My Father's Dragon

The opening chapters introduce the narrator and the narrator’s father, the story’s protagonist Elmer. As Elmer swiftly embarks on his rescue mission, Elmer’s courage, resourcefulness, and social sensitivity become evident. Through him, Gannett will expand on the theme of Having the Courage to Achieve Your Dreams.

Gannett juxtaposes fantasy elements and realism, perhaps aiming to evoke both childlike logic and relatability. Elmer travels to an island that couldn’t exist in real life, but the way he plans—packing items that seem impractical—are what an actual nine-year-old might do. The story’s abundant, whimsical illustrations by Gannett’s stepmother, Ruth Chrisman Gannett, reinforce this mix of plausibility and make-believe.

The narrator gives very little information about themselves. They only reveal that they are the child of Elmer Elevator and are telling the story of their father’s adventure as a young boy. The narrator does not say if they are Elmer’s son or daughter. The cat and Elmer’s mother address Elmer by his name, but the narrator calls him “my father” throughout. This establishes a sense of intimacy and closeness with the family: The reader is only separated by two degrees from Elmer. Calling Elmer “my father” also creates a sense that the story is true. The narrator’s familiar, conversational voice and simple word choice support these impressions.

The uncomplicated chapter titles—basic subject-verb-object sentence structures—illustrate the narrative’s simplicity, but also its dry sense of humor. The chapter titles significantly understate the adventures and danger Elmer experiences in each section. The titles also serve as a suspenseful yet reassuring roadmap, detailing Elmer’s journey up to the happily-ever-after ending.

The novel treats magical elements matter-of-factly. The characters take things like talking animals for granted, rather than seeing them as fantastical, impossible things. The narrator, like Elmer, accepts unquestioningly that animals can speak and have human attributes.

The anthropomorphized animals have cultural, social, and human foibles in common with the animals of Wild Island Like humans, the animals of Wild Island receive mail, celebrate holidays, and dislike inconvenience. Crocodiles have “moody” personalities. The excitable mouse is subject to very human slips of the tongue: “My father slept all that day and only woke up late in the afternoon when he heard a funny little voice saying, ‘Queer, queer, what a dear little dock! I mean, dear, dear, what a queer little rock!’” (29).

The story’s setting reinforces this sense of both fantasy and reality. The Island of Tangerina exists nowhere in reality, but is filled with tangerine trees—something that exists in the real world. The narrator details the exact number of tangerines that Elmer picks and eats, adding to the sense of the narrative being true. Chrisman Gannett’s black and white illustrations appear on nearly every page and tell the story nearly as completely as the text, adding immediacy. The detailed maps of the Island of Tangerina and Wild Island are annotated, highlighting where “true” events in the story take place. Meanwhile flying fish, a grinning whale, and a sea monster caper around, capturing the story’s fantastical nature.

My Father’s Dragon has the feel of a fairy tale. It conveys a sense of timelessness: The reader does not know where or when the story begins; instead, it seems to take place “once upon a time.” Like a fairy tale, the story has the magical element of talking animals.

However, unlike fairy tale heroes, Elmer relies on himself instead of magical support or intervention. Elmer is adventurous and plucky; these initial chapters reveal his big heart, bravery, and cleverness. Elmer longs to explore the wider world and wishes for an airplane to take him on adventures, “to fly just anywhere you might think of!” (3). Elmer seizes the opportunity to rescue the dragon; it is both an adventure with a potential reward for himself, and a crusade for a righteous cause.

Through Elmer, Gannnett shows that Kindness Is Key. Elmer is compassionate and sensitive about inequity. He unquestioningly wants to aid the vulnerable, enslaved dragon. Unlike others, including his mother, Elmer empathizes with the old cat’s discomfort and invites her home for food and shelter. Elmer also shows great courage. From the start of his adventure, Elmer faces dangerous obstacles with aplomb, like crossing the slippery rock bridge in the dark. He displays The Value of Ingenuity and Preparation. Elmer shows resourcefulness by packing a collection of items that seem childish and fantastical, but which will prove useful. Elmer learns from his mistake of leaving out tangerine peels; he recognizes that he is a trespasser and cannot risk discovery by the two suspicious boars. His fortitude, ingenuity, and integrity will help him achieve his goal.