescued by Teeka and Tarzan.
- Numgo
Numgo suggests that God might be Goro the moon, and advises Tarzan to consult the Gomangani.
- Witch Doctor
The witch-doctor performs a ceremony in Mbonga's village, which Tarzan mistakes for a manifestation of God.
- Histah
Histah the snake attacks Gazan and is fought by Teeka and Tarzan.
Key passages
“Tarzan looked at Numgo steadily for several minutes, his shapely head sank just a trifle between his great shoulders, his square chin shot forward and his short upper lip drew back, exposing his white teeth. Then, with a low growl he leaped upon the ape and buried his fangs in the other’s hairy shoulder, clutching the great neck in his mighty fingers.”
Tarzan stared at Numgo, then growled and attacked him, biting his shoulder and grabbing his neck.
Tarzan's aggressive reaction to Numgo's claim of being God shows his impatience and physical dominance.
“Tarzan was electrified. Could it be that chance had given him thus early an opportunity to look upon God? Surely this thing was neither man nor beast, so what could it be then other than the Creator of the Universe!”
Tarzan was thrilled, thinking the witch-doctor might be God because it looked like neither man nor beast.
Tarzan's misunderstanding of the witch-doctor's costume and ceremony reflects his naive search for God.
“Tarzan knew all too well how deep-rooted was Teeka’s terror of Histah. He scarce could believe the testimony of his own eyes then, when they told him that she had voluntarily rushed into that deadly embrace.”
Tarzan was amazed to see Teeka, who was terrified of snakes, willingly jump into Histah's coils to save her baby.
Teeka's bravery overcomes her deep fear, highlighting maternal instinct.