THEMES

Major Themes

The theme of quest: The Beast In The Jungle is a quest story of a man in search of himself. The story advances between MarcherÂ’s meditative spells and the dialogue that he has with May. He considers himself to be the chosen one for some extra-ordinary happening. There is a vast difference between what he is and what he considers himself to be. He spends a large part of his life waiting to know the truth about his imagination.

The theme of fate and failure: This too is an important theme. Marcher is a failure. He lives in his fantasy world and does not do anything worthwhile. Fate plays a very important role in his life. May, who is MarcherÂ’s only friend and confidante, develops some blood disorder and dies as a consequence of her illness. MarcherÂ’s sorrows are definitely intensified by MayÂ’s death. Therefore one can say that, his failure has been aggravated by cruel fate. He is now completely alone, with nobody to turn to for emotional support.

Minor Themes

The theme of loneliness and frustration: This theme plays a major role in the novella. Marcher is a lonely and frustrated person. He represents the lonely and frustrated people of his times in England and America. In The Beast In The Jungle, the existential Themes of frustration and loneliness have been treated.

The theme of Relationship: There is no deep or permanent relationship among the characters in the novella. MarcherÂ’s failures to treat his relationship with May as something more than friendship indicates his failure live life as it should be lived. It is an observer-protagonist relationship between them, which forms a thematic centrality.

MOOD

Throughout the novella, the atmosphere is one of intense pessimism and profound sadness. There is a total lack of humor of relaxation. (There is no comic relief) There is tremendous suspense throughout the novella, which holds the interest of the reader right up to the end.

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