Zoomorphism Made Simple: Definitions, Extra Examples and More
Definition
Have you noticed the powers and costumes of most of the popular superheroes, like Spider-Man, Wolverine, Black Panther, Ant-man, Catwoman etc., exhibit different animal qualities? For example, Spider-man can crawl like a spider, and Black Panther embodies a panther’s power and grace.
If you are not familiar with any of them, you must have used a piggy bank to save money.
All of them fall under the umbrella of zoomorphism. Now, what exactly is zoomorphism?
Unlike anthropomorphism, which involves ascribing human characteristics to non-human entities, zoomorphism is a literary technique through which writers attribute animal-like qualities or characteristics to non-animal entities, such as human beings, gods, inanimate objects, or even ideas.
Zoomorphism: Poetically Defined
Non-animal is attributed as the beast,
The line between them is released.
Zoomorphism takes its flight,
Animal traits step into the light.
Examples of Zoomorphism in Various Mediums
Zoomorphism is not confined to just one medium; it is prevalent in art, architecture, movies, literature, and more. Here are a few instances of of zoomorphism that we can use in a sentence:
Visual Art
A piggy bank is an example of zoomorphism.
This everyday object embodies zoomorphism. When visual artworks, like the piggy bank, literally depict animals in their designs, they fall within the realm of zoomorphic art.
Movie
Characters like Black Panther, Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and super villains like the Rhino from the Spider-Man movie series are excellent examples of zoomorphism in cinema.
For instance, Ant-Man’s ability to shrink and communicate with ants gives him a unique animalistic quality. The incorporation of distinct animalistic qualities and abilities in these characters qualifies them to be referred to as zoomorphic characters.
Verbal and Written Communication
Barking up the wrong tree:
A student who is studying for UGC-NET English might be barking up the wrong tree unless they know how to crack the exam.
The idiom “barking up the wrong tree” means to be mistaken or to be looking in the wrong place for something. It is often used to describe someone who is trying to pursue a course of action or get information, but is using the wrong approach.
The animal behavior of the barking dog is ascribed to the person to express the notion of following the wrong path in one’s action. So the idiom serves as an example of zoomorphism in its figurative use of animal imagery.
The Nature of Attribution
The concept of attribution in zoomorphism takes on two forms: literal and figurative. In literal instances, such as the portrayal of animals in visual arts like the piggy bank, the attribution is direct. On the other hand, in literary works, attributing animalistic traits to characters is not literal.
The key commonality between the approaches is attributing animal qualities to a non-animal entity, regardless of the literal or figurative nature.
Zoomorphism in Literature
Poetry
Christina Rossetti in “Goblin Market” (1862) transforms the goblin merchants into an assemblage of animals through the skillful employment of zoomorphism, depriving them of human attributes. Let’s look at the third stanza of the poem:
“One had a cat’s face,
One whisk’d a tail,
One tramp’d at a rat’s pace,
One crawl’d like a snail,
One like a wombat prowl’d obtuse and furry,
One like a ratel tumbled hurry skurry.
She heard a voice like voice of doves
Cooing all together:
They sounded kind and full of loves
In the pleasant weather.” (Rossetti)
The descriptions of the merchants in the third stanza, with their animal-like traits, add to the sense of otherworldly danger and eerie atmosphere of the goblin market. Phrases such as “cat’s face,” “rat’s pace,” and “wombat prowl’d” etc. create an unsettling image of the merchants, suggesting that they are not entirely human.
However, despite the strange and potentially dangerous nature of the goblin merchants, Laura hears “voice of doves” and “cooing all together.” This might suggest that there is some kind of allure to them beyond their offers of fruit. This contrast between the danger of the merchants and the perceived kindness of their voices adds a layer of complexity to the theme of temptation in the poem.
The fifth stanza also reveals:
“Laura stared but did not stir,
Long’d but had no money:
The whisk-tail’d merchant bade her taste
In tones as smooth as honey,
The cat-faced purr’d,
The rat-faced spoke a word
Of welcome, and the snail-paced even was heard;
One parrot-voiced and jolly
Cried “Pretty Goblin” still for “Pretty Polly;”—
One whistled like a bird.” (Rossetti)
The description of the “whisk-tail’d merchant” refers to the sly and cunning nature of a fox. He uses a honey-smooth voice to manipulate Laura into tasting the fruit, reinforcing his deceptive nature. A man with a cat face purrs, hinting at his sinister amusement drawn from Laura’s distress. Another with a rat face speaks urgently, echoing a rodent’s hurried communication style.
Notably, the presence of “snail-paced” and “parrot-voiced” merchants further solidifies the zoomorphic representation. Like them, the one who whistles “like a bird”, also effectively blurs the distinction between human and animal.
The Jungle Book
The protagonist, Mowgli, is born human but raised as an animal and grows up identifying as an animal in the jungle. He is adopted by mother wolf Raksha. His name itself means “frog.”
Mowgli initially identifies as an animal, learns animal languages, moves like an animal, and participates in wolf society. However, Mowgli has a dual human-animal identity. He is referred to as a “man-cub,” reflecting his dual animal-human identity.
It is essential to recognize that the narrative of The Jungle Book (1894) deftly employs both zoomorphism and anthropomorphism to carve out Mowgli’s character. These literary devices contribute to the multifaceted portrayal of a young boy grappling with his place in the world.
Mowgli shows his human trait in his feeling of superiority and desire to become a master of the jungle. He acknowledges physical inferiority to the animals, but gains power through possession of “Red Flower” (fire), a human tool, and defeats Shere Khan.
This grants him power and sets him apart from the animal kingdom. Mowgli contemplates his shifting identities from frog to wolf to ape to buck and finally man. This progression allegorically charts his evolution from animal to human.
Through Mowgli’s zoomorphism, Kipling explores ideas about identity, belonging, and the human-animal boundary in engaging ways. Mowgli’s identity remains complex and unresolved. He will always retain his dual human-animal identity, never fully fitting into either world.
Tarzan of the Apes
The author, Edgar Rice Burroughs, imbued Tarzan in the adventure novel Tarzan of the Apes (1912) with ape-like qualities to create his distinctive jungle-raised identity and abilities. Tarzan, a child born with strong hereditary traits, is placed in an environment vastly different from his birth circumstances. Tarzan was raised by apes from infancy and grew up among them, so he learned many ape-like behaviors and qualities in his early life. He is able to climb, hang, leap, move and swing through trees using vines and branches with ape-like agility.
However, Tarzan is a complex character and has dual identity. He ultimately discovers his human roots and reconnects with his human identity later, like Mowgli.
Through the use of zoomorphism, the novel raises questions about the extent to which one’s genetic makeup influences one’s identity and behavior, particularly in the face of a radically different environment.
Lord of the Flies
The novel Lord of the Flies (1954) by William Golding deals with zoomorphism. The characters in the novel are children, but their actions align with the idea of attributing animalistic qualities and behaviors to human characters. The narrative underscores the primal instincts that emerge when societal norms break down.
The children gradually begin to exhibit behaviors reminiscent of predatory beasts and insects. This transformation is more of an implied zoomorphism, as their actions and characteristics mirror animal behavior, emphasizing the blurred line between human and animal instincts.
For instance, in chapter 4 “Painted Faces and Long Hair”, the boys paint their faces with clay and wear garlands of flowers, embracing a ritualistic and primal appearance. The boys’ descent into savagery continues until they come into contact with a Naval officer from the civilized world.
The zoomorphism is not overt, but rather suggested through the boys’ increasingly feral mindset and actions. Golding uses this blurred human-animal portrayal to explore the fragility of civilization and the beast within.
Life of Pi
The most obvious example of zoomorphism in Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi (2001) is the first story that Pi tells to the two officials from the Japanese Ministry of Transport. In the first story that Pi tells, all of the human characters except himself are recast as animals.
For example, the injured Chinese sailor becomes the injured zebra, the French cook becomes the hyena, and Pi’s mother becomes the orangutan. This is a clear use of literary zoomorphism, where human characters are imagined as animals.
Related Term: Therianthropy
If a literal animal transformation actually takes place, it is called therianthropy, wherein humans transform into animals.
For instance, the protagonist Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis (1915) by Franz Kafka transforms into a giant insect. This is not technically zoomorphism, as Kafka does not attribute animal traits to Gregor. Rather, Kafka completely turns Gregor into an animal.
Video
Anthropomorphism vs Zoomorphism
Definition
Anthropomorphism adopts a human-centered perspective. It involves assigning human-like qualities, emotions, and behaviors to non-human entities. This can include animals, gods, objects, etc.
Zoomorphism has an animal-centric view. It involves attributing animal traits, features, or behaviors to humans or non-animal entities.
Agency
In anthropomorphism, animals and objects are given human agency and motivations. On the other hand, zoomorphism reduces human agency by linking people to animal instinctual drives.
Example
The robot Wall-E displaying human emotions while watching a clip from a movie is an example of anthropomorphism. While the fictional character Tarzan is an example of zoomorphism with his ape-like abilities and identity.
Both anthropomorphism and zoomorphism are commonly used devices in arts and fiction.
Whether it is anthropomorphism or zoomorphism, both serve to blur the lines between species and underscore connected qualities across humans and animals.
Key point: Some examples of zoomorphism do not literally exhibiting animal behavior, but rather use animal imagery in a figurative way.
Purposes of Zoomorphism
Through this literary device, writers can harness the power of animal attributes to infuse their descriptions with vivid imagery, unravel characters’ personalities, and delve into thought-provoking themes about human nature.
Vivid imagery
Zoomorphism allows writers to enhance their descriptions and evoke vivid imagery by comparing something non-animal to an animal. Consider these two examples:
“The wind howled through the night.”
“The car is growling down the street.”
In both examples above, the wind and car seem alive. They are being described with the animal-like qualities of howling and growling, which are sounds we often associate with wolves or dogs.
By giving the wind and car animal-like qualities, the speaker creates a vivid image in the listener’s or reader’s mind and gives an engaging reading experience.
Characterization
Characterization is enriched through zoomorphism. The attribution of animalistic behavior to a character offers insights into their intrinsic nature. For instance:
“The grief-stricken protagonist in the movie roars as the antagonist kills his son, and he approaches aggressively towards the antagonist.”
In this example, the protagonist’s behavior is enriched with animalistic attributes, underlining his fury and animosity. This technique enables readers to grasp the essence of a character’s emotions and reactions.
Thematic Exploration
Zoomorphism also serves thematic exploration. By attributing animal traits to characters, writers navigate the intricate relationship between human and animalistic behaviors, providing readers with a lens to ponder upon fundamental facets of human nature.
It highlights the delicate equilibrium between societal norms and instinctual drives. For instance, in Lord of the Flies, the boys’ increasingly feral behavior, such as chanting and hunting, exemplifies how their adherence to societal norms slips away on the isolated island as primal instincts take over.
The presence of zoomorphic elements in Life of Pi serves to reinforce and enhance the key themes:
Blurring Boundaries
As the story unfolds, zoomorphism blurs the boundaries between human and animal, reinforcing the idea that there is a spectrum of behavior and traits shared between Pi and Richard Parker.
Pi’s survival on the lifeboat requires him to adopt animalistic behaviors, such as hunting and territorial defense, to coexist with the tiger.
Pi’s observation and mimicry of Richard Parker’s behaviors emphasizes the importance of adapting to circumstances and using instinctual behaviors to survive in the extreme conditions. The zoomorphic aspects of their interactions emphasize the primal nature of survival and the connection between humans and animals in such situations.
Pi’s ability to survive in the harsh environment was largely possible due to his ability to adopt the animalistic behaviors. The narrative challenges the notion of anthropocentrism and questions the assumed superiority of humans over animals and encourages readers to reflect on the interconnectedness of all life forms.
By depicting Pi’s transformation and his ability to communicate with and understand Richard Parker on an instinctual level, the novel explores the idea that humans are not entirely separate from the animal kingdom.
Through Pi’s experiences, the novel suggests that humans are just one part of a larger ecosystem and that their survival is intricately linked to the well-being of the environment and its inhabitants.
Identity
Pi’s journey on the lifeboat forces him to confront his own identity and the different aspects of his personality. His transformation into a more animalistic state highlights the primal instincts within him and allows for a deeper self-discovery.
Despite his animalistic behavior Pi maintains a firm boundary between himself as a human and the animals, even when he is forced into animal-like situations like eating raw fish or turtle blood to survive.
We could argue that his desire to distance himself from animals and assert his identity as a human is rooted in a sense of superiority and a need to uphold the idea of anthropocentrism.
On the other hand, Pi’s separation from animals could also be attributed to his desire to retain his sense of self and preserve his own identity in the face of extreme circumstances. Pi might be trying to hold onto his sense of morality, his sense of what it means to be human, and his own emotional connection to his family, religion, and culture.
The zoomorphic imagery conveys the idea that identity is complex and multifaceted, encompassing both human and animal qualities. We can observe the complex aspect of his character from multiple angles, and the novel itself leaves room for different interpretations of Pi’s motivations.
So, zoomorphism in Life of Pi serves as a literary device that enriches the themes of the novel by blurring distinctions, identity, and the human-animal relationship.
Think Twice!
The phrase “eager beaver” in “Kaushik always arrives to work early and stays late, he’s such an eager beaver.” describes Kaushik as energetic, motivated and diligent, much like the industrious rodent of the same name.
This is not an example of true zoomorphism, which requires attribution of animal qualities rather than just a figurative comparison. “Eager beaver” is a metaphorical phrase, not zoomorphism.
Do you agree with this explanation?
Bibliography
Danielsson, Miryam Bernadette. “The Animal in the Mirror Zoomorphism and Anthropomorphism in Life of Pi.” 2020. Researchgate, 10.13140/RG.2.2.23854.74562, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342814667_The_Animal_in_the_Mirror_Zoomorphism_and_Anthropomorphism_in_Life_of_Pi.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Evergreen, 2013.
Martel, Yann. Life of Pi.Canongate, 2003.