Photo by Andreas Schnabl
Janice Jobey is the author of 12 Little Ducks, an animal adventure book for kids. Learn what it’s like to be hurrying after twelve cute little ducklings!
Ever since humans began telling stories to one another, the idea of animals as friends has always been an extremely common trope. Heck, it’s even true in real life! We’re infinitely sure that some of you reading right now are or have been friends with some animals–be it your pet, a stray, or the friendly neighbor’s pet. The relationship between humanity and animals stretches far back. We can see it in our stories–from ancient myths to modern epics. This simply means that society holds animals in a very special place–one that, sadly, is being diluted because of our self-imposed distance from nature.
Animals are more to us than just ecological and biological entities; they have become symbols for us, embodying those attributes that we strive for. Whether it was loyalty, wisdom, ingenuity, or power, there’s an animal out there that embodies it. Here, we’ll be honing in on one aspect in the eternal Zeitgeist: animals as friends.
Photo by Fu Shan Un
Wild Companions in Your Adventures
Nowhere is it more clear that animals are friends in our stories (as was mentioned just before). For readers, animals represent a wild companion that is with the protagonist for life, never doubting their choices and always sticking to them despite the trouble. For authors, animals can be powerful vehicles for dispensing with themes and plots. Regardless, animals in stories can serve a whole lot to a story.
Animals as Friends: Primal Bonds
Our fascination with animals as friends is a quirk of our evolutionary history. While we may think ourselves as separate from the natural world, we are very much a part of it–and, as such, our ancestors once lived among a medley of various species. Ecological relationships were created from the interactions that came about with being neighbors. We developed an awe for these creatures–and while that is a thing of the past, there still exists a bond that is difficult to extricate ourselves from.
Animals as Friends: Mythical Companions
Although the animals as friends trope has more-or-less been solidified as being wild or domesticated companions, the trope was much looser in the past. We had many roles for animals in our myths, whether it was a messenger of the gods, a shape-shifting deity, or prominent guardians of sacred spaces or of knowledge. In a lot of cultural beliefs, animals were the in-between of the human and spiritual worlds. That just goes to show how much we revered them in the past.
Photo by Marek Piwnicki
Animals as Friends: Literary Entities
Modern literature has long celebrated the bond between humans and animals. Authors have made brilliant use of animals in their stories, placing them as mirrors to humanity, either as moral agents or thematic entities. Some of the best modern stories, like The Jungle Book and The Animal Farm, heavily feature as their main characters. This depiction in anthropomorphic adventures allows writers to push boundaries. It just goes to show that you don’t need to have humans in your narrative to tell a lesson or a good story.
The Power of Animal Companionship
This is the final thing that can be said: animals are friends. That’s the truth of things. The world is a big place, and it’s not only humans that are living and thriving inside it. But because we often think otherwise, we are letting our animal friends down. We are destroying their homes and making it much, much harder for them to live a good life. Through a better bond with them–one that is more understanding and appreciative–we may still be able to fix our planet and create a more sustainable future for everyone. Only time will tell, even though it’s slowly running out.
Animal Adventure Book For Kids
There are books and stories out there that have animals in them, either as the main characters or as companions to the human characters. Regardless of what their role is, it is a reminder of our bond with them and the need to maintain these bonds for a better world. Janice Jobey is the author of 12 Little Ducks and you can learn how to grab a copy through this link.
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