57 pages • 1 hour read
Katherine ApplegateThe One and Only Family
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Zoo
The zoo is the setting of the novel. It represents the world that Ivan knows, as well as The Unfairness of Power Dynamics. Ivan’s world is limited to the gorilla enclosure, which is broken up into two parts—the living area and Canine Corner. In the past, the enclosure was much smaller and darker, but it has been expanded to seem more like the wilderness; it now includes rock formations, vines for the gorillas to swing on, and a watering hole. However, the gorillas cannot mistake the enclosure for truly being in the wild, as the living area also overlooks an amphitheater where films are played and other human amenities.
The effort put into the enclosure’s expansion shows the nuanced nature of humans and their relationship with animals. Humans are kind while also having power over Ivan’s existence. The humans know that the zoo cannot compare to Ivan’s natural habitat, but they try to make Ivan feel at home by outfitting his enclosure with things he would have in the wild. The enclosure reflects his captivity while also representing the healthy relationship he has with the humans at the zoo versus the humans of his past. The enclosure represents how much Ivan’s life has changed—from both existing in the wild and under harsh conditions of captivity. It also represents his inner struggle to make peace with spending the rest of his life in captivity.
Canine Corner is one section of Ivan’s enclosure. It represents the relationships and shared past between Ivan, Bob, and Ruby. Canine Corner is at the corner where the gorilla and elephant enclosures meet; it is so named because it’s where Ivan and Ruby meet up to talk to Bob when the dog visits. Due to the setup of the zoo, this is the only place where the three friends can spend time together. This again illustrates both the restrictions and freedom of the zoo: The friends are able to visit one another, but they can only do so in this exact location. In addition, Ivan and Ruby can only see Bob when his humans bring him to the zoo, highlighting The Unfairness of Power Dynamics.
Canine Corner also symbolizes the evolving nature of relationships and how friendships change over time. At the arcade zoo years ago, Ivan and Bob played a parental role for Ruby, who is much younger. In contrast, at Canine Corner, Ruby often offers deep insight and experiential knowledge. The baby elephant who follows Ruby around is to Ruby now as Ruby once was to Ivan and Bob. This illustrates how the cycle of life and growth continuously repeats itself.
The Demon Dolls
When the humans determine that Kinyani is pregnant, they leave the dolls in the gorilla enclosure one at a time to get Ivan and Kinyani used to the idea of expanding their troop family. While this tactic makes perfect sense to the humans, Ivan and Kinyani are left baffled. Ivan and Kinyani understand what is required of them as parents once their twins are born. The dolls are simply a distraction that means little to them and that they brush off as more strangeness from their human caretakers. By contrast, human children often play with baby dolls, suggesting that human children learn through making believe. The humans assume that such behavior is typical of other creatures. Ivan and Kinyani’s reaction to the dolls shows that they don’t think the same way as humans. In this way, the novel suggests that, even though all creatures are more alike than not, there are still fundamental differences between species.
The two gorillas also view the dolls differently from one another. This illustrates how animals, like humans, have unique and individual natures. Though Ivan is confused by the dolls, he is also drawn to them. He is sure that the humans left them for a reason, and he cares for them because he feels that it is important to do so, foreshadowing his caring and attentive nature as a father. By contrast, Kinyani finds the demon dolls disturbing. Her initial reaction is to tell Ivan to dispose of them, and when he doesn’t, she throws them in with her excrement, showing that she has no use for the dolls. This foreshadows Kinyani’s early confusion about how to care for her newborn twins. It also illustrates that instincts are not always a natural or seamless process.
The Documentary
The documentary represents The Unfairness of Power Dynamics. From the moment when Ivan learns that a documentary is being made, he assumes that it will be about the twins because they are cute and new additions to the gorilla exhibit. Ivan thinks little about the documentary for most of the book because he believes that there is nothing new it can tell him about the children he spends his days caring for. When the film is finally shown, Ivan is shocked to learn that it is more about him. Suddenly, the decision about whether to share his past is ripped away by humans. The humans show the documentary to other humans as a way to educate them about animals in the wild, not giving any consideration to how the film might affect Ivan and his family. The humans of the zoo may be kind, but this does not mean that they view their charges as equals.
Ivan’s reaction to the documentary highlights his trauma. When he realizes that his secrets have been put on display for his children and the rest of his troop to see, Ivan’s pain drags him back to the traumatic events shown in the film. Rather than feeling like a leader or a parent in this moment, he is simply a creature who has been treated poorly and is being unwillingly reminded of that treatment. Ivan loses track of his other responsibilities, which leads to the tense situation between the younger gorilla and the human child that puts Raji’s life in danger.
Fear for his daughter and the drive to protect her allow Ivan to navigate and put aside his personal grief, and seeing the younger male gorilla in distress makes Ivan realize what he could become if he doesn’t deal with his pain. The documentary begins as a painful experience but becomes a moment of growth that lets Ivan become the father and leader he needs to be to protect his troop and children. The documentary suggests that suppressing painful memories is problematic and that growth is possible when working through one’s past.
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