The Natural World Theme Analysis

My Family and Other Animals follows the English Durrell family as they make their home on the Greek island of Corfu, beginning when the narrator, Gerry, is ten years old. Gerry is extremely interested in the natural world and treats Corfu as both a playground in which he can conduct his observations of plants and animals, as well as almost a character in its own right. In this way, the novel positions the Durrell family's existence in Corfu as being intrinsically tied up with nature, suggesting that the natural world is an inescapable part of life—and, further, that coexisting within the natural world means that one must not try too hard to tame it, instead accepting the natural world for what it is.

Much of Gerry's narration centers on his descriptions of what he observes in his garden or in the course of his adventures around Corfu, from the life cycles of earwigs and mantises to the mating habits of tortoises. Many chapters also open with a lengthy description of the changing seasons, which in most cases appear to dictate the course of human life on the island to a much greater degree than human-centric events like holidays. This intense focus on the natural world—both as something that Gerry happily immerses himself in and as something that affects everyone else, regardless of their feelings about it—situates the natural world as something intrinsically connected to the people that inhabit it. It's worth noting that this interconnectedness between the natural world and the manmade world is something that, for the most part, only Gerry and a select few others find charming. Others, and particularly his oldest brother, Larry, strive to keep the Durrell house slightly more tame with varying degrees of success and a great deal of hilarity.

Mother and Margo are generally either supportive or nonchalant about Gerry's insistence on bringing various animals into the Durrell household, while Larry and Gerry's other older brother, Leslie, more often find Gerry's hobby anywhere from obnoxious to dangerous, depending on the animals in question. Some of Gerry's more exotic pets, such as Achilles the tortoise and Quasimodo the dove, become beloved members of the Durrell household. The family's general acceptance of these pets reinforces Gerry's belief that the natural world is wonderful and capable of providing both companionship and interest to the lives of humans, as well as reinforces his belief that humans should endeavor to live harmoniously in and amongst nature. However, it's also important to recognize that tortoises and doves are relatively easy animals to live with, especially compared to some of the other animals Gerry brings into the house. At one point, Leslie has the intense misfortune of unwittingly opening a matchbox only to discover a captured (and then forgotten) mother scorpion and her babies, while the pair of magpies known affectionately as the Magenpies promptly destroys, among other things, Larry's room and his beloved manuscript.

The destructive (and in some cases dangerous) natures of some of Gerry's pets, as well as his family's disinterest in living closely with them, does several things. First, it differentiates Gerry from the rest of his family, as he's the only one who is truly interested in living with and understanding both his pets and the natural world. Though the rest of his family certainly enjoys the natural world, they overwhelmingly present an example of humans either dominating over nature (as in the case of Leslie, who loves to hunt) or enjoying the splendor of Corfu when the mood strikes (as Margo does with her sunbathing habit). This suggests that though there are a number of ways to exist within the natural world, Gerry's is the only one that seeks to discover a true sense of understanding with the natural world. In addition, the personalities and habits of some of Gerry's pets suggest that their tameness is debatable, which in turn shows that the natural world, as interesting and delightful as it may be, isn't something that humans can fully control and domesticate. The Durrells take many of Gerry's pets, including the exotic ones, back to England with them at the end of the novel. This decision suggests that the animals are considered to be a part of the family, even if they're still undeniably wild animals. On the train back to England, Mother's offense and annoyance when an official in Switzerland notes on her travel form that she's traveling with a "circus and staff" suggests that, annoyance with Gerry aside, the natural world is very much a part of the Durrell family—and that the human members of the family must endeavor to live alongside and support the natural world.