[The little black boy] had seen Tarzan bring down a buck…
![“[The little black boy] had seen Tarzan bring down a buck, just as Numa, the lion, might have done... Tibo had shuddered at the sight, but he had thrilled, too, and for the first time there entered his dull, Negroid mind a vague desire to emulate his savage foster parent. But Tibo, the little black…” quote by Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/0cb/edgar-rice-burroughs-2892_black-boy_the-little-black-boy-had-seen-tarzan-bri_1847181.jpg)
““[The little black boy] had seen Tarzan bring down a buck, just as Numa, the lion, might have done... Tibo had shuddered at the sight, but he had thrilled, too, and for the first time there entered his dull, Negroid mind a vague desire to emulate his savage foster parent. But Tibo, the little black boy, lacked the divine spark which had permitted Tarzan, the white boy, to benefit by his training in the ways of the fierce jungle. In imagination he was wanting, and imagination is but another name for super-intelligence. Imagination it is which builds bridges, and cities, and empires. The beasts know it not, the blacks only a little, while to one in a hundred thousand of earth's dominant race it is given as a gift from heaven that man may not perish from the earth.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage contrasts imagined innate superiority of the white Tarzan with the perceived lack of imagination in the black child, suggesting imagination is a divine, race‑linked gift that drives civilization.
In simple terms: Imagination is portrayed as a rare, superior trait linked to race.
Key Takeaway
Recognize imagination as a universal human faculty, not a racial gift.
Themes
race
imagination
colonialism
identity
power
Mood
critical
reflective
thought‑provoking
Type
literary
philosophical
social commentary
When to use this quote
- education reform
- literary analysis
- media representation
- diversity training
- psychological empowerment
Key Concepts
super‑intelligence
cultural hierarchy
colonial narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- How does imagination manifest across cultures?
- Can we separate creative potential from racial assumptions?
A Different Perspective
The claim relies on outdated, racist stereotypes and ignores individual variability and cultural contributions.