"A Child's Wild Kingdom"

     It may come as a surprise to some how inundated American children’s culture is with animals.  Animals—rather, often, the cute, storybook versions of their wild counterparts—litter the literature, toys, pictures and clothing that young children are exposed to.  In his New York Times opinion piece entitled “A Child’s Wild Kingdom,” Jon Mooallem, a contributing author to the New York Times Magazine as well as to other publications, delves into the psychological aspects of this phenomenon.  In examining why children over other groups are particularly drawn to animals, as well as how children’s mannerisms may resemble those of animals, Mooallem effectively shows how adults can use animals to represent the types of people they hope their children will grow into.

     Before delving into these comparisons, however, Mooallem creates the backdrop of a child’s animal-centered world for the audience through careful usage of imagery, statistics, and other types of data.  In describing the pages of children’s storybooks where animals are given human characteristics and shown portraying human actions, Mooallem shows rather than tells the audience how animals are used in humanlike ways in American culture.  Additionally, by supporting almost all of his assertions with evidence from scientific experiments and other forms of research, Mooallem makes it clear to the reader that he is a credible source of information (ethos).

     Moving beyond the mere content of Mooallem’s piece, one can see the ways in which he skillfully and subtly draws attention to various points in order to further his main argument about the role of animals in children’s lives.  In describing this trend, Mooallem writes, “I’m not arguing that seeing a link between kids and animals is an exclusively modern phenomenon — that it’s some anxious, overcompensatory affectation of nature-deprived Americans, like those elaborate stone shower stalls, made to look like waterfalls and grottos, or the Paleo Diet…” By explaining vividly what he does not think the trend is, Mooallem subtly characterizes for the audience what he does think it is.  This strategy makes it very difficult for Mooallem’s points to be argued against, another asset that contributes to the sophistication of his writing.  He tends to present points in a suggestive, rather than definite, manner, consequently inviting self-doubt upon his claims and making it more difficult for the audience to feel strongly against his claims.

     This unique writing style helps Mooallem’s points to stick with the audience, anyone familiar with and/or interested in learning about psychological trends dealing with children and animals.  Perhaps the feelings and mannerisms of children are embodied within animals; only more conclusive and comprehensive research into the matter, as suggested by Mooallem, will tell.