47 pages • 1 hour read
Hugh LoftingThe Story of Doctor Dolittle
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1920A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 6-10Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 6 Summary: “Polynesia and the King”
Doctor Dolittle and his companions travel through a thick forest and reach the King’s palace, made of mud. They meet the King, Queen Ermintrude, and their son, Prince Bumpo. The King, initially hostile, explains his mistrust of strangers due to an experience where he was kind to a visitor who later caused trouble.
Although Doctor Dolittle explains his mission to cure the sick monkeys, the king imprisons him and his animals in the dungeon. Polynesia, the clever parrot, devises a plan to escape. She sneaks into the palace, impersonating Dolittle and claiming to have the power to make the whole kingdom sick with a lift of a finger, fooling the king into releasing the prisoners. The plan succeeds, and the doctor and his animal companions escape. The king, realizing he has been tricked, is furious but finds he’s too late to stop them. Doctor Dolittle and his friends are free and continue their journey.
Chapter 7 Summary: “The Bridge of Apes”
Doctor Dolittle and his animals run through the forest toward the Land of the Monkeys to escape the king’s soldiers. Gub-Gub, the pig, struggles to keep up due to his short legs, but Chee-Chee, the monkey, and Polynesia, the parrot, lead them through the jungle efficiently. As they travel, they rest in the evenings, eating fruits and nuts. Chee-Chee and Polynesia reassure the Doctor that they will be safe once they reach the Land of the Monkeys. They continue their journey, avoiding the king’s men who are searching for them.
Eventually, they reach a steep cliff, and Doctor Dolittle wonders how they will cross the river below. The monkeys, who had been cheering and waving from the other side to greet the doctor, form a living bridge by holding hands and feet. Doctor Dolittle and his animals cross the monkey bridge safely, just as the king’s soldiers arrive at the cliff’s edge, unable to follow. Dolittle is the last to cross the bridge and he and the animals make it safely to the Land of the Monkeys. The monkeys tell the doctor he is the only foreign man to ever see the famous Bridge of the Apes.
Chapter 8 Summary: “The Leader of the Lions”
Doctor Dolittle finds himself extremely busy as he starts treating hundreds of sick monkeys suffering from various ailments. He separates the sick monkeys from the healthy ones and gets Chee-Chee and his cousin to build a small house of grass to serve as a hospital. The doctor spends days and nights vaccinating and treating the sick monkeys. Due to the sheer number of sick monkeys, there aren’t enough healthy ones to nurse the ill, so Doctor Dolittle sends messages to other animals, such as lions and leopards, asking them for help. The Leader of the Lions, a proud and formidable lion, refuses to help, offended by the idea of serving the monkeys, whom he considers beneath him.
Doctor Dolittle tries to convince the lion by calmly explaining that the monkeys are not dirty and that all animals need to help each other. Despite his initial resistance, the Leader of the Lions’ wife persuades him to assist, explaining that their cubs are sick, and they too may need the help of the doctor. The Leader of the Lions reluctantly agrees to help, and soon other animals join in. Together, they manage to take care of the sick monkeys. The doctor, completely exhausted from his tireless work, sleeps for three days straight.
Chapter 9 Summary: “The Monkeys’ Council”
The monkeys are upset upon learning that Doctor Dolittle must leave them and return to Puddleby because he owes debts there. The monkeys hold a council to discuss how they can convince him to stay. The Chief Chimpanzee, Grand Gorilla, and others debate what they can do to make his life more comfortable, such as building him a bigger house or offering him gifts.
Chee-Chee, explains to the monkeys the concept of money and why the doctor needs to return to Puddleby. The monkeys are puzzled by the idea of living in a place where money is required for everything, and they discuss various valuable gifts they could give Doctor Dolittle to show their appreciation. They consider giving him rare animals, as these would be of great interest to him. Eventually, they decide on a pushmi-pullyu, an animal no foreign man has ever seen.
Chapter 10 Summary: “The Rarest Animal of All”
The pushmi-pullyu, a rare and unique two-headed animal from the African jungles is shy, hard to catch, and previously unknown to foreigners. Despite its rarity, the monkeys set out to find one to offer to Doctor Dolittle in the hope that it will help him financially when he returns to Puddleby. The monkeys find a pushmi-pullyu and try to persuade it to accompany Doctor Dolittle. The animal is initially reluctant because it does not like being stared at, but eventually agrees after three days of persuasion. The monkeys bring the pushmi-pullyu to Doctor Dolittle, who is amazed by the creature. Chee-Chee explains that exhibiting the pushmi-pullyu could help pay off Doctor Dolittle’s debts and fund his return journey.
Although Doctor Dolittle is hesitant about making money this way, his animal companions, particularly Dab-Dab the duck, convince him that it’s necessary. The pushmi-pullyu agrees to go with Doctor Dolittle, trusting in his kindness to animals. Before leaving, Doctor Dolittle addresses the animals, expressing his gratitude and providing them with advice to ensure their well-being after his departure.
Chapters 6-10 Analysis
Doctor Dolittle’s Ethical Treatment of Animals contrasts sharply with the hostile environment of the king’s palace. Despite the King’s initial mistrust and subsequent imprisonment of Dolittle and his animals, Dolittle’s commitment to curing the sick monkeys remains unwavering, highlighting Lofting’s recurring theme, and emphasizing Dolittle’s defining dedication even in the face of adversity. The King’s portrayal as hostile and mistrustful due to past negative experiences with Europeans reflects the broader theme of The Impact of Human Activity on Nature, which Lofting extends to Indigenous cultures, symbolizing the destructive consequences of colonialism. The King imprisons Dolittle and his companions positioning him as a defensive and authoritative figure, however, the ease with which Polynesia deceives him exposes his gullibility, reinforcing the colonial trope of Indigenous rulers as easily manipulated. Polynesia’s resourcefulness, quick wit, and strategic thinking are pivotal to their escape, solidifying her character as intelligent and courageous.
Chapter 7 emphasizes Adventure and Exploration as Doctor Dolittle and his companions navigate through the forest and encounter treacherous terrain. The monkeys’ creation of the living bridge highlights the innovative and collaborative spirit of their community. Here, Chee-Chee, the monkey, emerges as a dependable and agile companion, using his knowledge of the terrain and leadership to aid Dolittle. The monkeys’ act of solidarity emphasizes the theme of ethical treatment and cooperation, highlighting the deep trust and camaraderie that has developed between Dolittle and the animals.
Similarly, in Chapter 8, Doctor Dolittle’s tireless efforts to treat the sick monkeys highlight his unwavering commitment to the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The creation of a makeshift hospital demonstrates his deep compassion and medical expertise. Dolittle’s appeal to other animals, including the initially resistant Leader of the Lions, underscores the ongoing challenges of interspecies cooperation as an analogy emphasizing the importance of unity and understanding between culturally disparate human populations. The Leader of the Lion’s initial reluctance to help the monkeys mirrors the hierarchical structures and prejudices in place under colonial rule. Yet, Dolittle’s success in persuading the lions to help them highlights the potential for positive change through empathy and collaboration.
In Chapter 9, the monkeys’ attempts to understand the concept of money and their discussions about valuable gifts reflect the impact of human economic infrastructure on natural communities. This chapter highlights the intersection of human and animal worlds, emphasizing how human constructs influence animal life. The Monkey Council’s debate on how to convince Dolittle to stay underscores cultural misunderstandings between two disparate groups. Their decision to offer a pushmi-pullyu illustrates a differing value system and the colonial imposition of Western principles. The plan to exhibit the pushmi-pullyu to pay off debts introduces tension between economic necessity and ethical considerations, addressing The Impact of Human Activity on Nature. Dolittle’s ultimate decision to exhibit the animal, guided by his companions’ advice, highlights moral ambiguities in colonial enterprises, with the pushmi-pullyu’s trust reflecting a perspective of paternalism as benevolent. The pushmi-pullyu’s initial reluctance and eventual agreement to accompany Dolittle illustrates the commodification of animals, underscoring elements of exploitation, problematic power dynamics, and the ‘white savior’ complex, as Dolittle’s interactions with native creatures and their “exotic” habitats reflect colonial attitudes of dominance and resource exploitation.
