Quote:
Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl
Maybe it’s the difference between male and female perspectives. I had the same reaction as Catlady to the ending. I was like really?!?!? I read through all that stuff in the jungle for that to be the ending?! The word milksop didn’t pop into my mind, but it’s basically how I felt.  |
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw
I am not sure if it's a male/female perspective or just a difference in expectation. If you come at this as a romance (in the modern sense) then the ending is obviously lacking*. But if you come at it as an adventure/thriller (a romance in the older sense) then the ending makes more sense**.
* The meme (the protagonists being too noble/proud/selfless to think of asking each other what they actually want as opposed to what they think is right) is common enough in romance (modern sense again), but usually as an inciting incident in the story (start or middle). To see it used as a reason for protagonists not getting together at the end is that much more of a discord if a modern romantic conclusion is expected.
** But the other way of looking at it is the heroic romance (older sense), where the hero selflessly sacrifices himself for what he perceives is the greater good. This works for an adventure you want left open to continue.
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I tend to agree with gmw that it's expectation rather than gender. I expected Jane to be more important in the story--I kept waiting for her to appear because popular culture has linked Tarzan and Jane. Which doesn't necessarily mean linked as passionate romantic couple, but still a pair (Superman and Lois? Batman and Robin? Butch and Sundance?).
Once she did appear, it was extremely annoying to have her disappear again--I thought that was the weakest and most boring part of the book. It just dragged, with all the details about the traveling and digging up the treasure and language lessons and especially the gratuitous killing of the lion.* Who cares about all that? What I wanted to know was how he reacted to seeing other white women, how he adapted to civilization, and how his perception of Jane might have changed.**
I could have bought into the "selfless hero" trope if there'd been more groundwork laid for it, and/or more angst. Tarzan has been completely single-minded throughout when he has a goal, and Jane is his goal. Then he just abandons his quest. A hero can't just abandon his quest!
*Regarding lions--what's with Sabor? Tarrzan killed her and skinned her, and then later here comes Sabor again (I think he killed her again, but I'm not sure now). I was listening to the audiobook and thought I must have misheard, or maybe it was supposed to be the apes' name for "lion," but I checked the text and it was capitalized as a name. So why the reappearance?
**Since no one's gone there yet, I will admit that I spent some time wondering about Tarzan's sex life, especially before Jane. Obviously ERB wasn't going to go there, but wouldn't adult readers, at least have wondered? Or do I need to get my mind out of the gutter?