The story Leiningen Versus the Ants contains all three of the different types of conflict, however, the predominant conflict is
man versus environment
. The primary conflict is Man versus his environment because the majority of the story is about Leiningen pitting himself against the ants.
What is one of the themes in Leiningen Versus the Ants?
Two important themes of “Leiningen Versus the Ants” are
self-reliance and individualism
. Lieningen, the protagonist, has made his success on intelligence, choosing to think through obstacles instead of acting emotionally: …
How did Leiningen defeat the ants?
Leiningen finally defeats the ants
by running through the army of ants to reach the wheel of the weir
, which is nearly two miles away.
What threat do the ants pose to Leiningen his men and his plantation?
The ants pose the greatest of threats to Leiningen, for
they threaten to destroy his entire coffee plantation, and kill the peons who work for him as well as himself
. These army ants are not small, and they come in biblical numbers.
What is the characterization of Leiningen Versus the Ants?
Mr, Leiningen is introduced as
a stubborn, and arrogant plantation owner
. He has very high confidence in his own intelligence and underestimates his enemy. Towards the end of the story you see Leiningen lose confidence in his own superiority over the ants.
What is Leiningen’s motto?
Leiningen’s motto is “
The human brain needs only to become fully aware of its power to conquer even the elements
” (p. 81). By believing this motto, Leiningen feels he can overcome anything. On one level, this is true, as rational thought coupled with decisive action can lead to victory.
What is the central conflict in Leiningen versus the Ants and how is this conflict resolved?
However, as he fights the ants, Leiningen comes to the conclusion that he will not give up and run, but will fight until his last breath; he feels that he owes that to both his men, who believe in him and fight for him, and for his own personal pride. In this manner, he
resolves his internal conflict
.
Is Leiningen motto true?
Eventually Leiningen is forced to face the ants physically in order to accomplish one last maneuver to deter the ants. While it nearly costs him his life, Leiningen does defeat this foe by using his brain.
His motto does appear to be true
, at least for him.
What is the most significant act that Leiningen did?
So, though Leiningen has created complex and thorough defenses of many kinds on his plantation, he believes that the single most powerful weapon he has with which to fight against the oncoming ants,
the “act of God
,” is his intelligence.
What country did Leiningen live in?
You may also enjoy reading our collection of Dystopian Stories. Leiningen is an industrious coffee plantation owner in
Brazil
. He has built his farm up through hard work and ingenuity.
What is Leiningen’s first line of defense?
Leiningen’s main defense against the ants is
a moat
, designed to fill and empty with water to drown and wash away the ants. Instead of just being filled with water, it can be opened and closed, so the ants won’t fill it with their bodies.
At what point in the story does it first seem that Leiningen has snatched victory from the very jaws of defeat How do the ants recover?
Leiningen sends someone to dam the river more strongly so that the water level in the moat will rise and the water will flow more swiftly
. This causes the mass of ants to disperse. This is when it seems that “victory had been snatched from the very jaws of defeat.”
What is the setting of the story Leiningen vs the ants?
Leiningen, the owner of
a plantation in the Brazilian rainforest
, is warned by the district commissioner that a swarm of ferocious and organised soldier ants is approaching and that he must flee. … Eventually, the ants breach that line of defence and the men retreat behind a second moat, this time filled with petrol.
What various methods did Leiningen use to overcome the ants quizlet?
- Moat.
- Cutting the branches over the moat and river.
- The Second ditch of petrol.
- Petrol sprinklers.
- throwing sand and dirt at the ants.
What are the strengths of Leiningen?
His most admirable strength is
his insistence on fighting the ants with his men
; while he could have instructed them to fight alone, and they would have agreed because of their respect for him, Leiningen is on the front lines with them at all times, directing and helping as they battle the ants.
What behavior of the ants make them appear to be intelligent beings?
The ant scouts report back to the others what is in their way—the water. The watchers imagine that there is some kind of
“telepathy” at work among the ants
, as they become more and more aware of the true situation and the shape of the horseshoe ditch. Every time the ants become more aware, they regroup.
