The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle · Chapter
V: Mendoza explained
Tommy Stubbins attends the trial of Luke the Hermit with Doctor Dolittle.
What happens
Tommy Stubbins attends the trial of Luke the Hermit with Doctor Dolittle. They meet Luke's young lawyer, Mr. Percy Jenkyns, who plans to call a bulldog as a witness to prove Luke's innocence. The prosecutor questions witnesses, including the sinister Mendoza, while Bob the dog growls in anger at Mendoza's lies. Doctor Dolittle is called to the witness stand to demonstrate his ability to understand animal language.
Themes in this chapter
Kindness and Compassion
Doctor Dolittle and Mr. Jenkyns work to defend Luke the Hermit, who appears downtrodden and unfairly accused.
Communication with Animals
Doctor Dolittle's ability to understand and speak with animals is central to the defense strategy, as Bob the dog is called as a witness.
Characters to notice
- Tommy Stubbins
Narrates the courtroom scene, observes the trial proceedings, and meets Mr. Percy Jenkyns.
- Doctor Dolittle
Explains courtroom roles to Tommy, introduces Mr. Jenkyns, and is called as a witness to testify about his ability to understand animal language.
- Luke the Hermit
The defendant on trial for killing Bluebeard Bill; sits between policemen, staring at the floor, but shows anger when Mendoza testifies.
- Jip
Referred to as Bob; stays under Tommy's seat, snarls at Mendoza, and mutters 'It's a lie!' during Mendoza's testimony.
- Mendoza
A small dark man with watery eyes who testifies that he guided the Mexican police to the mine after Bluebeard Bill's death; his testimony is met with anger from Luke and Bob.
- Mr. Percy Jenkyns
Luke's young, enthusiastic lawyer who plans to put a bulldog on the witness stand and calls Doctor Dolittle to testify.
Key passages
“Those twelve men at the side, they are what is called the jury. It is they who decide whether Luke is guilty—whether he did it or not.”
Doctor Dolittle explains to Tommy that the jury of twelve men will determine Luke's guilt or innocence.
Tommy learns the function of the jury in a trial.
“I wish to introduce a new witness for the defense, Doctor John Dolittle, the naturalist. Will you please step into the witness-stand, Doctor?”
Mr. Jenkyns calls Doctor Dolittle as a witness to support the defense.
The defense plans to use Doctor Dolittle's unique skill to help Luke.
“It's a lie! It's a lie! I'll chew his face. It's a lie!”
Bob the dog growls under his breath, insisting that Mendoza's testimony is false.
Bob's reaction hints that Mendoza is not telling the truth.