# Man and Man explained — Tarzan of the Apes

> Chapter companion for Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters/ix-man-and-man
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_of_the_apes_se/chapters