A GORILLA IN THE GUESTROOM

Gerald Durrell
THEMES
1 INHUMANE TREATMENT METED OUT TO ANIMALS

Gerald Durrell’s short story throws light on the inhumane treatment meted out to animals.

Zoos a Mere Show-Place of Animals

Zoos do not work towards the conservation of wildlife but act as a mere show-place of animals. They do
not provide humane conditions for animals to exist. Most zoo enclosures are very small, quite different
from the natural habitat of animals. Birds’ wings are clipped so that they cannot fly, aquatic animals
often live without water, and many animals, which live in large herds or family groups, are kept alone, at
most, in pairs.

Focus on Popular Animals

Zoos claim to protect species from extinction, which sounds like a noble cause, but zoo officials usually
favour exotic or popular animals, which draw crowds and publicity, rather than threatened or
endangered species. This is what Gerald Durrell also witnessed in the story and hence obtaining a baby
gorilla, even for twelve hundred pounds was his top priority.

Life in Captivity
Animals are thus unfairly and sometimes cruelly treated by the humans for their own selfish reasons.
They are confined and made prisoners. Captive animals are deprived of everything that is natural and
important to them, and, as a result, they get bored and feel lonely and many even suffer from a
condition called zoochosis.

The animals feel tortured in captivity. The caged space snatches their freedom and thus as Gerald
Durrell mentioned, a baby chimpanzee when ‘reincarcerated will naturally be filled with rage and will
scream at the top of its voice’.

N’Pongo in his Man-Made Environment

Even though Durrell and his team took utmost care of N’Pongo, at the end he was shifted in an artificial
environment and entertained the visitors. He was the darling of the zoo and every afternoon he would
be brought out on to the lawn in front of his admirers. He would roll in the grass with a bored
expression, or with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Durrell’s Zoo vs Other Zoos

Also, unlike Durrell’s zoo, many zoos acquire the animals for exhibition. They make no effort to provide
them with a mate, which in turn makes them morose and melancholy as Durrell personally observed in
many zoos. Humans tend to be cruel to animals and this is also seen when Nandy, the female gorilla was
brought to the zoo. Based on her earlier experiences with cruel humans, she turned anti-human. Right
across the top of her skull was a scar which must have been caused when an overenthusiastic man hit
her with a machete.

2 CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE
Conservation is the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitats. The goal of
wildlife is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and also to recognize the
importance of wildlife for humans.

Gerald’s Aim: It was a genuine effort on Durrell’s part to establish his zoo as a place that ‘must cease to
be a mere show-place of animals and start to contribute towards the conservation of wildlife’.

Durrell’s Selfless efforts: He believed it necessary to replace common animals with rare and threatened
species. Therefore, as soon as he got a call from an animal dealer offering a baby gorilla for twelve
hundred pounds, he could not say no. Obtaining the gorilla was his top priority. Despite his wife’s
annoyance and lack of money, Durrell managed to arrange the money so that the baby gorilla could
enter his zoo.

Conserving the Wildlife on the Foundation of Love: Bringing N’Pongo home was Durrell’s first step in
conserving wildlife. Durrell and his family loved N’Pongo from the very first day he entered their life.
Since his cage was not yet ready, N’Pongo was allowed to reside in their guest room. He was admired
and taken care of. He was served many delicacies. Durrell’s mother was so impressed with N’Pongo’s
exemplary behaviour that she tried to persuade Durrell to keep N’Pongo in their house permanently.

Obtaining a Mate for N’Pongo: In order to conserve and save wildlife, it is important that the inmates
of the zoo should be able to breed. To prevent N’Pongo from being morose and melancholy without a
company of his species, a female gorilla Nandy was brought and kept in the same cage as N’Pongo’s. The
two gorillas were temperamentally different from each other but seemed to adore each other.

Concern for Animas’ Health: In Durrell’s zoo, animals were given utmost love and care. They were given
proper attention. The author was anxious about the health and wellbeing of both N’Pongo and Nandy.
He set up an elaborate communication system to monitor their wellbeing. He was deeply concerned
when he learned of N’Pongo’s first real illness. He consulted vets and physicians and gave him the best
medical aid which finally resulted in steady improvement in N’Pongo’s health.

3 LOVE FOR ANIMALS

Love for animals is another theme reflected in the story. Through the characters of N’Pongo and Nandy,
Durrell has depicted the special bond that can be formed between animals and humans. The love for
animals thus can bring these two diverse species together.

N’Pongo’s entry into Durrell’s life was childlike. While laying back in Durrell’s arms, N’Pongo studied him
carefully with twinkling eyes. Like a child, he lifted his ‘forefinger and investigated his beard’.
Durrell also loved him from the very first day. He tickled his ribs and N’Pongo giggled hoarsely. They
engaged playfully with each other.

Durrell’s Understanding Of N’Pongo’s Needs: Durrell decided to keep N’Pongo in his guest room as the
Gerald, his mother and wife as well as the staff were captivated by N’Pongo’s exemplary behaviour.
Durrell’s mother tried to persuade her son to keep the baby gorilla in their house permanently. Durrell
also understood that N’Pongo was only a baby and hence could not be expected to assume civilized
behaviour. Durrell and his family did not punish N’Pongo for leaving behind traces of his presence in
their guest room.

Durrell was even sympathetic towards Nandy, the female gorilla. He understood that her anti-social
attitude was the result of the inhumane treatment meted out to her sometime before.

Durrell loved N’Pongo’s and Nandy’s childlike behaviour and admired and cared for them like his own
children.

Durrell’s Concern for their Health: Durrell considered the gorillas rare and valuable. He was always
anxious about their health and well-being and therefore installed a magnificent communication
apparatus in the zoo. When he learnt about N’Pongo’s deteriorating health, he gave him the best
medical aid. With his wife Jacquie, he went to buy food that would arouse N’Pongo’s interest in food.
Durrell loved him so much that he even thought of cancelling his visit to France. Only when N’Pongo
showed signs of improvement, did Durrell leave for France. While in France, Durrell was in constant
touch with his family and staff to enquire about N’Pongo’s health. He felt quite relieved when he
returned from France to find N’Pongo back in good health.

CHARACTERISATION
N’Pongo
N’Pongo’s Physical Appearance
N’Pongo’s Childlike Nature
N’Pongo’s Courteous Manner
N’Pongo’s Grace
N’Pongo’s Playfulness
N’Pongo’s Fondness for fruits
Nandy
Nandy’s Physical Appearance
Anti-Social
Self-respecting
Understanding and Watchful
Narrator
Concern for Wildlife Conservation
A Loving and Sympathetic Guardian
Cautious
Understanding
Vigilant