Memory and Storytelling Theme Analysis

Ivan insists for much of the novel that he doesn’t remember his past. He is “the opposite of an elephant” in that he remembers nothing, while his elephant friend Stella remembers everything. Though Stella suggests at various points that remembering is a useful tool, Ivan doesn’t believe her until the baby elephant Ruby arrives at the Big Top Mall, and Stella dies not long after. Having made a promise to Stella to help Ruby live a safer and happier life than she’d be able to at the mall, Ivan finds that having this goal to work toward makes both remembering and sharing his story with Ruby seem easier. And after seeing the similarities between his and Ruby’s pasts—and realizing that Ruby could end up living a life much like Ivan’s—remembering suddenly seems necessary. With this, The One and Only Ivan suggests that the act of repressing memories may be a useful measure to protect oneself from a traumatic past. But the novel also shows that it’s only by confronting that trauma and sharing one’s story with others that a person (or an animal) can heal and move forward.

The One and Only Ivan shows how repressing memories can sometimes be a helpful coping tool. Ivan reveals later in the novel that he’s experienced some traumatic experiences throughout his life—but rather than dwell on them, he instead does everything he can to forget them. Forgetting these past traumatic events allows Ivan to go through his days as happily as is possible given his circumstances. Put another way, forgetting the past allows Ivan to be “the One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback” as advertised on the Big Top Mall’s billboard—all he has to think about is being a compelling attraction. However, the novel provides clues early on that while Ivan may be repressing his memories as a protective measure, this perhaps isn’t the best way to go about life. Stella, for instance, insists to Ivan that memories tell beings who they are and what they’re supposed to be. So according to Stella, by not remembering his past, Ivan isn’t able to connect with who he’s supposed to be—even if his unwillingness to remember protects him emotionally.

The novel also suggests the specific language a person uses to talk about themselves and their experiences can reveal how they feel about their lives. In the beginning of the novel, Ivan is able to take some pride in how he lives by calling his cage his “domain.” Ivan’s word choice illustrates just how important language is in shaping a person’s reality: the word “domain” suggests that Ivan is in charge of his life and what happens to him, at least within the confines of his domain. Similarly, when Stella talks about her life in the circus, she refers to the heavy chains that the trainers put around her feet—which left obvious scars on her legs—as her “bracelets.” The choice for these characters to describe instances of abuse and neglect in a more positive light shows how one’s language can create a sense of control over one’s life. So it’s significant when, after Stella’s death, Ivan decides to tell Ruby that Ruby doesn’t live in a domain—she lives in a cage. This shows that Ivan has begun to fundamentally rethink his relationship to his captivity, and to Ruby’s. Living in domains made it seem like life wasn’t so bad—but when faced with the prospect that Ruby might spend her entire life at the Big Top Mall and die of neglect like Stella, Ivan suddenly realizes how important it is to speak truthfully about their situation—Ivan and Ruby can only hope to change their circumstances if they first accept that they’re being neglected.

Speaking truthfully and telling one’s story, the novel shows, is one of the most effective ways to both connect with others and create change. It’s only once Ivan confronts the likely possibility that Ruby will grow up to be like him (that is, living an unfulfilled life of neglect at the mall) that he understands how important it is to be honest about their situations. He sees important similarities between the story of his early life and Ruby’s: both were born in the wild and lived idyllic lives with their families, and both of them were captured after their adult family members were killed. By telling Ruby the truth about his own past, Ivan shows her what might happen to her if nothing changes. But Ivan also tells Ruby another story that he “hopes is true”: a story about a smart young elephant who, with the help of a friend, makes it to a zoo, where she can live happily and healthily. And through the massive painting that Ivan makes of Ruby at the zoo—a picture that imagines a reality that doesn’t yet exist—Ivan is ultimately able to create a new reality. As a result of the media attention that the mall receives after Ivan’s painting makes it onto the local news, enough people protest to get Ruby and Ivan moved to a zoo that ultimately, this happens. And once at the zoo, Ivan is able to connect with his new gorilla family in part by sharing his whole story with them. It’s significant when, after Ivan finishes telling his new family his story, his love interest Kinyani moves to sit closer to him—an indicator that by being truthful, Ivan is allowing himself to form deeper relationships. Through this, the novel holds up telling hopeful stories and being truthful about one’s memories as some of the most effective ways to create a better future for oneself. Lying and forgetting one’s past can make the present more palatable—but honesty can bring about positive change and bring people (and animals) closer together.