Family, Friendship, and Identity Theme Analysis

Ivan has lived his life alone in a shopping mall, and he hasn’t seen another gorilla in the 27 years since he arrived there. Having spent so many years living with humans and other animals rather than gorillas, and being billed as a frightening roadside attraction for tourists, Ivan isn’t sure of who or what he is—it’s not always entirely clear to him whether he’s supposed to be a person or a gorilla, or whether he’s supposed to be peaceful or frightening. However, Ivan finds a purpose and begins to feel more like a gorilla when the baby elephant Ruby arrives, and Ivan throws himself into getting her transferred to a zoo. Through Ivan’s chosen family of various animals and humans at the mall, and later, as he integrates into a gorilla family at the zoo, the novel positions family as something that shows people (and animals) who and what they are.

Throughout the novel, Ivan explains that he’s supposed to be a silverback gorilla—but living in captivity has made him unable to embody silverback traits. Silverbacks, Ivan explains, are the mature male gorillas within wild gorilla families, identifiable by the silver patch of fur over their backs. A silverback’s job is to be a teacher and a protector of his family, helping to raise any babies and defending his family members from any threats. Ivan also notes that gorillas in general are calm and peaceful creatures—but anger, he explains, is a tool that silverbacks use only in special circumstances to defend their families. And while Ivan notes that he’s calm and peaceful, he also doesn’t have anyone to defend or teach. So, although Ivan may look the part of a silverback with his silver patch of fur, he feels as though he isn’t able to embody what it actually means to be a silverback. Further, Ivan also recognizes that Mack, the mall’s owner, is trying to make Ivan seem like he’s not peaceful. The billboard advertising Ivan as a tourist attraction features a painting of Ivan, and in that image, Ivan looks frightening and violent—a far cry from who Ivan really is. Ivan also notes that when people stop by his domain to look at him, many beat their chests in an imitation of what they think gorillas are actually like (powerful and dangerous). Few humans see Ivan for who he actually is—and Ivan also believes that because he has no one to protect, he’s not even who he’s supposed to be.

However, accepting his responsibility as a parental figure to Ruby changes everything. Ivan is distraught when Mack purchases the baby elephant Ruby and when, not long after, Stella (another elephant at the mall) dies of neglect. Stella’s death leaves Ruby all on her own—and on her deathbed, Stella asks Ivan to help Ruby lead a better life than she did. At first, Ivan doesn’t think he has any way to help Ruby. He doesn’t see himself as a real silverback; therefore, he believes that he’s powerless to do anything to help Ruby and keep his promise to Stella. But a change comes over Ivan when he sees Mack threaten Ruby with a claw-stick and he realizes that if he does nothing to try to help her, Ruby is going to become like Ivan one day. This motivates Ivan to paint a mural intended to convince people to move Ruby to a zoo—and he’s ultimately successful. With this, the novel suggests that Ivan is able to step into the role of a silverback once he realizes that he has someone to protect.

Finally, the novel suggests that it’s not always necessary to feel totally comfortable with one’s identity—forming one’s identity, it suggests, is a process that’s never fully over. This becomes clear to Ivan when he’s finally transferred to the zoo and meets other gorillas for the first time. Maya, a gorilla handler at the zoo, attempts to integrate Ivan into a gorilla family that doesn’t have a silverback—a situation that, on the surface, seems like it will give Ivan every opportunity to become the silverback he wants to be. However, Ivan realizes quickly that being a gorilla, and particularly a silverback, isn’t as easy as looking the part—his behavior needs to match his outward appearance. At first, Ivan struggles with this. He finds the other gorillas intimidating and struggles to present himself as a powerful leader, let alone an actual gorilla. But soon, he realizes that he doesn’t have to actually feel like a powerful silverback in order to make the other gorillas treat him like one—he may feel like an imposter on the inside, but outwardly, he can embody the qualities of a silverback. With this, once again, the novel shows that family—in this case, Ivan’s new gorilla family—can be a major driving force in helping beings become who they want to be. It doesn’t necessarily matter what a family looks like; families of all shapes and sizes are important support systems as people (and animals) form their identities and become who they truly are.