# Nature and the Wild in Conan Stories

> Theme guide for Conan Stories by Robert E. Howard.

The untamed wilderness—jungles, seas, and mountains—is both a source of deadly peril and a realm of freedom, contrasting with the stifling, artificial constraints of cities and courts.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/i): The island's wild landscape—cliffs, thickets, and ruins—shapes their actions and poses both dangers and resources for survival.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/iii): The gray man-ape is a creature of the wild, and the struggle between Conan and the beast is portrayed as a conflict between two forces of nature.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/iii): The reedy marshes, misty waters, dark island, and dense forest create a wild, untamed environment that both aids and threatens Octavia.
- [Beyond the Black River](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/beyond-the-black-river): The dark, primeval forest and the supernatural elements of Zogar Sag's magic highlight the raw, hostile power of nature against human constructs.
- [I: Conan Loses His Ax](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/i-conan-loses-his-ax): The primeval forest is depicted as a hostile, untamed realm where every shadow hides danger.
- [III: The Crawlers in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/iii-the-crawlers-in-the-dark): The oppressive darkness of the river, the silent forest, and the unseen dangers highlight the wild and untamed environment.
- [V: The Children of Jhebbal Sag](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/v-the-children-of-jhebbal-sag): The chapter emphasizes the primal forest as a living, threatening entity, and Conan's harmony with it contrasts with Balthus's civilized discomfort.
- [VII: The Devil in the Fire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/vii-the-devil-in-the-fire): The dark forest setting and the demon's association with Jhebbal Sag, a god of beasts, emphasize the wild and untamed aspects of nature.
- [I: The Skull on the Crag](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/i-the-skull-on-the-crag): The dragon represents primordial nature; Conan feels kinship with it, while Valeria is horrified by its savagery.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/themes/nature_and_the_wild
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/conan_stories_se/themes