The Ivory Child Informative Summary

Overview:

This thrilling adventure takes Allan Quatermain to England, where he meets Lord Ragnall and his fiancé, the beautiful and enigmatic Miss Holmes. During a pheasant shoot, Allan impresses Lord Ragnall with his incredible shooting skills, leading to an invitation to join a grand hunting party. However, an unexpected encounter with two mysterious Eastern men, Harût and Marût, throws Allan’s life into disarray. Their cryptic pronouncements regarding Allan’s destiny and his connection to a woman named Mameena leave him unsettled.

Harût and Marût claim to be sorcerers and make an unsettling prediction about Allan’s future in Africa. They also draw Allan and Miss Holmes into a mystical experience using a strange tobacco smoke. Miss Holmes sees a vision of the Ivory Child, a powerful symbol worshipped by the White Kendah people. This encounter sets in motion a chain of events that will change Allan’s life forever.

Key Findings:

• A mysterious cult, the White Kendah, worships a child-fetish known as the Ivory Child.
• The White Kendah are at war with the Black Kendah, who worship Jana, an elephant god.
• Jana is a rogue elephant, possibly representing a symbol of evil.
• Miss Holmes is connected to the Ivory Child and might be destined to be its Oracle.

Learning:

• The importance of observation: Allan’s keen eye for detail and his ability to interpret events play a crucial role in understanding the complex plot.
• The nature of African magic: The text explores the complex belief systems of various African tribes, challenging traditional notions of magic and spirituality.
• The power of intuition: Allan’s intuition guides him throughout the story, leading him to make crucial decisions and escape perilous situations.

Historical context:

The story is set in the late 19th century, a time of exploration and colonization in Africa. The text reflects the excitement of discovering new lands and the clash of cultures between Europeans and African tribes.

Facts:

• Allan Quatermain is an experienced hunter and adventurer from Africa.
• Lord Ragnall is a wealthy and accomplished Englishman.
• Miss Holmes is the beautiful fiancée of Lord Ragnall.
• Harût and Marût are mysterious Eastern men claiming to be sorcerers.
• The White Kendah are a tribe who worship the Ivory Child.
• The Black Kendah are a tribe who worship Jana, an elephant god.
• The Ivory Child is a statue carved from an elephant tusk.
• The White Kendah are believed to possess magical powers.
• The Elephant God Jana is a rogue elephant.
• The Black Kendah are a fierce and numerous tribe.
• Miss Holmes has a birthmark shaped like a crescent moon.
• The White Kendah believe that Miss Holmes is destined to be the Oracle of the Ivory Child.
• The White Kendah are expert camel breeders.
• The White Kendah are skilled in the use of magic.
• The Elephant God Jana is believed to be a manifestation of evil.
• The White Kendah live in a secret land surrounded by a desolate desert.
• The Black Kendah worship Jana through human sacrifice.
• The White Kendah worship the Ivory Child through prayer and offerings.
• The Elephant God Jana is a symbol of the evil in the world.
• The Ivory Child is a symbol of the good in the world.

Statistics:

• Allan Quatermain wins £250 from Sir Junius Fortescue in a pheasant shooting match.
• Lord Ragnall’s inheritance includes vast estates, coal mines, and a whole town in England.
• The capital of the Bona Fide Gold Mine, Limited is £10,000.
• Jacob, the Jew trader, and his friends receive half of the company’s capital as payment for their rights.
• Allan Quatermain invests £1,000 in the Bona Fide Gold Mine, Limited.
• The company’s shares rise to 10s. premium after initial success.
• Lord Ragnall offers a thousand pounds for information regarding his wife’s disappearance.
• Lord Ragnall buys shares and debentures in the Bona Fide Gold Mine, Limited worth a substantial sum of money.
• The cost of pheasant shooting in England is £10.5.0.
• The total value of the ivory stolen from the Elephant God Jana’s cemetery is thousands of pounds.
• The Black Kendah army numbers twenty thousand men.
• The White Kendah army numbers two thousand men.
• Ragnall brings fifty Snider rifles and a great quantity of ammunition to Africa.
• The total number of troops fighting on the side of the Black Kendah is twenty-five thousand.
• The total number of troops fighting on the side of the White Kendah is two thousand seven hundred.
• The White Kendah have a hundred camels.
• The total number of casualties during the battle between the White Kendah and Black Kendah is five thousand five hundred and three.

Terms:

• Indaba: A meeting or council, especially in a Zulu tribe.
• Khamsin: A hot, dry desert wind blowing from the south.
• Dahabeeyah: A traditional Egyptian sailing vessel.
• Vernuker: A cunning and deceptive person.
• Sluit: An open ditch or drain.
• Spoor: The track or trail left by an animal, especially a big game animal.
• Trunk: Jail.
• Tagati: Bewitched.
• Voor-kisse: The driver’s seat of an ox-drawn wagon.
• Schanz: A fortified area, usually an earthwork or trench.

Examples:

• The Pheasant Shoot: Allan’s incredible shooting skills at the pheasant shoot demonstrate his hunting prowess.
• The Snake in Mr. Savage’s Pocket: The appearance of a snake in Mr. Savage’s pocket highlights the mystical and unpredictable nature of the story.
• Miss Holmes’s Childhood Encounter: Miss Holmes’s encounter with two Arab men in Kensington Gardens foreshadows her future connection with the Ivory Child.
• The Dream of the Elephant Cemetery: The vision of the elephant cemetery and Jana, the rogue elephant, reveals Allan’s connection to the world of the Kendah people.
• The Auction of the Bona Fide Gold Mine Shares: This event highlights Jacob’s deceitfulness and Allan’s struggle to maintain his integrity.
• Hans’s Defense of Allan: Hans’s selfless act of defending Allan against a thief shows the depth of his loyalty.
• The Disappearance of Lady Ragnall: The unexplained disappearance of Lady Ragnall in Egypt and the subsequent search for her drives the plot forward.
• The Snake in Mr. Savage’s Dream: This dream symbolizes the danger lurking in the shadows of Ragnall’s world.
• The Unveiling of the Portrait: This event marks a turning point in Lord Ragnall’s journey to find his wife.
• The Sacrifice of the Camelmen: The sacrifice of the camelmen to Jana highlights the brutality of the Black Kendah people.

Conclusion:

“The Ivory Child” is a suspenseful and intricately woven adventure story that explores themes of colonialism, spirituality, and the human capacity for both good and evil. The story’s central mystery revolves around the disappearance of Lady Ragnall, a beautiful English woman connected to a powerful and ancient cult. Through a combination of adventure, mysticism, and intrigue, Allan Quatermain encounters a world of magic, gods, and rituals, ultimately facing the forces of darkness in a desperate battle for survival. The reader is left with a sense of awe at the power of the unknown and the lasting impact of the human desire for love and redemption.

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