Gorillas!

        So I am reading a book called Ishmael (by Daniel Quinn) right now and quite enjoying it. I won’t talk too much about it in case you have not read it (but I recommend it!). But I’ll say this, there is a talking Gorilla who is no doubt a philosopher. (Not too unlike myself I might add). This led me to look for some images of gorillas.

   Ohhh I like this little guy!!!! But Jack, when you say 'not unlike myself' you mean you are like a gorilla right? not a philosopher...or a gorilla-philosopher? I mean, the hair, the eyes, it is a spitting image of you! hee hee...

Look at this sly Gorrilla. Who knows what he's up to? Something mischievous no doubt.

EEEE, I like his fat little fingers! and that smile is mischievous, it is like he is beckoning you forward. 

This is a quote for the beginning of the book that I really liked. This is the first meeting of the main character and Ishmael, the gorilla. (pg 9-10)

For no conscious reason, I lifted my eyes to those of my beasty companion in the next room. As everyone knows, eyes speak. A pair of strangers can effortlessly reveal their mutual interest and attraction in a single glance. His eyes spoke, and I understood. My legs turned to jelly and I barely managed to reach the chair without collapsing.

“But how” I said, not daring to speak the words aloud.

“What does it matter?” He replied as silently. “It’s so, and nothing more needs to be said.”

      Do the eyes of this gorilla speak to you? Later in the book the author discusses that it is similarities between the Gorillas’ eyes and our own which allow for perhaps some disturbing eye contact between us and them.

   I always remember visiting the zoo in high-school and disturbed/ intrigued by the gorillas. There was one sitting against the chain-link fence, not a few feet away. I knew he was concious of my presence and looking into those eyes were not unlike looking into the eyes of my fellow classmates (not that they were animalistic hee hee, but held an innate human quality). It seemed as if they were very contemplative and perhaps signified some form of greater intelligence.