Then something began to hurt Mowgli inside him, as he had never been hurt in his life before, and he caught his breath and sobbed, and the tears ran down his face.

Question

“What is it? What is it?" he said. "I do not wish to leave the jungle, and I do not know what this is. Am I dying, Bagheera?"

"No, Little Brother. Those are only tears such as men use," said Bagheera. "Now I know thou art a man, and a man's cub no longer. The jungle is shut indeed to thee henceforward. Let them fall, Mowgli; they are only tears." So Mowgli sat and cried as though his heart would break; and he had never cried in all his life before.

—“Mowgli’s Brothers,” The Jungle Book,
Rudyard Kipling

Why is Mowgli's response unusual?

What does the response indicate to Bagheera?

Answer 1

Mowgli's response is unusual because, until that moment, he has never experienced deep emotional pain or the ability to cry. In the context of the jungle, where he has lived among animals and learned their ways, Mowgli has not encountered the complexities of human emotions, particularly sorrow and loss. His tears indicate a profound change in his identity and a recognition of the reality that he is being disconnected from the only home he has ever known, the jungle.

To Bagheera, Mowgli's tears signify the transition from being a creature of the jungle to becoming fully human. His ability to cry and express emotion suggests that Mowgli is no longer just a "cub" of the jungle but is maturing into a man. Bagheera recognizes this emotional shift as evidence that Mowgli has left behind his innocence and is beginning to grapple with the complexities of human experiences and emotions, marking a significant moment of growth and transformation.