The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle · Theme
Freedom vs. Confinement
How The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle develops Freedom vs. Confinement.
Characters often struggle against restrictions, such as the Doctor's discomfort with royal ceremony, the fidgit's captivity in an aquarium, and the stowaways' desire to escape their pasts, underscoring a longing for autonomy and open horizons.
Where it surfaces
- The Private Zoo
The Doctor's zoo allows animals to lock themselves in from the inside, emphasizing voluntary stay over forced captivity, and he passionately argues against caging lions and tigers.
- Three Cheers
Luke's acquittal represents freedom from the threat of execution, and his reunion with his wife underscores personal liberation.
- Polynesia Has a Plan
Ben Butcher is confined to the dining-saloon to prevent him from taking over the ship.
- We Depart in a Hurry
The characters flee the confinement of the hostile crowd and the bullring to regain their freedom at sea.
- IX: The Election
The Doctor fears that becoming king will trap him, lamenting that 'who is there unfreer than a king?' and longing for his former freedom to study nature.
- Thoughts of Home
The Doctor feels confined by his royal responsibilities, longing for the freedom to continue his voyages and return to Puddleby.
- The Last Cabinet Meeting
The Doctor is trapped by his kingly duties; Polynesia and the others plot a secret escape, highlighting the tension between responsibility and the desire for freedom.
- VII: The Doctor's Decision
The Doctor feels trapped by his kingship; Polynesia and Long Arrow urge him to escape before he becomes a 'captive king' forever.