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The Claw-Stick
The billboard, which has an image of Ivan on it, symbolizes Ivan himself. Sitting next to the freeway, the billboard encourages passing cars to “COME TO THE EXIT 8 BIG TOP MALL AND VIDEO ARCADE, HOME OF THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, MIGHTY SILVERBACK!” The text of the billboard makes it clear how lonely Ivan is—while describing him as “the one and only Ivan” seems to be intended to make Ivan seem like an unusual sight, it nevertheless is also true that, in Ivan’s experience, he’s “the one and only” gorilla in the world. Further, the billboard’s imagery also features a depiction of Ivan that Ivan insists is incorrect, as it portrays Ivan as angry and dangerous. So the text and the imagery on the billboard show how Mack sees Ivan, and how Mack wants others to see Ivan: as a lone silverback gorilla, one who’s dangerous and exciting to look at.
But for Ivan, accepting this vision of himself comes at a cost. In addition to being lonely without the company of other gorillas, Ivan also resents that the billboard depicts him as a dangerous, violent beast—a far cry from the peaceful and somewhat morose, if protective, being Ivan truly is. This disconnect contributes to Ivan’s sadness, as it makes him feel as though no one sees him for who he actually is: an artist and a silverback.
When Ivan creates the paintings of Ruby at the zoo, which he intends to be displayed on the billboard, it is a major turning point in Ivan’s identity. His decision to create such a large piece of artwork with the goal of getting humans to help get Ruby into a zoo shows that finally, Ivan has decided to reject the identity that the original billboard wanted him to embody. Having created this painting, Ivan situates himself as an artist and as a silverback gorilla, with someone—Ruby—to protect and advocate for.
The Billboard Quotes in The One and Only Ivan
The The One and Only Ivan quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Billboard. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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hello—the littlest big top on earth
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People call me the Freeway Gorilla. The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback.
The names are mine, but they’re not me. I am Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.
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People call me the Freeway Gorilla. The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback.
The names are mine, but they’re not me. I am Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.
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The freeway billboard has a drawing of Mack in his clown clothes and Stella on her hind legs and an angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.
That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake. I am never angry.
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The freeway billboard has a drawing of Mack in his clown clothes and Stella on her hind legs and an angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.
That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake. I am never angry.
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Anger is precious. A silverback uses anger to maintain order and warn his troop of danger. When my father beat his chest, it was to say, Beware, listen, I am in charge. I am angry to protect you, because that is what I was born to do.
Here in my domain, there is no one to protect.
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Anger is precious. A silverback uses anger to maintain order and warn his troop of danger. When my father beat his chest, it was to say, Beware, listen, I am in charge. I am angry to protect you, because that is what I was born to do.
Here in my domain, there is no one to protect.
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change—worry
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I’ve heard the Jambo story many times. Stella says that humans found it odd that the huge silverback didn’t kill the boy.
Why, I wonder, was that so surprising? The boy was young, scared, alone.
He was, after all, just another great ape.
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a new beginning—another ivan
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I stare at the One and Only Ivan, at the faded picture of Stella, and I remember George and Mack on their ladders, adding the picture of Ruby to bring new visitors to the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.
I remember the story Ruby told, the one where the villagers came to her rescue.
I hear Stella’s kind, wise voice: Humans can surprise you sometimes.
I look at my fingers, coated in red paint the color of blood, and I know how to keep my promise.
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days—finally
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I’m ready to show Julia what I’ve made.
It has to be Julia. She’s an artist. Surely she’ll look, truly look, at my painting. She won’t notice the smudges and tears. She won’t care if the pieces don’t quite fit together. She’ll see past all of that.
Surely Julia will see what I’ve imagined.
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I’m ready to show Julia what I’ve made.
It has to be Julia. She’s an artist. Surely she’ll look, truly look, at my painting. She won’t notice the smudges and tears. She won’t care if the pieces don’t quite fit together. She’ll see past all of that.
Surely Julia will see what I’ve imagined.
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the next morning—photo
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Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
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Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
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She starts to leave, then runs back to my cage. “I almost forgot. This is for you, Ivan.”
She slips a piece of paper into my cage. It’s a drawing of Ruby and me.
We’re eating yogurt raisins. Ruby is playing with another baby elephant, and I’m holding hands with a lovely gorilla.
She has red lips and a flower in her hair.
I look, as I always do in Julia’s pictures, like an elegant fellow, but something is different about this drawing.
In this picture, I am smiling.
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She starts to leave, then runs back to my cage. “I almost forgot. This is for you, Ivan.”
She slips a piece of paper into my cage. It’s a drawing of Ruby and me.
We’re eating yogurt raisins. Ruby is playing with another baby elephant, and I’m holding hands with a lovely gorilla.
She has red lips and a flower in her hair.
I look, as I always do in Julia’s pictures, like an elegant fellow, but something is different about this drawing.
In this picture, I am smiling.
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Get the entire The One and Only Ivan LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Billboard Symbol Timeline in The One and Only Ivan
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Billboard appears in The One and Only Ivan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
hello—the littlest big top on earth
...the parking lot. Beyond that is a freeway where cars drive constantly. There’s a giant billboard beside it, encouraging humans to stop and rest. Though the sign is faded, Ivan knows...
(full context)
That billboard along the freeway features a drawing of Mack dressed as a clown, Stella on her...
(full context)
gone—the beetle
...draws Ivan. In her pictures, Ivan looks elegant, never angry like he does on the billboard. But in Julia’s pictures, Ivan always looks a little sad.
(full context)
change—worry
...highway. They’re high up on ladders, adding a number of pieces of paper to the billboard telling cars to visit the One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback. When they’re done, Ivan...
(full context)
...He’s been watching people ooh and ahh at Ruby for days now. Gazing at the billboard, Ivan admits that the picture of Ruby is cute. He wonders if Mack could make...
(full context)
a new beginning—another ivan
another ivan. In the morning, Ivan studies the highway billboard. He looks at the depiction of the One and Only Ivan, with his angry expression....
(full context)
days—finally
...he doesn’t know what, exactly, is wrong. Ivan looks across the parking lot to the billboard again. He knows it uses words to tell people to come see him. Ivan knows...
(full context)
...spelling. Suddenly, Ivan leaps straight up. He knows exactly what he needs and studies the billboard across the street. He imagines Mack reading it to him: Come to the Exit 8...
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...annoyed, is even more upset when Ivan says that this has to do with the billboard. Bob insists that the billboard is “a monstrosity,” since he’s not on it, but Ivan...
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...and then the paintings. Then she smiles. She tells George she has an idea that’s “billboard big.” This painting, she says, is intended to be on a billboard; she knows because...
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the next morning—photo
...next morning. Ivan watches as Mack stops his car, gets out, and stares at the billboard for a long time.
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...to smile and says photos won’t be a problem—and Ivan will keep adding to the billboard. An hour later, a man from the paper comes to take Ivan’s picture. Mack suggests...
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a star again. Mack tapes the newspaper story about Ivan’s billboard onto Ivan’s window. More and more people come to visit and buy Ivan’s paintings. He...
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...is on The Early News at Five O’Clock. Ivan watches himself, Ruby, Julia, and the billboard on the TV. Then he sees the claw-stick on the screen.
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leaving—mighty silverback
...a handful and looks at the wall—which seems to wait for him like a blank billboard.
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