Tarzan of the Apes · Chapter
Man and Man explained
Tarzan grieves the death of Kala, killed by a black warrior, and tracks the murderer Kulonga.
What happens
Tarzan grieves the death of Kala, killed by a black warrior, and tracks the murderer Kulonga. He observes Kulonga hunt a boar, then follows him to his village, where he kills him with his rope and knife, avenging Kala. Tarzan examines Kulonga's body, takes his knife and ornaments, but hesitates to eat him due to an innate human instinct against cannibalism.
Themes in this chapter
Savagery and Brutality
Kulonga's killing of Kala, Tarzan's vengeful killing of Kulonga, and the depiction of the black warriors' filed teeth and brutish appearance highlight the theme of savagery.
Identity and Belonging
Tarzan's internal conflict over eating Kulonga reveals his struggle between his ape upbringing and his innate human heritage.
Nature vs. Nurture
Tarzan's hereditary instinct against cannibalism overrides his learned jungle ethics, illustrating the tension between innate human nature and environmental conditioning.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Grieves for Kala, tracks and kills Kulonga, struggles with instinct against cannibalism.
- Kala
Killed by Kulonga; Tarzan mourns her deeply.
- Kulonga
Black warrior who kills Kala; hunted and killed by Tarzan.
- Horta
Boar attacked by Kulonga with poisoned arrows.
- Tantor
Elephant friend of Tarzan; they walk together on moonlit nights.
Key passages
“To lose the only creature in all his world who ever had manifested love and affection for him was the greatest tragedy he had ever known.”
Kala's death was the most devastating loss Tarzan had ever experienced, as she was the only being who had shown him love.
Highlights Tarzan's deep emotional bond with Kala.
“Thus hereditary instinct, ages old, usurped the functions of his untaught mind and saved him from transgressing a worldwide law of whose very existence he was ignorant.”
An ancient, inherited instinct overrode Tarzan's untrained reasoning and prevented him from breaking a universal taboo he didn't even know existed.
Illustrates the power of innate human morality over learned behavior.