The claw-stick is a device used to train elephants, consisting of a stick with a crescent-shaped hook at the end—the hook is capable of piercing an elephant’s tough hide. It’s a painful tool that the novel portrays as abusive, and it represents the terrible power than humans have over animals and their tendency to use that power cruelly. For Ivan, the claw-stick is merely a rumor until after Stella’s death, when Mack begins training Ruby to perform Stella’s tricks. During his first training session with Ruby, Mack pushes Ruby until she’s too exhausted to work anymore—and then he angrily threatens (but doesn’t actually hit her) with the claw-stick. This forces Ivan to confront an uncomfortable truth about Mack: that even though Ivan and Mack have had a close relationship in the past, and even though Mack has done the best he could for Ivan over the years, Mack is still a human who’s willing to turn to violence and abuse to bend animals to his will. This motivates Ivan to decide to follow through on his promise to Stella that he’ll try to get Ruby into a zoo where she won’t have to face a claw-stick ever again.
Other humans in the novel see Mack’s claw-stick in much the same way that Ivan does. When reporters come to the Big Top Mall with video cameras, the cameraman focuses on the claw-stick lying in the performance ring—and it seems that this footage of the claw-stick is what incites protests to free Ruby the following day. So while the claw-stick itself might symbolize abuse and cruelty, it also gives some humans and animals the impetus to advocate for kinder, more human treatment for animals.
The Claw-Stick Quotes in The One and Only Ivan
“A good zoo,” Stella says, “is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don’t hurt.” She pauses, considering her words. “A good zoo is how humans make amends.”
Mack turns on my TV. It’s a Western. There’s a human with a big hat and a small gun. He has a shiny star pinned to his chest. That means he is the sheriff and he will be getting rid of all the bad guys.
“If this sells quick, I’m getting you some more of that paint, buddy,” Mack says.
He walks away with my painting. Ruby’s painting. For a moment, I imagine what it would feel like to be that sheriff.
Mack turns on my TV. It’s a Western. There’s a human with a big hat and a small gun. He has a shiny star pinned to his chest. That means he is the sheriff and he will be getting rid of all the bad guys.
“If this sells quick, I’m getting you some more of that paint, buddy,” Mack says.
He walks away with my painting. Ruby’s painting. For a moment, I imagine what it would feel like to be that sheriff.
During the last show of the day, Ruby seems tired. When she stumbles, Mack reaches for the claw-stick.
I tense, waiting for her to strike back.
Ruby doesn’t even flinch. She just keeps plodding along, and after a while, Snickers jumps onto her back.
During the last show of the day, Ruby seems tired. When she stumbles, Mack reaches for the claw-stick.
I tense, waiting for her to strike back.
Ruby doesn’t even flinch. She just keeps plodding along, and after a while, Snickers jumps onto her back.
Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
The Claw-Stick Symbol Timeline in The One and Only Ivan
