The Son of Tarzan · Chapter
I explained
The chapter introduces Alexis Paulvitch, now a broken and disfigured wreck after ten years of torture in the African jungle, rescued by the crew of the Marjorie W.
What happens
The chapter introduces Alexis Paulvitch, now a broken and disfigured wreck after ten years of torture in the African jungle, rescued by the crew of the Marjorie W. He brings with him a powerful and intelligent ape named Ajax, who obsessively scrutinizes every new face as if searching for someone. The pair eventually reach London, where Ajax is taken to a famous animal trainer.
Themes in this chapter
Revenge and Redemption
Paulvitch's hatred and desire for revenge against those he blames for his suffering, though he is too broken to act.
Freedom vs. Confinement
Paulvitch's captivity and torture by the cannibal tribe contrast with his eventual rescue and journey to London.
Characters to notice
- Alexis Paulvitch
Rescued from the jungle after ten years of torture, now a broken and disfigured man, he brings the ape Ajax to London.
- Ajax
A powerful and intelligent ape rescued from an uninhabited island, constantly searching faces for someone unknown.
- Simpson
A sailor who provoked Ajax by sticking a pin into him, causing the ape's violent reaction.
Key passages
“The broad grin that had sat upon the sailor’s face as he perpetrated his little joke froze to an expression of terror.”
The sailor's smile vanished as he realized the danger of his prank.
Describes the moment Simpson's joke backfires, leading to Ajax's attack.
“In the mind of Alexis Paulvitch there lingered no thoughts of revenge—only a dull hatred of the man whom he and Rokoff had tried to break, and failed.”
Paulvitch's mind held no active revenge plans, only a persistent hatred for Tarzan and Rokoff.
Reveals Paulvitch's psychological state after years of suffering.