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Intro
Throughout literature, animals have consistently shown up representing a plethora of themes and symbols. By the end of this blog post, you’ll have a better understanding of the conventions of animals in your story and how to properly portray them.
“The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.” ― Alice Walker
Animals In Popular Stories
There are countless examples of animals in literature. Whether speaking or not, animals can play an important role in your readers’ perception of your story’s location, the stakes for your characters, and the overarching themes.Â
Think of your classic examples of animals playing a crucial role in stories:
- Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
- Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
- Stuart Little by E. B. White
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
- Winnie-The-Pooh by A. A. Milne
- Old Yeller by Fred Gibson
- The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The relationship people have with animals will always be evident, and for you, as a writer, you can utilise this bond to enhance your storytelling.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Animal Behavior
Firstly, you’ll need to understand how your animal character behaves. Take the time to research them. What are their survival instincts, and what are they especially skilled at? Hearing? Camouflage? Speed?
Thinking Patterns
Whether your animal speaks in your story or not, their thinking patterns should be significantly different than a human’s. If you make your animals too much like people, they will lose their authenticity. (This is called Over-Anthropomorphizing).Â
Remember: most animals aren’t thinking three steps ahead.
For example, they may be hungry and therefore thinking about getting sustenance. They may be in danger and are therefore thinking about safety. They probably aren’t thinking, so-and-so will be mad at me if I walk through their kitchen with dirty feet.Â
Senses
While your animal takes the lead in your story, remember their senses and adaptive features. Write the story as they would navigate their surroundings.Â
To quote Inkling’s article “Tips for Writing Animals,”
“One of the most powerful ways to write animals is by showing the world through their unique senses.
Animals don’t perceive their environment the way humans do. For instance, dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell, birds of prey have exceptional vision and nocturnal animals navigate primarily through sound.”
Remember that eyesight, like for humans, isn’t necessary for how your animal discovers the world and how to live in it. Continuing to bring up sensual details will remind your reader you are writing about an animal.
Animal Personalities
When it comes to writing your animals, you have to give them a personality. Each animal, despite having the same instincts of their species, will develop a personality naturally. If your animal speaks, this is easier to portray.
However, if your animal doesn’t, you need to produce a personality through actions. When your animal behaves, are they affectionate? If they’ve experienced trauma in the past, do they struggle to get close to people? Â
If you have animals that don’t talk, you are giving your reader the opportunity of interpretation. Show them how the animal feels; don’t tell.Â
“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.” ― Martin Buber
Check out the blog post below for help with description and imagery in your stories!
Body Language
Animals possess exceptional body language if you take the time to study them. When you are going on a walk, at a zoo, or observing a pet, watch their eyes.Â
Do they hold eye contact to express love or a need? When you move your animal, you can express emotion. When your animal is angry, have them step up to another, growl, or get ready to fight.Â
Additionally, if your animal is disappointed, maybe have them hold eye contact with someone before slowly walking away. The beauty of using animals can be in the opportunity to create amazing descriptions.Â
Drawing Inspiration
A great way to create art is to imitate real life. Think of animals in your own life. It is quite common for people to hold long conversations solely about the bizarre activities of their household animals with one another, proving that each has a personality that can be replicated on the page.
Don’t forget that, like humans, an animal’s past will determine certain behaviors. Not all animals are good, but many are misunderstood.
What are some repetitive behaviors you notice from animals? If you want to write a dog and have owned one, try to think of some traits they possessed that stood out.
- Did they love ripping up your couch cushions?
- Barking at the mailmen?
- Maybe they always tried to cuddle with you on the couch?
Whatever it is, utilise these actions to help bring them to life on the page.Â
Check out the blog post below to better understand attachment styles for your characters!
Spirituality of Animal Characters
Many authors have written stories with animals that speak, share wisdom, and are intentionally linked to the narrative arc of the piece.Â
To quote Funapunk’s article “Exploring Animals in Literature: Themes and Symbolism,”
“Animal representation holds significant weight in literature, often acting as metaphors for broader human experiences, struggles, and aspirations.
When writers choose to depict animals, they often challenge perceptions, confront moral questions, and reflect society’s relationship with the natural world.”
Not only do your descriptions of your animals help the reader navigate your world’s feelings about nature, but also, can show relatable issues to people. Themes such as loss, resilience, ingenuity, morality, identity, and discipline are commonly portrayed.
Commonly today, stories with animals are used to raise awareness of climate change, deforestation, pollution, and the ever-growing global crisis.
Animals and Morals
Animals have commonly been used in parables and morals, especially for younger audiences. Think of the tortoise and the hare as a popular example. Animals are so important for literature; you can have them teach lessons and expose characters’ true nature.Â
When you decide to create a story involving animals, really try to find a theme you wish this animal to help represent for your story. Whatever their flaw is, have your characters react to it, and their emotions will help the reader understand that character’s own relationship to nature.Â
Conclusion
Don’t underestimate the power of animals in your creative writing pieces. Not only can they help mirror your human emotions, but they can also help you develop symbolism and themes.
Don’t throw together some person in a fur suit, but take the time to understand your animal’s behavior, motivations, and how they fit into your story to enhance the narrative.Â
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