An Analysis Of Leiningen Versus The Ants

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Leiningen Versus the Ants tells the tale of a wiry old planter, Leiningen, and his fight to protect his plantation and workers against an army of millions of deadly Brazilian ants. The protagonist, a man of strong constitution and a brilliantly sharp mind, demonstrates remarkable tenacity when placed up against his foe. Throughout the story, he shows traits that enable his resolution of the conflict, including stubbornness, intelligence, courage, and physical strength. Leiningen’s stubbornness is shown almost as soon as his character is introduced. When an unnamed Brazilian official comes to warn him of the danger ahead, he calmly announces that “...even a herd of saurians couldn’t drive me from this plantation of mine.” This attitude proves …show more content…

“...I use my intelligence, old man. With me, the brain isn’t a second blind gut.” The reader is informed that he “...had met and defeated drought, flood, plague and all other ‘acts of God’ which had come against him,” while his neighbors “made little or no resistance.” It would seem that Leiningen had proved himself capable of facing mother nature on numerous occasions, living by his motto “The human brain needs only to become fully aware of its powers to conquer even the elements.” Thus, “...he was sure he would prove more than a match for the ‘irresistible’ ants.” Leiningen’s wits are again demonstrated in the complete and entire trust that his workers place on him. As stated in the story, many of them were natives who knew the danger that the ants foretold. But, “...so great was the Indians’ trust in Leiningen, in Leiningen’s word, and in Leiningen’s wisdom, that they received his curt tidings… with the calmness with which they were given… The ants were indeed mighty, but not as mighty as the boss. Let them come!” And as if that were not enough, Leiningen’s brainpower is put to practice as soon as the enemy arrives. We see that he has set up not one, but two lines of defense. Both his ditch of water and his “wall of petrol” prove to be damaging to the army of ants, although they overcome both blockades by sheer number. Even though his plans appear to have failed, they are an …show more content…

Staring quite literally in the face of death, Leiningen remained calm and never once lost sight of his goal. In fact, the story informs the reader that he “...ate his supper with considerable appetite and went to bed. His slumbers were in no ways disturbed by the memory of the waiting, live, twenty square miles.” Indeed, near the beginning of the fight he even shows enjoyment at the excitement of it, feeling remorse at the thought that it would soon be over. “He had got quite a thrill out of the fight ─a pity it was already over.” Even though the ‘thrill’ lasted considerably longer than he would have liked it to, this admirable courage never wavered. Unluckily for him, the situation around him deteriorated rapidly. In fact, Leiningen’s grim prospects are compared to that of the unfortunate Macbeth’s. But, “Unlike the fey Scot, however, he did not lose his nerve; no witches had prophesied his doom, and if they had he would have slept just as soundly.” Even the idea of plunging directly into the swarm of ants seemed not to waver him in the slightest; instead he calmly told his men what to do and ran directly into the jaws of the

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