People look upon strangers and unknown beasts differently as they regard their own townspeople and domestic pets. Foreigners are the centers of attention and suspicion. The Giraffe by Mauro Senesi showcases the perception of a giraffe by people with different ages after its proprietor mysteriously died. In the story, Rolandino, a stubby boy, is willing to take care of the enormous beast because he is also criticized for his shortness and corpulence. The giraffe is unique in the little Italian town. For this reason, lots of people fear it. Nobody knows something about the giraffe which is devoid of its safe keeper. However, over the course of the story, since the gigantic creature involuntarily eats things someone else wants to preserve, the human race becomes intolerant regarding to the mysterious herbivore animal. Mauro Senesi uses The Giraffe to argue against discrimination caused by egocentrism within our society because of anatomical and behavioural divergences, and this is shown through different reactions of secondary characters and the progression of nature within of society.
First of all, in The Giraffe, people want to harm the tall animal because it creates an uncomfortable atmosphere, which can be seen through the reactions of many characters. As a result, everyone, except the boys, misunderstands the habits of the giraffe, and wants to kill it at the end. One clear example of a negative reaction to the presence of the giraffe can be shown through the police officer’s reaction to the presence of the giraffe: “[…] the policeman who came and said, ‘if you don’t take it away, I’ll kill it with my revolver’ (Senesi 3).” The officer of the law looks upon the giraffe from Africa as if it is a criminal. Since the ...
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...ffe. People with an irregular body size or foreigners with disagreeable behaviours should not be considered as inferior beings. In the short story, most people are egocentric. The policeman has to calm the crowd, whereas the priest has to quiet down the churchgoers. As a result, they order the departure of the giraffe. Furthermore, people’s tolerance toward the ruminant mammal varied a lot with the story. Gradually, people begin to doubt about its presence as it swallows everything it wishes. In our society, people judge others from ones physical appearance and social behavior. Someone who satisfies neither the criteria, such as the giraffe, is intimidated by all. This form of social criticism can end up with a suicide.
Works Cited
Senesi, Mauro. The Giraffe. Print.
Trans. Array The Holy Bible.The New Classic Reference Edition. Wheaton: Crossway, 2011. 3. Print.
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