# VIII explained — Tarzan and the Ant Men

> Chapter companion for Tarzan and the Ant Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## What happens

Tarzan is overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the Veltopismakusian cavalry, who swarm over him and render him unconscious. Meanwhile, Uhha plots revenge against Esteban Miranda, steals his bag of pebbles and his knife, and escapes into the jungle at night, heading toward her home village. She is stalked by Numa the lion.

## Themes in this chapter

### Scale and Perspective

Tarzan, despite his size and strength, is overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the tiny Minunian warriors, illustrating how scale can invert power.

### Survival and Adaptation

Uhha adapts to her situation, planning escape and revenge, and navigates the dangerous jungle alone at night.

### Deception and Manipulation

Uhha deceives Esteban Miranda, feigning sleep while plotting her theft and escape, and Miranda's earlier impersonation of Tarzan is recalled.

## Character check-ins

### Tarzan

Overwhelmed by the Veltopismakusian cavalry, he is knocked down and buried under warriors and diadets, losing consciousness.

### Komodoflorensal

Attempts to persuade Tarzan to retreat, but fails; he then turns to command his troops as the enemy advances.

### Uhha

Lies in a thorn shelter, plotting revenge against Esteban Miranda. She steals his bag of pebbles and knife, then escapes into the jungle at night.

### Esteban Miranda

Squats by a fire, gloating over the contents of his bag of pebbles. He is tricked by Uhha, who steals from him while he sleeps.

### Numa

Stalks Uhha through the jungle night, hesitating to spring but following her closely.

## Key lines

> He smiled grimly as he realized that in these little people, scarce one-fourth his size, he, the incomparable Tarzan, the Lord of the Jungle, had met his Wellington.

Tarzan grimly acknowledged that these tiny warriors, only a quarter his size, had finally defeated him.

_Tarzan compares the Minunian cavalry to Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, acknowledging his own overwhelming._

> Uhha, daughter of Khamis the witch doctor of the tribe of Obebe the cannibal, lay huddled upon a little pile of grasses in a rude thorn shelter in an open jungle.

Uhha, the daughter of the witch doctor Khamis from Obebe's cannibal tribe, was curled up on a grass pile in a simple thorn shelter.

_Introduces Uhha's background and her current situation._

> With the loss of her respect for him she lost, also, nearly all her fear.

Once she stopped respecting him, she also stopped being afraid of him.

_Uhha's realization that Esteban Miranda is not the River Devil or Tarzan diminishes her fear._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_and_the_ant_men_se/chapters/viii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_and_the_ant_men_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_and_the_ant_men_se/chapters