Multiethnic Literatures in the U.S.

While waiting for Patterson, head administrator of Ivy Acres, Jerry comes across an animal show. It’s one he’s seen before about two lions, Red and Nero. Red is the “crusty old male lion” and dominant male of the pride (304). He is properly named Red because of the color of his mane. Nero is “a very large mature young male.” Nero comes into Red’s territory and makes himself a new candidate for king. They have a battle and Red is mauled and eventually dies. Nero is the new king. This show that Jerry is watching is very similar to the situation between him, Rita, and Richie, but with a different outcome. Jerry is Red, Richie is Nero, and the territory represents Rita.

Jerry and Red are both the older opponents in the struggle for the prize. Just as Red was the leader of the pride and the lair for a long time, Jerry and Rita were in a relationship for a long time. Red showed “his appreciation of the hunting prowess of his lionesses by serving them sexually whenever they are in heat and then spending the rest of his time power-dozing.” That is just like Jerry in the sense that he does what is told to do by Rita and nothing more. The only time he does something without being asked is when it benefits him.

When Nero comes to the territory, he “[makes] a show of himself as an electable new king.” He shows of that he is strong and young. Although Richie is not much younger than Jerry, he does show off his fortunes. He shows Rita that he is the better than Jerry as a partner for her. He shows off his mansion, his large property, and his many cars. When talking to Jerry, Richie confesses to him that he felt that he needed all his material fortunes to attract and keep a woman.

In the show, there is an unseen battle between Red and Nero. The battle is represented in the book as the tennis match. Richie and Jerry have a tennis match where if Richie wins, he gets Jerry’s ’67 Impala and Donnie and if Jerry wins, he gets Richie’s ’92 Ferrari. There is also the underlying incentive of Rita. There is the impression that the winner will win her affections. During the match Jerry gets injured just as Red did. This is where the two differ. The outcome of the lion’s tale is Red is mauled and eventually dies, being eaten by a pack of hyenas, making Nero the new leader of the territory. In the case of the novel, Jerry wins the material goods but the more important reward. He gets the Ferrari and keeps his car and Donnie. The more important prize is not for certain Jerry’s to claim. He goes to return the Ferrari and learns that Richie and Rita have broken up. With that new information, he goes to Rita’s and they begin to make love. Their relationship is not yet restored but there is the possibility.

The two stories have very similar ideas and events. Red and Jerry are the older leaders while Nero and Richie are the younger possible new leaders. In both cases they are fighting for something, whether it is land or love. The conclusions slightly differ in that Nero wins the land and Jerry wins the material possessions but not yet the love of Rita.

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