Answer: Ivan has a few things he'd like to tell us about himself, and while he's at it, human nature as a whole. First and foremost, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, humans—we are all related, all big apes. Facts like this are important to Ivan because he's at a place in life in which he is questioning everything. Ivan is asking the big questions these days. Like why, if gorillas are so powerful, is this guy Mack, a human, his boss? If we are all apes, why is Ivan, who once shared a house with Mack, stuck in a cage while the humans are free to go where they choose? Why are the animals at the Big Top Mall employees, expected to perform tricks and entertain people each day? One night Ivan sees a nature show on his television, and realizes that forests, trees, birds, grass, and another gorilla really do exist somewhere out there. Like most of his realizations, this makes him both sad and happy.
I learned this in 7th grade
