Chapter 38 Summary: Thirty-Six
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
⚠️ This summary and analysis contains details from Chapter 38 of The Elephant Girl. If you haven't read this chapter yet, you may want to do so first.
Summary
The chapter opens with the narrator curled in a corner of the classroom, knees drawn to her chest, overwhelmed by helplessness. She tries to picture Wamai standing confidently with a rifle, making the crowd take him seriously. Her eyes drift to the four narrow windows with smudged glass; even if someone broke them, an adult couldn't fit through. She attempts to convince herself that the chair barricade will hold and that Mbegu's wounds look worse than they are, but each reassurance only amplifies her panic.
She stands and paces the room, noticing the strange contrast between the orderly rows of wooden desks, the chalkboard, and the artwork on the walls—and the sick baby elephant lying on the floor. Glancing at the clock, she recalls the first day she met Mbegu, when she was equally restless and the hands seemed to crawl. After pacing, she collapses beside Mbegu, watching her shallow breaths. Her mind spirals to the worst-case scenario: if Mbegu dies, and Ojwang drives away, and the KWS team leaves, everyone will have turned against her.
Ojwang's voice cuts through her thoughts: “They’re here.” The narrator realizes she had dozed off, sitting dazed on the floor. Ojwang tells her to stay and watch Mbegu, to make sure she keeps breathing, then dashes out. She quickly re-barricades the door and hears him instructing a KWS officer to take the Land Rover and pick up the DSWT team from where their plane landed. After the vehicle leaves, silence returns. She watches Mbegu's chest rise and fall, unsure what she would do if it stopped. All she can do is pray to Enkai and hope that will be enough.
She creeps to the door and peeks through a crack. Outside, Ojwang and the KWS backup team have their rifles aimed, while the crowd keeps its distance, muttering and looking to the laibon for guidance. When Mbegu lets out a feeble cough and a whimper, the narrator rushes back to her, whispering apologies. Mbegu lifts her trunk slightly, as if recognizing her voice, and tries to lift it again to nuzzle her. The narrator tells her to save her strength, promising she is there and will not leave. Tears fall onto Mbegu's skin. She keeps talking, apologizing for the deaths of Mbegu's mother and the other elephant in the herd that was slaughtered—she still doesn't know who it was. She shares that her own mother is gone, and says, “We’re orphans now, Mbegu.” Saying it aloud makes it real, and she wonders again what will happen to the two of them.
Key Events
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The narrator sits in a corner, imagining Wamai confronting the crowd with a rifle.
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She assesses the windows and barricade, trying to calm her panic but failing.
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She paces the classroom, then collapses beside Mbegu, contemplating the worst-case outcome.
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The clock reminds her of the first day she met Mbegu.
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Ojwang announces help has arrived; the narrator realizes she had dozed off.
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Ojwang instructs her to watch Mbegu and leaves to coordinate with the KWS officer to pick up the DSWT team.
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The narrator prays to Enkai while watching Mbegu breathe.
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She peeks outside and sees Ojwang and backup with rifles aimed; the crowd holds back, looking to the laibon.
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Mbegu coughs; the narrator rushes to her, apologizes, and tells her to save her strength.
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The narrator cries, apologizes for the deaths of Mbegu's mother and another elephant, and reveals her own mother is gone, calling them orphans.
Character Development
The narrator undergoes a profound emotional shift in this chapter. Her initial helplessness and frantic attempts to reassure herself give way to a deeper, more vulnerable connection with Mbegu. She moves from imagining Wamai's confidence to relying on prayer and her own voice as comfort. Her confession about her mother and the shared orphanhood marks a turning point—she acknowledges her own grief and bonds with Mbegu on a level that transcends species. The chapter shows her growing from a panicked child into a caretaker who finds strength in presence and honesty.
Ojwang demonstrates decisive leadership, taking charge of the rescue effort and trusting the narrator with Mbegu's care. His brief but crucial role highlights his reliability and the trust he places in her.
Mbegu, though weak, shows recognition and affection by lifting her trunk toward the narrator, reinforcing the deep bond between them. Her cough and whimper draw the narrator back, emphasizing her vulnerability and the stakes of the standoff.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Helplessness and Entrapment dominate the chapter. The narrator is physically trapped in the classroom, with windows too narrow to escape and a barricade that feels flimsy. Her mental helplessness mirrors her physical confinement, as she struggles to quiet her panic and imagine a positive outcome.
Waiting is a central motif—the slow crawl of the clock, the silence after the vehicle leaves, the uncertainty of when help will arrive. The waiting amplifies the tension and forces the narrator to confront her fears.
Fear of abandonment surfaces in her worst-case scenario: if Mbegu dies and everyone turns on her, she will be left alone. This fear is later countered by her promise to Mbegu that she will not leave, and by her prayer to Enkai.
Prayer becomes her only active tool. She prays to Enkai, the Maasai god, showing her reliance on faith when human action seems insufficient.
Orphanhood is a powerful theme, culminating in the narrator's declaration that she and Mbegu are orphans. This shared identity unites them and gives voice to her grief over her mother's death and Mbegu's loss of her mother.
Grief is expressed through tears and apologies, as the narrator mourns the slaughtered elephants and her own mother.
Human-animal bond is vividly portrayed through Mbegu's recognition of the narrator's voice and her attempt to nuzzle her, showing that their connection is mutual and deeply felt.
Standoff is the external context—the crowd, the laibon, and the armed KWS team—creating a tense backdrop that heightens the emotional stakes.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the emotional heart of the standoff. It deepens the narrator's relationship with Mbegu from a rescue mission to a profound personal bond, as she openly shares her own loss and declares their shared orphanhood. The chapter also raises the stakes by showing the narrator's vulnerability and her reliance on prayer and hope. It sets up the resolution by having help arrive, but leaves the outcome uncertain, keeping readers engaged. The themes of helplessness, waiting, and grief resonate strongly, making this a pivotal moment in the narrative.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does the narrator's perception of the classroom change during this chapter?
The classroom, which once represented her restless boredom, now becomes a prison. The neat rows of desks and artwork contrast sharply with the sick elephant on the floor, highlighting the surreal nature of the situation. The windows, once just a source of light, are now scrutinized as potential escape routes, but they are too narrow. The clock, which used to move too slowly, now seems to mock her with its slow passage. This shift underscores her entrapment and the transformation of a familiar space into a site of crisis.
2. What role does prayer play in the narrator's coping mechanism?
Prayer to Enkai is her only active measure when she feels powerless. After the vehicle leaves and silence descends, she watches Mbegu's breathing and prays, hoping it will be enough. Prayer gives her a sense of agency and connection to a higher power, offering a way to channel her fear and hope. It also ties into her cultural identity and provides a contrast to the armed standoff outside, emphasizing her reliance on faith rather than force.
3. Why does the narrator tell Mbegu they are orphans, and what effect does this have on her?
She tells Mbegu this after apologizing for the deaths of Mbegu's mother and another elephant, and after revealing that her own mother is gone. By saying it aloud, she makes the reality of their shared loss tangible. It strengthens their bond, as they are now united by grief and a lack of parental figures. The statement also forces her to confront her own situation, leading her to wonder what will happen to them both. It marks a moment of emotional honesty and vulnerability, deepening her commitment to Mbegu.