22 pages • 44 minutes read
Carl StephensonLeiningen Versus the Ants
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1938A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
Leiningen
Leiningen is the owner of a plantation on which he employs 400 indigenous people. He has been a planter for three years. Leiningen is an aging man with “bristling grey hair, [a] bulky nose, and lucid eyes” (Paragraph 1). He resembles “an aging and shabby eagle” (Paragraph 1). He is stubborn and overly reliant on his intellect, believing that it can assist him in solving all problems, particularly those presented by nature. He has already protected his plantation against drought, plague, and other problems. He values his own knowledge over that of the District Commissioner, who has lived in Brazil for a lifetime, or that of any of the indigenous workers. He has a commanding presence, which leads his workers to trust his wisdom beyond all else. Although he is “shabby,” an indicator of his rough existence as a planter in the jungle, he is also likened to an “eagle,” an animal associated with wisdom and foresight.
Leiningen is exemplary of the 19th-century colonizer. He is devoted to science and rationalism, and he envisions himself at the pinnacle of a hierarchy in which women and non-whites occupy lower rungs. He refuses to believe that there is any creature or force of nature that is beyond his understanding. He differs from traditionally masculine exemplars only in his valorization of the mind over brawn or weaponry. However, he maintains the traditionally masculine view that he is, and should be, dominant over his environment. By the end of the story, although he has triumphed over the ants, he realizes that science and rationalism do not guarantee easy wins in every battle against harmful natural forces.
The Ants
The ants are the antagonists in the story, presenting threats both to Leiningen’s plantation crops and to his and his workers’ lives. The ants are “reddish black” and “long-legged” (Paragraph 26). Their eyes are “brilliant” and “cold,” and they have “razor-edged mandibles” (Paragraph 26). They are tenacious, brave, and clever at maneuvering and strategizing. They operate as an exceptionally well-organized army. The ants’ ability to work effectively in concert, and their co-dependency, contrast with Leiningen’s stubborn individualism.
The District Commissioner
Although the narrative provides little description of the Brazilian District Commissioner, his character description is more detailed than that of anyone, except for Leiningen. The official is a foil for Leiningen, distinctive for his “lean and lanky arms” (Paragraph 3). He hysterically tries to convince Leiningen to leave his plantation to escape an oncoming army of flesh-eating ants. Unsuccessful, he sails off downriver, still warning the elder planter that he doesn’t know what he’s up against. The brief description of the District Commissioner’s arms indicates a boyishness that contrasts with the image of Leiningen as a wise elder. The fleeing District Commissioner also seems like a coward beside Leiningen who, in contrast, is firm in his resolve to confront the ants.
The Indian Medicine Man
The old medicine man produces concoctions that he believes are effective in protecting humans from the ants. First, he creates an anti-venom brew that both a worker and Leiningen drink to reduce the effects of the ants’ venom. Next, he makes a salve that he insists has a scent that repulses the ants. During his confrontation with the ants, Leiningen finds that the anti-venom doesn’t diminish the impact of the ants’ bites, and that the salve doesn’t manage to keep the ants off him.
Stephenson uses this character to undermine the traditional wisdom of shamans, suggesting that their potions and concoctions are ineffective due to the indigenous people’s lack of scientific knowledge. The medicine man’s attempts to fend off the ants with these traditional methods are ineffectual, whereas Leiningen’s applications of science prove to be most effective in deterring the ants.
