The One and Only Ivan
A captive gorilla’s touching quest for freedom and self-expression.
Summary of 6 Key Points
Key Points
- Ivan’s life in captivity
- Friendship with an elephant named Stella
- Arrival of a baby elephant, Ruby
- Ivan’s artistic talents
- Plan to escape to a zoo
- Themes of freedom and captivity
key point 1 of 6
Ivan’s life in captivity
Ivan is a silverback gorilla who lives in a stationary circus at the Big Top Mall. He has been confined to a relatively small, glass-enclosed domain for 27 years, which is starkly contrasted with the vast forest he once called home. His life in captivity is monotonous and lacks stimulation. He spends his time watching television, drawing, and interacting with the humans who pass by his enclosure. He’s become accustomed to the presence of people, often pressing his hand against the glass where children mimic his movements…Read&Listen More
key point 2 of 6
Friendship with an elephant named Stella
In the story, Ivan, a silverback gorilla, forges a profound friendship with Stella, an elderly elephant. Despite the vastly different lives they’ve led before ending up at the mall where they are displayed as attractions, their shared experiences in captivity create a strong bond. Stella, with her nurturing personality, often assumes a maternal role for Ivan, offering comfort and wisdom in their confined world. Their friendship is marked by gentle moments of understanding and compassion, highlighting the emotional complexities of animals and the importance of companionship…Read&Listen More
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Arrival of a baby elephant, Ruby
The arrival of Ruby, a baby elephant, in ‘The One and Only Ivan’ marks a significant development in the storyline. Ruby is brought to the mall where Ivan, a silverback gorilla, and other animals perform for the public. She is introduced as a replacement for an older elephant named Stella, who is very sick. The introduction of Ruby brings a sense of youth and innocence into the narrative. Her character is portrayed as curious and playful, yet also vulnerable due to her young age and the trauma of being captured and separated from her family…Read&Listen More
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Ivan’s artistic talents
Ivan, the titular silverback gorilla of ‘The One and Only Ivan’, is a unique character who discovers his talent for art in the confines of his domain, a cage in a shopping mall. His artistic journey begins almost incidentally when he is provided with some crayons and a notepad by Julia, the daughter of the janitor who works at the mall. Ivan starts drawing out of curiosity, and it’s through this initial exploration that he begins to reveal his latent artistic talents. His drawings are simplistic, yet they convey a depth of feeling and a perspective that is distinctly his own…Read&Listen More
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Plan to escape to a zoo
Ivan, a silverback gorilla who has spent 27 years within the confines of a glass enclosure in a shopping mall, starts to contemplate his life and the possibility of a different existence after the arrival of a baby elephant named Ruby. Ruby’s presence and the stories of her past trigger a profound change in Ivan’s perspective. He begins to see the limitations and the unnaturalness of their living conditions, sparking a desire for a more natural habitat for both himself and Ruby…Read&Listen More
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Themes of freedom and captivity
The themes of freedom and captivity are central to the narrative, as they are embodied by the protagonist, Ivan, a silverback gorilla who has spent 27 years of his life in a glass-enclosed habitat in a shopping mall. Throughout the story, Ivan’s understanding of freedom evolves as he reflects on his past in the wild and his present in captivity. Initially, he is somewhat content with his life, having television, art, and the companionship of other animals like Stella the elephant and Bob the stray dog. However, as the story progresses, the idea of freedom becomes more poignant, especially as he begins to question his living conditions and the well-being of his companions…Read&Listen More