Half Brother

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2009

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2, Chapters 7-13

Part 2, Chapter 14-Part 3, Chapter 20

Part 3, Chapters 21-26

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

The Learning Chair

The learning chair in Half Brother symbolizes the ethical challenges surrounding animal experimentation. Initially, others treat Zan with some respect in Richard's experiment. However, introducing the learning chair significantly changes Zan's treatment.

This chair is a physical representation of control, as it is screwed into the floor and equipped with padded straps. Despite Richard's guidelines for its use, it ultimately imposes the researchers' will onto Zan. This imposition raises ethical questions about subjecting animals to such coercive methods, and it strips Zan of any small amount of agency.

Richard insists on videotaping Zan's progress for more documented data for the experiment, leading to the chair's introduction. This decision disregards Zan's natural learning process and forces him into a more structured environment.

Zan's resistance to the chair is evident, as he signs less and throws tantrums. Despite his evident unhappiness, the chair remains until Zan's aggressive behavior severely injures a research assistant. This prompts Richard to remove the chair, revealing that the experiment prioritizes human interests over Zan's well-being.

The learning chair symbolizes the ethical dilemmas of animal experimentation, particularly the balance between scientific progress and the humane treatment of research subjects. Its presence underscores the disregard for Zan's autonomy and the exploitation of animals for human gain.

“Listen”

Communication is a two-part process—for communication to take place, someone must send information, and someone must receive information. As such, there is no communication if one side is not listening or paying attention. “Listen” is a motif throughout the story, reflecting the theme of Communication and Understanding.

One of the biggest disconnects between Zan and his human caretakers is their different focuses on the past, present, and future. Zan, as a chimpanzee, lives in the moment. He is fascinated by the world around him, something the humans often miss. For example, on a day when Ben is distracted by the thought of school, Zan refocuses him: “Listen, said Zan once more, glancing over at me, as if he was worried I’d get distracted […] We stared up at the trees for a long time, Zan and I, listening” (151). Zan loves to listen to the world around him, and “listen” is one of his most frequent signs. From birds to harmonicas to music boxes, Zan finds joy in simply listening. Zan does not use this sign for basic needs but for attention, showing his more human-like characteristics.

In the story, listening is also a form of power: “One of the things I’d learned from Dad was how to watch and listen and figure out how to get under someone’s skin” (126). Ben listens to and observes everyone, from his father to Jennifer to Zan, to gain information about them. He uses this information for both good and bad purposes. Listening helps Ben irritate his father but also gets him closer to Jennifer. The texts stresses that one can only truly communicate by listening and paying attention.

The motif of listening in Half Brother highlights the importance of true communication. By focusing on how characters listen and pay attention, the text emphasizes that understanding each other requires more than just speaking; it requires genuine attention and engagement.

The Chimpanzees

The chimpanzees in Half Brother serve as a multifaceted motif, symbolizing The Ethics of Animal Experimentation, Communication and Understanding, family and social groups, and identity and belonging. Despite their symbolic roles, they remain wild animals whose lives are irrevocably altered by human interference.

Zan remains a young chimpanzee throughout the novel. Though he occasionally behaves poorly, it is easy to anthropomorphize him. Ben falls into this trap, believing Zan would never be violent or hurt him. Helson's chimps, however, illustrate the fallacy in this mindset. Chimps are wild animals with complex social patterns. Zeus, in particular, demonstrates what a true chimpanzee alpha male can be like. Zeus is often violent over minor irritations, causing him to break Zan's tooth and attack Sheba. He even kills a newborn chimp, which is typical chimpanzee behavior. The Helson chimpanzees highlight the wildness of chimps, contrasting with Zan's generally docile nature.

At the same time, chimpanzees reinforce the importance of family, social groups, communication, and understanding. Although the chimps have complicated interpersonal relationships, they form a unit. Zan struggles to interact with them because he cannot communicate effectively, leading to isolation and sadness. Eventually, Zan bonds with other chimpanzees, making him happier overall. However, his struggles with communication keep him isolated and misunderstood by the higher-ranked chimps in the social order.

Most significantly, chimpanzees reflect the ethics of animal experimentation. All the chimpanzees, including Zan, lose a part of themselves due to human interference. Zan loses his ability to communicate with his kind. Sheba loses her desire to nurture the young. Moreover, although alpha chimps are prone to some violence, Zeus loses his ability to work collaboratively with the chimpanzee troop and instead seeks to control them through violence. Moreover, none of the chimps used for scientific research are safe. They can be sold to another lab or used for experiments at any given time.

The chimpanzees in Half Brother are a poignant symbol of the ethical dilemmas, communication barriers, social structures, and identity crises that arise from human interference in the natural world. Their experiences underscore the complexities and consequences of treating wild animals as subjects for experimentation, highlighting the impact such actions can have on their lives.