“To linken human beings to beasts is to stress the animal within the man” (Jordan qtd. in Greene 50).This statement gets to the heart of the discussion about the relationship between apes and human beings in Pierre Boulle’s French novel La Planète des Singes/Planet of the Apes , its first U.S.-American cinematic adaptation by director Franklin J. Schaffner and the homonymous U.S.-remake of 2001. Despite the texts’ vast variety of discourses, of which most have been discussed extensively in the academic field, it is the aim of the present paper to focus solely on the question of how the relationship between the ape and human species is presented in PotA (1963), PotA (1968) and PotA (2001) with regard to the construction and challenging of limitations. The aim is to demonstrate that, despite the persistence of interspecies boundaries, the texts clearly progress in bringing the species closer together.
In recent years, the rising awareness of human beings’ close kinship to other primates as well as the ongoing extinction of species2 have made it more relevant than ever before to study and, thus, preserve biodiversity of apes. The three texts mentioned above contribute to an understanding of the development of human-ape kinship over the past decades by illustrating “the human in the animal and the animal in the human” (Balaschak 20) in unique ways.
The paper’s approach is to, firstly, embed the texts in their historical and cultural environment by considering the impact of primatology and contemporary socio-political conflicts on the representation of the ape-human relationship. Then, attention is given tomeans of separating the species through the construction of intra- and interspecies hierarchies and the use of language to justify speciesism in the novel, its adaptation and the remake. This exploration is followed by an analysis of how these boundaries are challenged by taking a closer look at the respective interspecies relationships between the male human protagonist and the female chimpanzee lead. Ultimately, the paper closes with a summary of the results
and, additionally, gives a brief outlook into the possible future direction of the ape-human evolution and impulses for further research.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Embedding the Texts: Historical and Cultural Frame
2.1 The Rise of Primatology
2.2 Addressing Contemporary Issues by Juxtaposing Ape and Human
3. Means of Separation
3.1 Intra- and Interspecies Hierarchies
3.1.1 Planet of the Apes (1963)
3.1.2 Planet of the Apes (1968)
3.1.3 Planet of the Apes (2001)
3.2 The Use of Language to Justify Speciesism
3.2.1 Planet of the Apes (1963)
3.2.2 Planet of the Apes (1968)
3.2.3 Planet of the Apes (2001)
4. Blurring Boundaries: Interspecies Connections
4.1 Ulysse and Zira (1963)
4.2 Taylor and Zira (1968)
4.3 Leo and Ari (2001)
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the relationship between apes and humans is represented in Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel, the 1968 film adaptation, and the 2001 remake, with a specific focus on the construction and challenging of interspecies boundaries.
- Historical and cultural impacts on primatology and ape representation.
- The role of intra- and interspecies hierarchies in separating species.
- The use of language and "speciesism" as tools for marginalization.
- The analysis of interspecies relationships between human protagonists and female chimpanzees.
- Progressive developments towards interspecies kinship and peaceful coexistence.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Intra- and Interspecies Hierarchies
The creation of intra-ape hierarchies as well as interspecies ones between apes and humans are used as means of separating one species from another. Particularly the presence, resp. absence, of language is used to justify speciesist thought and action patterns.
3.1.1 Planet of the Apes (1963)
Intra-ape society is explained by chimpanzee scientist Zira as follows: “There are three distinct families, […] each of which has its own characteristics: chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. The racial barriers that used to exist have been abolished […]. Today, in principle, there is no difference […] between us” (127). Her description conveys the idea of a “pluralistic pan-ape society” (McHugh 54) without intraspecies hierarchies. However, the theoretical equality is restricted, because “each species confines itself to its own speciality” (150). The “Simius sapiens” (ibid. 129) thus is divided into “social classes” (Woods, Origins 17), in which nearly all apes exhibit species-specific characteristics and occupations.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the core focus on the human-ape relationship in the source materials and outlines the methodology of analyzing historical context, hierarchy construction, and interspecies interaction.
2. Embedding the Texts: Historical and Cultural Frame: Contextualizes the works within primatology and socio-political climates, highlighting how each iteration reflects the "zeitgeist" of its time.
3. Means of Separation: Investigates how intra- and interspecies hierarchies, combined with language usage and speciesist ideologies, are employed to enforce distance between humans and apes.
4. Blurring Boundaries: Interspecies Connections: Analyzes the romantic and platonic "odd couple" relationships as sites where traditional interspecies boundaries are questioned and potentially transgressed.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting that while the texts demonstrate a shift towards recognizing psychological similarities, they ultimately retain a pessimistic outlook on long-term ape-human coexistence.
Keywords
Planet of the Apes, primatology, speciesism, interspecies hierarchy, language, human-ape kinship, Pierre Boulle, evolutionary theory, social structures, cultural adaptation, anthropocentrism, science fiction, primate studies, identity construction, simian evolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The paper explores the evolving relationship between apes and humans across three versions of "Planet of the Apes," focusing on how hierarchies and species-based boundaries are constructed or challenged.
Which specific versions of the story are analyzed?
The study covers Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel, the 1968 film adaptation directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, and the 2001 remake directed by Tim Burton.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to demonstrate that despite the persistence of interspecies boundaries, the narratives progress over time in bringing the ape and human species closer together.
Which scientific methodology is primarily employed?
The author uses a cultural and literary analysis, embedding the texts within their specific historical and socio-political environments while examining narrative themes such as speciesism and hierarchy.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers historical frameworks (primatology), the mechanisms of species separation (hierarchies and language), and detailed analyses of specific interspecies relationships between human protagonists and female chimpanzees.
Which key concepts characterize the analysis?
Key concepts include "speciesism," the "missing link" in evolutionary theory, "human-ape kinship," and the construction of the "self" versus the "other."
How does the 2001 remake differ from the previous versions regarding language?
The 2001 remake effectively eliminates language as an interspecies barrier by having almost all characters speak English, shifting the focus from linguistic superiority to other forms of dominance.
What role does the "twist-ending" play in the 2001 film?
The film uses a twist-ending to suggest that political and social conflicts remain inevitable, ultimately casting doubt on the prospect of a harmonious ape-human future.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Christina Haupt (Autor:in), 2019, Touching Upon Boundaries. An Analysis of Interspecies Relationships in the Planet of the Apes Novel, its Cinematic Adaptations and Remake, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/511967
