"Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People and War" by Yukio Tsuchiya- Reading Response

We all know what life was like for humans during WWII, but have you ever heard about the lives of animals during that awful time? Well, “Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People and War” by Yukio Tsuchiya is a fantastic and in depth story showing the effects on animals during World War II. The passage follows the story of three elephants, Tonky, Wanly and John, who are each to be killed as the cause of the war, much to the zoo keepers’ discretion. John experienced many attempts of death by the zoo keepers but he perseveres and doesn’t ‘allow’ it. After several attempts, the zoo keepers finally decide to starve him. After, an in depth story is given about the death of Tonky and Wally and what they have to endure, such as being fed by their trainer out of desperation and guilt and then being starved to death. The story is set in Tokyo during WWII and told from a narrator’s perspective 80 years later. What does the elephants' suffering represent in the present-day world? In the passage, the author uses many symbolic ways to demonstrate the work of human nature in the outside world.

Throughout the story, we mostly follow the story of Tonky and Wanly’s road to death. These elephants experience a terrible journey from starvation, to being helped once but then being left to fend for them-selves. “’Oh Tonky! Oh Wanly!’ he wailed, and dashed to the food shed.” This quotation represents the moment when the trainer feels guilty and feeds the elephants out of desperation and guilt. The “food shed” in the quotation represents an escape route, showing the place where people run to, to get help. The way in which the trainer runs to the food shed shows the desperation to aid the elephants. It represents, the way that people run to aid someone/something first off, but without thinking of consequences. The consequences could be severe, but human nature just wants to help, therefore demonstrating the eagerness of the trainer. In this story, for instance, the consequence was that the elephants were able to live longer, which could have posed a big threat if bombs were dropped on the zoo and the animals were to have escaped. “Dashed” in the quotation, teaches us as readers the urgency in which the trainer is in. This connects with the message because it proves just how quick people make the decisions to help without thoroughly thinking it through.

Another example of the way that human nature is represented in the “Faithful Elephants” passage is by using the setting as a symbol. “Above them, in the bright blue sky, the angry roar of enemy planes returned.” This quotation is excerpted from the end of the story once all the animals have been put to death. The quote represents the way that even the bad can ruin the beautiful things. In this case, the evil is the “the angry roar of enemy planes” and the good is “the bright blue sky.” As we as readers can determine, the evil is destroying the good sight. This represents that people won’t stop until they achieve their goals no matter who they hurt or destroy along the way. In the story, the elephants have been put to death yet the fighting still carries on. It makes it seem as if the elephants were killed for nothing and the selfishness of others led to this death. We feel sorry for the elephants and as readers, feel angry towards the armies. We infer that the armies don’t care about the elephants dying, and yet they were forced to death, showing selfishness even if it may have ‘protected’ people.

Adding on, another way that messages are sent through to the readers via symbols is the hope of the elephants, Tonky and Wanly. “… still trying to do their banzai trick for the people who once fed them.” This quote from the story shows the hope, faith and perseverance of the animals that have been sentenced to death. It shows that the elephants don’t give in, no matter the torture that they are enduring. It makes a connection with people in the world who despite everything they go through, do not give up and persevere with hope and faith that they might be saved. The way that the elephants do their banzai trick suggests that they know it is their most prized and magnificent trick, yet no one is going to acknowledge that. They believe that people will see their suffering and help them. It also shows us that people are always trying to impress people when they need a friend or help, yet a lot of people would let you suffer instead of helping .It brings sadness and despair to the reader and teaches the lessons of hope, faith and perseverance.

Lastly, the author represents human nature by using comparisons of settings from the text. “Not far from the cheerful square, there stands a tombstone. Not many notice this monument for the animals that have died at the Ueno Zoo. This quotation represents the selfishness of humans in the present day world. As we have a comparison between a happy cheerful setting and a quiet, peaceful and eerie tombstone, we as readers can infer that the people have no intention of caring about these elephants that are dead and only on the more ’fascinating’ ones that can entertain them. It shows that the elephants are looked over because they aren’t present. Furthermore, the quotation shows that some people are superficial and they look past these elephants because they are dead and they don’t have any idea what they went through in the past.

Overall, “Faithful Elephants” by Yukio Tsuchiya portrays many messages that infer the human nature of people in the world. The author uses many techniques such as comparisons to symbolize the way in which others are affected by certain decisions. “Faithful Elephants” was an amazing account, which showed not only messages but thorough explanations which affect the reader’s thoughts on the war and elephants. I loved this passage because although it was very upsetting, it portrayed the lives of animals during the war extremely well and taught me a lot.