The snake Kaa is the most important side character of Kipling's Jungle Books. It changed within the years or re-telling the story. How it changed is analysed in this paper.
In this paper I will describe how the role of the snake Kaa changes and develops from its original role in Kipling’s books to the way the snake is portrayed in three different film adaptations. In general, Kaa has more of a side part – in one adaptation the snake only appears once. However, provided with a great variety of characteristics and sometimes also mystic qualities, the snake becomes a very important part in the developing storyline. The fact that Kaa never plays the same role in any of the film adaptations, which in turn also differ from Kipling’s original stories about Mowgli, makes this character especially fascinating. It is interesting to take a closer look at how the snake is developed and under which circumstances it meets the so called “Man-cub”. Kipling introduces Kaa as a male, a mighty resident of the jungle who is friends with Bagheera and Baloo. In the Disney adaptations Kaa is more of a maverick, searching for food and trying to earn Mowgli’s trust in order to eat him. In one Disney version Kaa is male, and in the later version the snake is female. In the Warner film, the snake becomes more than just an inhabitant of the jungle. I will have a detailed look at the four different ways in which Kaa is described, the snake’s various characteristics and also consider the role of the snake in other contexts.
In over hundred years of re-telling Kipling’s “The Jungle Books”, the snake Kaa develops from Mowgli’s smartest friend to his enemy to an omniscient prophetic saver of the jungle and is the most important side role in all analysed versions of “The Jungle Books”.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Kaa in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Books”
2.1 Kaa, the hunter
2.2 The duality of gender
2.3 Kaa in “The Second Jungle Book”
3. Comparison to three film adaptations
3.1 Disney 1967 – the clumsy, always hungry backstabber
3.2 Disney 2016 – the story-telling, dangerous seductress
3.3 Netflix 2018 – the omniscient, friendly and violent female narrator
4. Conclusion
5. Works cited
Objectives & Key Themes
This paper examines the character evolution of the snake Kaa, tracing the shift from a masculine, supporting ally in Rudyard Kipling's original literary work to diverse representations in film adaptations, ultimately culminating in an omniscient female narrator figure.
- Evolution of character traits from original text to modern cinema
- Gender representation and its impact on character roles
- Comparative analysis of Disney and Netflix film adaptations
- Anthropomorphism and political messaging in children's literature
- The role of Kaa in relation to Mowgli’s development
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Kaa, the hunter
Kaa appears for the first time, when Mowgli is in danger. We get to know that the monkeys, who have taken Mowgli, only fear Kaa. The Rock-python is something of an evil legend among the monkey folk of “Bandar-log”:
“Generations of monkeys had been scared into good behaviour by the stories their elders told them of Kaa, the night-thief, (...). Kaa was everything that the monkeys feared in the jungle”. (Kipling 1894: 41)
Based on this knowledge, it’s clear that Kaa is the best weapon against the monkeys and that Bagheera and Baloo, Mowgli’s friends, could not have chosen anyone better to free him. Kaa is described as 30 feet long, which is incredibly long for a Rock-python. This enormous length makes him very dangerous, as he kills by squeezing his prey with his body.
In the beginning however, it did not seem to be a good time to ask the Rock-python to fight against the monkeys. He is described as “rather deaf” (Kipling 1894: 31) and, after having changed his skin, being “a little blind”. (Kipling 1894: 31) Kipling describes the condition of a python after shedding its skin correctly; for a couple of days they have a greyish-white lubricant under their skin. As they shed the skin on the eyes as well, they have this liquid on their eyes and their vision is restricted during this process. I think it is interesting that this fact appears in “The Jungle Books”, because Kipling does not mention a lot of special physical characteristics of the animals. He explains a lot about the behaviour of a wolf pack for example, but rarely presents true biological facts.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical context of anthropomorphism in literature and outlines the research objective of analyzing Kaa’s character development.
2. Kaa in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Books”: This section explores the original depiction of Kaa as a powerful, masculine hunter and mentor to Mowgli, while examining gender dynamics.
2.1 Kaa, the hunter: This chapter details Kaa’s primary role as a formidable hunter and a strategic ally against the monkey folk in Kipling’s original narrative.
2.2 The duality of gender: This chapter analyzes how Kipling attributes both masculine and feminine traits to Kaa, challenging traditional animal archetype representations.
2.3 Kaa in “The Second Jungle Book”: This chapter examines Kaa’s shifting role toward becoming a long-term advisor and friend to Mowgli in subsequent literary adventures.
3. Comparison to three film adaptations: This section initiates the comparative study, moving from literary analysis to the interpretation of cinematic versions of the character.
3.1 Disney 1967 – the clumsy, always hungry backstabber: This chapter discusses the adaptation of Kaa as a treacherous and comic villain, contrasting him with the book’s original characterization.
3.2 Disney 2016 – the story-telling, dangerous seductress: This chapter explores the introduction of a female Kaa in the 2016 film and the resulting changes in power dynamics and character interaction.
3.3 Netflix 2018 – the omniscient, friendly and violent female narrator: This chapter evaluates the role of Kaa in the 2018 version, where she functions as an omniscient, ancient narrator of the jungle’s fate.
4. Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, highlighting how Kaa has evolved from a supporting actor into the most vital secondary role in modern adaptations.
5. Works cited: This section lists all literature and film sources used throughout the academic paper.
Keywords
Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Books, Kaa, Mowgli, Adaptation, Gender studies, Anthropomorphism, Film analysis, Character evolution, Disney, Netflix, Literary criticism, Narrative, Predator, Mentorship
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the character development of Kaa the snake, focusing on how this role has transitioned from a masculine, powerful ally in the original Kipling books to diverse portrayals in major film adaptations.
What are the key thematic areas covered?
The study covers anthropomorphism, the duality of gender in literary characters, the evolution of storytelling in film, and the shift from traditional villain archetypes to complex, omniscient narrators.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to analyze how the characterization of Kaa changes across different mediums and how these variations reflect changing cultural perceptions of gender and narrative utility.
Which scientific methods are applied here?
The paper employs a comparative literary and cinematic analysis, contrasting original source material with specific film adaptations to identify character shifts.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines Kipling’s original text, the biological and behavioral descriptions of the character, and a detailed comparison of three specific films: the 1967 Disney version, the 2016 live-action adaptation, and the 2018 Netflix production.
Which keywords best describe the work?
Keywords include Rudyard Kipling, Kaa, Mowgli, character evolution, gender studies, adaptation, and anthropomorphism.
How does the 2016 film change the portrayal of Kaa?
The 2016 adaptation casts Kaa as a female character, shifting the dynamic to a "seductress" role and using her perspective to reveal Mowgli's past.
In what way does the 2018 Netflix adaptation differ from previous versions?
The 2018 film elevates Kaa to the role of an omniscient, ancient narrator who frames the entire story, rather than just serving as a side character or a direct antagonist.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Robert Cramer (Autor:in), 2019, The role of the snake Kaa in Rudyard Kipling’s "The Jungle Books" and in three film adaptations, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/535010
