The Jungle Book Theme of Courage

We often associate animals with courage and bravery, like the three animals fearlessly searching for a way home, or the noble pig fighting for his farm. So it's unsurprising that the animal heroes in The Jungle Book are overflowing with courage, too. That and, of course, courage and hero-status pretty much always go together. It's kind of their thing.

Questions About Courage

  1. Is Mowgli naturally courageous, or does his courage grow as he does? Explain.
  2. Which other characters in the Mowgli stories show their bravery, and which are cowards? Are any characters a mix of the two?
  3. Why is Kotick brave when all the other seals are content following the pack?
  4. In "Her Majesty's Servants," which of the animals are courageous? Which are cowardly? Which are both? Are any of the animals afraid of the same thing?