Half Brother

From the outset of Half Brother, Richard's experiment's impending failure is foreshadowed through his character's rigid, controlling nature, which feels at odds with the nature of experimentation itself. Richard expects circumstances to go as he prefers them, suggesting that when he loses control, he will also lose interest. Additionally, the experiment's parameters raise concerns about The Ethics of Animal Experimentation, and Richard's difficulties in Communication and Understanding cast doubt on his ability to undertake such a venture, as he lacks the patience, curiosity, and flexibility to see the project through.

Logistically speaking, the initial flaw in the experiment stems from the Tomlins' decision to use Zan for two separate research studies simultaneously, expecting too much of Zan and of the scientific process. While Richard focuses on teaching Zan American Sign Language (ASL) to explore chimpanzee communication abilities, Sarah conducts her own study on cross-fostering, where humans raise Zan, a chimpanzee. In scientific research, limiting variables is crucial for accurate results. However, by teaching Zan human language and raising him as a human, the Tomlins introduce multiple variables, complicating the experiments and highlighting their own difficulty with Communication and Understanding. Despite Richard and Sarah's belief that combining their efforts will increase their experiments' success, they are placing significant demands on Zan, potentially undermining the validity of their findings, and creating a lack of work-life separation for their son, Ben. Their home becomes the lab, furthering the theme of The Challenges of Growing Up for both Ben and Zan.

Another significant issue is the lack of clear expectations for handling Zan, which highlights The Ethics of Animal Experimentation: Without a plan, the ethics become more questionable. Richard insists that everyone treat the chimp as a human, yet he fails to do so himself, mimicking chimpanzee behavior by biting Zan back. Ben becomes frustrated with Richard's "hands-off" approach, as Richard often prioritizes his work over actually caring for Zan. Despite Ben's reluctance to participate in the experiment, Richard leaves Zan's care primarily to Sarah and Ben. This inconsistency in caregiving creates confusion and undermines the experiment's integrity, as well as forcing young Ben into a caregiver role, which he warms up to but is not trained for.

Ultimately, the clearest indication that Richard's experiment will fail lies in Richard's inability to form a meaningful bond with Zan, favoring dominance rather than fostering a connection. From the outset, it is evident that Richard's focus is solely on the experiment and its success rather than developing a genuine connection with Zan. Unlike Sarah, who readily embraces Zan as a family member, Richard's interactions with Zan lack warmth and empathy, suggesting that this is not a passion project for him, but rather a means to scientific discovery. When Zan misbehaves, Richard's response is to startle him and yell, creating fear and tension in their relationship. The antagonistic dynamic manifests when Zan bites Richard from the safety of Sarah’s arms. This overt hostility between Zan and Richard is a significant obstacle to the experiment's success. Despite their territorial nature, chimpanzees are highly social animals that rely on strong bonds for their well-being. Zan's lack of bonding with Richard not only undermines the experiment's goals but also contributes to his general distrust of men.

Contrastingly, Sarah retrieves Zan from New Mexico, demonstrating her commitment to his well-being. Meanwhile, when Richard holds Zan, it feels awkward and forced. Even in infancy, Zan shows discomfort when in Richard's arms, indicating a lack of connection between them. Instead of prioritizing bonding with Zan, Richard often seems relieved to hand him over to someone else. Richard rarely interacts with Zan: "[Dad] was too busy with graphs and charts and making phone calls […] to actually take care of his own chimp […] Dad was a big fan of the hands-off approach when it came to parenting" (44). Richard’s behavior also speaks to his inability or unwillingness to seek connection with his own son, Ben, failing to consider his son’s well-being during a car trip, at Windermere, or at home. Ben faces many of The Challenges of Growing Up alone; though he appears closer to his mother, he does not expect to be able to count on his father. This also foreshadows Ben’s future closeness with Zan, who he shares similarities with as “children” of an emotionally absent father. Additionally, Ben’s ability to coach Peter into passing the interview and bonding with Zan demonstrates his understanding of the chimpanzee.

Richard's experiment underscores his inherent inflexibility and lack of Communication and Understanding. He clings to rigid notions of how things should proceed and finds it challenging to pivot or evolve in response to changing circumstances. This inflexibility ultimately proves to be the experiment's downfall. While Richard offers clear directives on certain aspects of the study, such as introducing specific words to Zan, he provides vague and ambiguous guidance on critical elements, including how to nurture and raise Zan properly.

Richard's experiment will only succeed with a comprehensive and flexible approach to both the scientific methodology and the ethical treatment of Zan. Ultimately, Richard's rigid adherence to his  preconceived notions undermines the experiment's integrity and underscores the importance of adaptability and empathy in scientific research, as well as The Ethics of Animal Experimentation particularly when flexibility and patience are absent.