Reading Response to Faithful Elephants

"Faithful Elephants" by Yukio Tsuchyia, is a story that is full of symbols. It takes place in Japan during World War Two. Tokyo is under attack and the animals at the Ueno Zoo could end up escaping if bombs keep 

dropping, so the zoo employees are forced to kill all of the dangerous animals that are in captivity. 

The three elephants at the zoo are perhaps the most dangerous of all the animals, so they had to die. 

Other methods to kill them didn't work, so they had to starve them to death. 

Yukio Tsuchyia personified the elephants so it was even more heartbreaking when they died. The employees loved the elephants as if they were their own pets, so it was hard for them to have to put them down. The employees at the zoo referred to the elephants as "sweet and gentle-hearted" and "their beloved elephants." This shows how close the zoo keepers were to the elephants and how much they cared for them. As soon as the elephants died, the bombs began dropping on Tokyo again which symbolizes the importance of the elephants and the loss that the keepers were going through.

The cherry blossoms in the beginning of the story symbolize peace. Years after the war, Tokyo is no 

longer being bombed but the elephants who sacrificed their lives for the people are still remembered 

by a memorial in front of the zoo.  Now there is peace at the Ueno zoo and cherry blossom petals falling on the elephants grave, but the zoo keepers will never forget the sacrifice the elephants made

The elephants are very important to the keepers and it breaks their hearts when they see 

them dying. "Faithful Elephants" is about making sacrifices for the greater good and how hard it is to let go of the things you love most.