![]() Gerry also thinks of Roger as the ultimate friend because of the way that Roger is willing to form relationships with Gerry's other pets. In this way, Roger embodies all the qualities of a good friend: he chooses to spend his time with Gerry, even when Gerry is shut inside with a tutor, and Gerry's narration indicates that the two even have meaningful "conversations" about all manner of things. Particularly in the first half of the book, Roger accompanies Gerry everywhere he goes, offering his opinions on Gerry's plant and animal findings, moving Gerry along when things get boring, and dutifully making friends with other creatures when Gerry asks him to. Gerry's best friend and constant companion throughout the novel is the Durrell family dog, Roger. In this way, the novel ultimately suggests that animals are just as capable as being close friends with humans as other humans are, while also making the case that it's the human's responsibility to provide care for those animal friends and do what's best for them. ![]() ![]() As he acquires a number of more exotic pets throughout the novel, Gerry becomes increasingly interested in providing them the best care possible given his knowledge. He carefully anthropomorphizes all the animals he observes, giving them names and figuring out their personalities and quirks. ![]() ![]() For Gerry, the only things in life that are more important than his scientific pursuits are his relationships with his friends, especially his non-human friends. ![]()
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