Essay Questions

Why does Mr. Hopper say that penguins are the most intelligent species of birds?

Mr. Popper is reading the adventure book about the beauty of the Antarctic. The Antarctic is a beautiful scenery full of intelligent penguins. According to Popper, Penguins know how to conduct risk analysis before they catch the shrimps. For instance, when Penguins want to clasp a shrimp, they must first assess if the leopard is nearby. One of the biggest enemies of the penguins is the leopard because it eats them. Therefore, before the penguins go after the shrimp, the first push one penguin towards the shrimp, and if they realize that it comes back alive, then it is secure for all of them to go after the shrimps. However, if the pushed penguin fails to come, they assume the leopard has eaten it, and they all move away to a safer hunting ground. The author uses penguins to alert the reader that it is vital to conduct risk analysis before doing anything.

What is the symbolic meaning of the penguins' family?

The penguins' family figuratively represents the purpose of procreation and the need to conduct a risk assessment before doing anything. Mr. Popper realizes that the penguins continue to increase at a specific rate throughout the period and compares them to human existence. It is through procreation that people continue to exist. Mr. Popper looks at his own life and realizes that the purpose of his is living is perhaps his children, who will ensure that there are future generations. Similarly, the penguins conduct a risk assessment before catching the shrimps to ensure their safety. Consequently, penguins represent the significance of being cautious before doing anything.

Is Mr. Popper’s arrest dramatically satirical?

Mr. Popper is taken behind bars for an honest crime. When Mr. Popper inadvertently gets into the theater alongside his penguin crowd, he is sent behind bars and charged with the crime of the adulteration of the theater event. People who assume that the association of human beings and penguins is evil are pretenders because they fail to understand that we are all one, animal family. Therefore, Mr. Popper's arrest is dramatically satirical because he just committed an honest crime.