Though animal fiction can be viewed as childish, there is much value to gain from them. One of the most powerful aspects of literature is getting the reader to view the world through another perspective, and an animal’s point of view can tell the readers things a human’s could not. An animal’s point of view would be something completely different; it is even far from a human character in a setting far from one’s own. Animals can comment on humans and human behavior in a way that people cannot. It takes creativity and imagination to think of what an animal would think of the world or even make up a world run by animal characters. There are many ways to include an animal’s point of view in fiction, namely books, two of the more notable ways are through realistic fiction or fantasy.
Animals in Realistic Fiction
Many examples of an animal’s point of view in contemporary or realistic fiction are seen through dogs. Novels such as Garth Stein’s “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” Ann M. Martin’s “A Dog’s Life,” and Avi’s “The Good Dog” showcase dogs—both stray and pet—and their interactions with humans, other dogs and the world around them. These books show the world through a dog’s eyes. Martin’s work shows a stray dog as she deals with both the cruelty and kindness of humans; it helps the reader to see what a harsh world it can be for a stray dog.However, it doesn’t leave readers without hope as the protagonist finally finds a home that neither abandons nor abuses her. This type of novel helps build empathy for the stray dog. It prompts readers to reflect on the actions of humans. Stein’s novel is brilliant in showing what it is to be a pet golden retriever.The protagonist’s observations on the humans helps the reader gain a better understanding of humanity—an understanding that might go unnoticed in a more familiar point of view. This novel in is good at comparing how dogs communicate and how humans communicate.For example, noting how prominent gestures are in both.
“So much of language is unspoken. So much of language is comprised of looks and gestures and sounds that are not words. People are ignorant of the vast complexity of their own communication (Stein, 2008).”
This example shows that humanity can be ignorant even in things that they do every day. Showing a dog’s perspective will make everyday things seem less mundane and more unusual, and this really works for any animal’s point of view. Avi’s book is another one about dogs but is more focused on dogs’ relationship with each other—the dogs that are friends, enemies or neither with the neighboring dogs. Strays and pet dogs alike interact in this novel and there is even a wolf who speaks more of a dog’s nature. W. Bruce Cameron’s “A Dog’s Purpose” is another reflective work that shows the relationships of dogs and humans. It describes the purpose of a dog’s life, as the protagonist reincarnates and reflects on each life.
Animals in Fantasy
Animal point of views in fantasy can provide a creative lens on which to view the world Children’s series such as Brian Jacques “Redwall,” Erin Hunter’s “Warriors” and Kathryn Lasky’s “The Guardians of Ga’hoole” have a variety of animals as their focus: mice, cats and owls, respectively. These books have animals with very humanized personalities, however, since they are about animals and not people, they are allowed to have darker themes than a middle grade series would normally allow. This can help introduce younger readers to deeper themes early on and can help with growing empathy for people and animals. Animal point of view fiction makes heavy topics more digestible to younger audiences. These series also contain an interesting take on the world the animals inhabit, each having their own culture and magic to them. Worldbuilding would have to consider the animals a universe is about—the creatures should match the created world. Graphic novels such as Jim Pascoe’s “Cottons” series can also provide interesting thoughts on how an animal-run world would look. There are no humans in this series, mainly rabbits and foxes. The book has a lot of rich worldbuilding and lore that could be comparable to epic fantasy about humans, though it is made more interesting with the fact that it is about rabbits. It would have been a good story without the rabbits, but the perspective and word-building ties so greatly with the creatures that it creates an immersive reading experience. The added art makes it quite stunning. The worldbuilding in Lasky’s “The Guardians of Ga’hoole” can become quite extensive as well, including a series about bears and one about wolves, both of which take place in the same universe as the owls. Some stories will blur the lines of reality and fantasy. The “Warriors” series could have been included in this category, but the later the series goes on, the more fantastical it becomes. These imagined worlds filled with non-human characters create deep and unforgettable experiences for many readers. It transforms readers’ perspectives. The world is not just human. These novels create interesting stories, an awareness of nature and what an animal’s perspective might be.
Animal point of view novels are often overlooked, but they usually have important things to offer and are a good way of expressing them. It is good to pay attention to nonhuman creatures and consider how they would think. Animals can teach people a thing or two about what it means to be human.
