83 pages • 2 hours read
Mr. Popper's Penguins
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Symbols & Motifs
The Penguin Captain Cook
The plot of the story is precipitated by arrival of the penguin who Mr. Popper names “Captain Cook.” The bird revels in the sheer joy of living until he becomes depressed due to the absence of other penguins in his environment. Captain Cook, despite the financial expenses associated with his care, is the physical embodiment of Mr. Popper’s dream of exploration of the Poles. The bird represents exuberance, the importance of adherence to the natural order, and the potential for mankind to enjoy and bond with animals without imposing damage upon their environment.
The Icebox
Shortly after Captain Cook’s arrival, Mr. Popper realizes that it is imperative to provide the bird with a cool environment. He decides to use the family’s refrigerator (or “icebox”) to house the animal, and he hires a repairman to bore air holes in the door and attach an interior handle to allow the animal to enter and exit the box without assistance. In doing so, Mr. Popper sacrifices the capacity to store food for his own family. This is a precursor to the more significant costs that will be involved in the care of both Captain Cook and, eventually, the other 11 penguins who will follow.
The Rookery
Captain Cook builds a nest, or a “rookery,” in the icebox by using miscellaneous found household objects, such as buttons and game board pieces. Mr. Popper, who has long studied penguin behavior, realizes that the bird is substituting these items for the pebbles and stones that would be used in the wild. Although Captain Cook appears happy in his icebox rookery for a short time, he eventually succumbs to depression and the ebbing of his life force. The rookery is designed to a mated pair and the ability to reproduce; neither of these options are available until the arrival of Greta, a female penguin.
The Clothesline Leash
During the early days of Captain Cook’s stay in Stillwater, Mr. Popper attempts to walk him on a homemade leash made of Mrs. Popper’s clothesline. The housepainter dresses in an outfit designed to replicate the penguin’s natural coloring and dons a derby hat to mark the event. The idea proves to be unsuccessful. Captain Cook is not naturally suited to being walked on a leash and fights the rope around his neck. Eventually giving way to his natural propensity for tobogganing, he drags his owner down three flights of stairs.
The Five Dollar Bill
Mr. Popper is a personality who is generally unaware of finances. However, when he engages a refrigerator serviceman to alter the family’s icebox for Captain Cook, he pays him with his last five dollar bill. At that moment, Mr. Popper is saddened by the thought that this money might have provided more beans for Mrs. Popper and the children to eat. Later in the book, Mrs. Popper makes her husband more acutely aware of the monetary costs of caring for the penguin when she has a very serious conversation with him. Mr. Popper is a kind and ethical man who comes to realize that there is an economic conflict between meeting the needs of his family and those of the penguins.
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