The Story of Doctor Dolittle

“But I like the animals better than the ‘best people,’ said the Doctor.”

Direct dialogue and contrast highlight Doctor Dolittle’s preference for animals over humans, revealing a more introverted and reclusive personality and laying the groundwork for his character arc that sees him voyaging to far-flung lands and embracing a wider community. The phrase “I like the animals better than the ‘best people’“ reveals his unique values and empathy for animals. This contrast emphasizes Dolittle’s unconventional nature and foreshadows his deep connection with the animal kingdom throughout the story.

“Why don’t you give up being a people’s doctor, and be an animal doctor?”

This rhetorical question catalyzes a shift in Doctor Dolittle’s career. The suggestion to “give up being a people’s doctor and be an animal doctor” encapsulates the central conflict of the narrative—the tendency of humans to prioritize themselves above the welfare of animals—and foreshadows Dolittle’s transformation. This moment emphasizes the novel’s thematic focus on the Ethical Treatment of Animals and following one’s true passion and values.

“‘Tell me some more,’ said the Doctor, all excited, and he rushed over to the dresser drawer and came back with the butcher’s book and a pencil. ‘Now, don’t go too fast and I’ll write it down. This is interesting, very interesting—something quite new.’”

Lofting’s dialogue and imagery capture Doctor Dolittle’s enthusiasm for learning. His excitement and rush to get a book and pencil demonstrate his eagerness and curiosity. The repetition of “interesting” foreshadows his dedication to animal care, underscoring themes of discovery and lifelong learning.

“‘Money is a nuisance,’ he used to say. ‘We’d all be much better off if it had never been invented. What does money matter, so long as we are happy?’”

Lofting employs thematic contrast to highlight Doctor Dolittle’s disdain for money. His statement, “Money is a nuisance,” juxtaposed with “What does money matter, so long as we are happy?” emphasizes the doctor’s belief in the insignificance of wealth compared to happiness, later contrasted with the menagerie handlers’ exploitation of animals for profit on the fair circuit.

“‘Doctor!’ he cried. ‘I’ve just had a message from a cousin of mine in Africa. There is a terrible sickness among the monkeys out there. They are all catching it—and they are dying in hundreds.’”

Lofting uses dialogue and a sense of urgency to propel the plot forward by giving a clear objective to Dolittle’s quest: saving the African monkey population from a dire illness. The exclamation, “Doctor!” and the urgent tone of Chee-Chee’s message create immediate tension and concern. This moment highlights themes of compassion and global interconnectedness, setting the stage for the doctor’s ensuing journey to Africa.

“‘Dear old Africa,’ sighed Polynesia, ‘it’s good to get back—just think it—I’ve been away from here for nearly a hundred and fifty years! It still hasn’t changed a bit—same old palm-trees, same old red earth, same old black ants!’”

The nostalgic tone of Polynesia’s dialogue and the imagery Lofting uses evoke the parrot’s deep connection to Africa. Lofting alludes to the idea that Polynesia was captured and taken from her home against her will, pointing to the novel’s thematic interest in The Impact of Human Activity on Nature. The parrot’s reflection on the unchanging landscape—“same old palm-trees, same old red earth, same old black ants”—highlights its timeless nature and reveals themes of home and belonging, contrasting nature’s constancy with the passage of time.

“So they all got safely to shore—some swimming, some flying; and those that could not swim or fly, such as the Doctor, Gab-Gab, and the white mouse, came on the back of the swans.”

Lofting uses imagery and collaborative action to illustrate the group’s safe arrival on shore, reinforcing the sense of Doctor Dolittle and his band of animals as a community with a sense of familial connection and viewing each other as equals. The description of various methods of travel, “some swimming, some flying,” highlights the diversity and unique abilities of each character. The cooperative effort, with swans carrying those who cannot swim or fly, emphasizes themes of teamwork, showcasing their harmonious dynamic.

“We had better wait here till we can see the soldiers; the King’s men did not dare enter the Land of the Monkeys.”

As the narrative builds toward a key moment of action and conflict, Lofting uses dialogue to build suspense and highlight the tension between Dolittle and the king’s soldiers. The decision to wait until the soldiers are visible shows caution and forethought, imbuing the animals with sentience and intelligence equal to or even superior to that of humans. The phrase “the King’s men did not dare enter the Land of the Monkeys” emphasizes the fear and respect the humans feel for the monkeys’ territory, reinforcing the power dynamics of the region in which Dolittle and the animals find themselves.

“At night they slept in tents made of palm leaves, on thick, soft beds of dried grass. And after a while they got used to walking such a lot and did not get so tired and enjoyed the life of travel very much.”

Lofting uses imagery and descriptive language to depict Doctor Dolittle and his companions’ journey through the forest to the Land of the Monkeys. The details of sleeping in “tents made of palm leaves” and “thick, soft beds of dried grass” evoke a sense of comfort and natural simplicity.

“They explained to him that he would not be shut up in a menagerie but would just be looked at. They told him that the Doctor was a very kind man, that he hadn’t any money, and people would pay to see a two-headed animal, and the Doctor would get rich and could pay for the boat he had borrowed to come to Africa in.”

In this passage, the animals make a case for why the pushmi-pullyu should agree to travel to the fairs with Doctor Dolittle, demonstrating a respect for and implicit acknowledgment of the pushmi-pullyu’s autonomy and freedom, highlighting the contrast Lofting’s narrative emphasizes between exploitation and the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The use of persuasion and moral justification serves to underscore the ethical dilemmas faced by Doctor Dolittle, as he balances his need for funds with his commitment to animal welfare.

“‘This doctor,’ said Chee-Chee, ‘is the pushmi-pullyu—the rarest animal of the African jungles, the only two-headed beast in the world! Take him with you and your fortune’s made.’”

The pushmi-pullyu, a rare two-headed creature, symbolizes the “exotic” and fantastical elements of the novel. Chee-Chee’s description emphasizes the creature’s uniqueness and rarity, aligning with the theme of exploration. The statement “Take him with you and your fortune’s made” suggests the commodification of exotic animals, reflecting colonial society’s fascination with the unknown and the exploitation of foreign lands and creatures for personal gain.

“Then the Prince, taking a bunch of copper keys from his pocket, undid the great double locks. And the Doctor with all his animals ran as fast as they could down to the seashore; and Bumpo leaned against the wall of the empty dungeon, smiling after them happily.”

This passage employs imagery and contrast to discuss freedom and loyalty. The description of the Prince unlocking the “great double locks” symbolizes liberation. Bumpo’s serene smile, despite being left behind in the empty dungeon, illustrates his hypnotic trance. While the hypnosis of Prince Bumpo emphasizes the ingenuity and creativity of the animals’ problem-solving skills, it also reinforces Lofting’s racist depiction of African leaders as simple and easily deceived, pointing to the dominant white Western European perspective of the period.

“Then the Doctor asked Dab-Dab to fly up and tell the swallows that pirates were coming after them in a swift ship, and what should he do about it. When the swallows heard this, they all came down onto the Doctor’s ship, and they told him to unravel some pieces of long rope and make them into a lot of thin strings as quickly as he could. Then the ends of these strings were tied onto the front of the ship, and the swallows took hold of the strings with their feet and flew off, pulling the boat along.”

This passage highlights ingenuity and cooperation through quick thinking and teamwork. Doctor Dolittle’s request for advice from the swallows and their innovative solution to escape the pirates showcases his respect for them and the animals’ collective problem-solving abilities. The imagery of swallows pulling the boat with strings symbolizes the harmonious collaboration between humans and animals, reinforcing a motif of mutual aid and interdependence.

“‘This is a poor ship the Prince gave us,’ said Gub-Gub, the pig. ‘The slowest he could find, I should think. Might as well try to win a race in a soup tureen as hope to get away from them in this old barge. Look how near they are now! You can see the mustaches on the faces of the men—six of them. What are we going to do?’”

This passage uses metaphor to convey a tone of urgency and despair. Gub-Gub’s comparison of their slow ship to a “soup tureen” highlights its inadequacy and the dire situation they face. The detailed description of seeing the pirates’ mustaches underscores the imminent danger, amplifying the tension and underscoring the theme of Adventure and Exploration.

“Then Ben Ali, staring down at his feet, suddenly bellowed out, ‘Thunder and lightning! Men, the boat’s leaking!’ And then the other pirates peered over the side and they saw that the boat was indeed getting lower and lower in the water. And one of them said to Ben Ali, ‘But surely if this old boat were sinking, we should see the rats leaving it, and we don’t see a single rat.’”

Lofting heightens tension through imagery and dramatic irony. Ben Ali’s exclamation, “Thunder and lightning! Men, the boat’s leaking!” captures immediate urgency. The pirates’ panic is evident, especially when one remarks on the absence of fleeing rats, a natural sign of impending disaster. This use of dramatic irony (the rats have already fled the boat hours prior) adds an element of levity to Lofting’s depiction of the scene’s antagonists.

“‘You must kill no more people,’ said the Doctor. ‘You must stop stealing. You must never sink another ship. You must give up being a pirate altogether.’”

Doctor Dolittle’s firm yet compassionate directive to the pirates exemplifies his commitment to non-violence and conflict resolution. The repetition of “You must” underscores his authoritative yet empathetic approach, aiming to reform Ben Ali and his men. This moment highlights Dolittle’s belief in the power of compassion to foster change and promote a peaceful and productive co-existence with the natural world and the animal kingdom.

“Sh! Listen! I do believe there’s someone in there!”

The use of suspense and onomatopoeia heightens the tension as Too-Too’s acute hearing abilities lead to the discovery of someone behind the locked door. The exclamation captures the urgency of the moment, drawing the reader into the scene. The discovery of Tommy in the ship’s hold propels the plot forward, emphasizing Too-Too’s crucial role in the rescue effort and displaying the value of each character’s unique skills in overcoming challenges.

“Black Rappee snuff […] The man’s as good as found. Twill be as easy as stealing milk from a kitten. Tell the boy I’ll find his uncle for him in less than a week!”

This passage uses simile to emphasize Jip’s exceptional sense of smell and determination. The simile “as easy as stealing milk from a kitten” conveys Jip’s confidence in his abilities, underscoring his critical role in the plan to find the boy’s missing uncle. Throughout the novel, Lofting finds key moments to develop the distinct personalities and skills of each of Doctor Dolittle’s animal companions.

“‘Does hot water have a smell?’ asked the Doctor.

‘Certainly it has,’ said Jip. ‘Hot water smells quite different from cold water.’”

The dialogue between Doctor Dolittle and Jip highlights Jip’s extraordinary olfactory abilities as well as the doctor’s respect for and deference to Jip, whom he views as an equal. The confident assertion, “Certainly it has,” followed by the distinction between hot and cold water’s smells, validates Jip’s expertise and unique talent. This moment emphasizes the importance of Jip’s senses in their quest, illustrating how the specialized abilities of each animal become crucial to the group’s mission.

“‘Doctor!’ he cried. ‘I’ve got it! Doctor! Doctor! Wake up! Listen! I’ve got it! The wind’s from the west and it smells of nothing but snuff. Come upstairs and start the ship—quick!’”

Jip’s urgency and excitement define the narrative tone for this pivotal plot moment—the scent of snuff signals the imminent success of their mission to find Tommy’s uncle. The repetition of “Doctor!” and exclamations heighten the urgency. This discovery sets the remaining action of the novel in motion.

“‘The boy’s uncle is down there,’ said Jip quietly. ‘No wonder those silly eagles couldn’t see him! It takes a dog to find a man.’”

Lofting uses confident and assertive dialogue to highlight Jip’s determination and keen sense of smell. The remark, “It takes a dog to find a man,” contrasts his abilities with those of the eagles, emphasizing the unique and invaluable nature of Jip’s talents in their quest.

“‘Doctor John Dolittle,’ said he, ‘it is a great pleasure for me to present to the man who rid the seas of the Dragon of Barbary this little token from the grateful people of our worthy town.’”

The formal language of the mayor’s address emphasizes Doctor Dolittle’s heroism and the townspeople’s gratitude. The phrase “it is a great pleasure” and the presentation of “this little token” underscore the significance of Dolittle’s achievement in ridding the seas of the Dragon of Barbary. This moment highlights themes of heroism and community, showing Dolittle’s positive impact on the town and the respect he has earned.

“But so many people came flocking to the little wagon and paid the sixpence to go inside and see the pushmi-pullyu that very soon the Doctor was able to give up being a showman.”

The imagery of people “flocking to the little wagon” highlights the public’s fascination with the pushmi-pullyu and the potential for commodification and exploitation of the creature as a result. Doctor Dolittle’s refusal to capitalize on the pushmi-pullyu’s popularity, only displaying the animal for the time needed to pay his debts, highlights Doctor Dolittle’s integrity and his investment in the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This moment emphasizes Lofting’s narrative threads of economic necessity and colonialist commodification of exotic animals.