Belly Up Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Belly Up Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

Teddy as a symbol of animals’ activism

Despite Teddy being a young boy, he is interested in animals' safety. With his friends, Teddy is determined to understand why animals such as Henry at the zoo are dying mysteriously. Luckily, Teddy and his friends discover that the animals do not die from natural illness because the poachers murder them. To end the animal brutality, Teddy and his friend trace the poachers and report them to law enforcement agencies to ensure the animals are safe.

Henry the Hippo as a symbol of tourism

Henry the hippo is an emblem of attraction and tourist activities at the zoo. Many people coming to the amusement park are drawn to Henry's beauty and its tactics involving poop-shooting. Therefore, Henry is a symbol of beauty and attraction that appeals to visitors to ensure they return.

Marge O’Malley as a symbol of bullying

Teddy reveals that O'Malley is the only grown-up person who bullies him at the park. Teddy accepts that despite exhibiting unkind behavior, O'Malley takes advantage of the situation to browbeat him. Consequently, O'Malley represents the group of adults who respond to children's behavior aggressively.

Animal brutality

The brutality of human behavior towards animals is symbolized by the human's action in killing the hippo. The death of the hippo is a reflection of aggressive human activity towards innocent animals. The symbol is used to remind readers that the purpose of man is to protect animals and the environment. On the contrary, people have prioritized profits and forgotten that without animals the world would be unbalanced. Therefore, wild animals need to be preserved not only for tourist attractions but also for the good of the ecosystem.

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