Political Sciences

Read the following folktale about six blind men who encounter an elephant for the first time. The
story is a contemporary version of an Indian parable that was adapted in the 19th century by
British poet John Godfrey Saxe. While a simple story, this tale is also a clever examination of the
pitfalls of human knowledge and our ability to comprehend the world beyond ourselves. After
you have read through the story, think about its implications for anthropology and the study of
cultures that differ from our own. Your consideration of these implications will prepare you for
upcoming anthropological adventures and challenges. In class, we will watch portions of the
classic anthropological film “First Contact,” which records the first historic interactions between
two different societies. Each society reacted to the other in very different ways depending upon
the group’s shared knowledge and experience (this represents culture as a “frame of reference”).
You should begin to appreciate connections between this simple folktale and the complexities of
the human world.
At the end of the story you will find a series of tasks for you to complete in writing. Please
explore the resources for Topic 1 before completing this assignment. There are specific resources
discussed below that all students must use but there are also many other helpful resources.
THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT*
Long ago six old men lived in a village in India. Each was born blind. The other
villagers loved the old men and kept them away from harm. Since the blind men
could not see the world for themselves, they had to imagine many of its wonders.
They listened carefully to the stories told by travelers to learn what they could
about life outside the village.
The men were curious about many of the stories they heard, but they were most
curious about elephants. They were told that elephants could trample forests,
carry huge burdens, and frighten young and old with their loud trumpet calls. But
they also knew that the Rajah’s daughter rode an elephant when she traveled in
her father’s kingdom. Would the Rajah let his daughter get near such a dangerous
creature?
The old men argued day and night about elephants. “An elephant must be a
powerful giant,” claimed the first blind man. He had heard stories about elephants
being used to clear forests and build roads.
“No, you must be wrong,” argued the second blind man. “An elephant must be
graceful and gentle if a princess is to ride on its back.”
“You’re wrong! I have heard that an elephant can pierce a man’s heart with its
terrible horn,” said the third blind man.
“Please,” said the fourth blind man. “You are all mistaken. An elephant is nothing
more than a large sort of cow. You know how people exaggerate.”
“I am sure that an elephant is something magical,” said the fifth blind man. “That
© Matthew Leigh Murray
2
would explain why the Rajah’s daughter can travel safely throughout the
kingdom.”
“I don’t believe elephants exist at all,” declared the sixth blind man. “I think we
are the victims of a cruel joke.”
Finally, the villagers grew tired of all the arguments, and they arranged for the
curious men to visit the palace of the Rajah to learn the truth about elephants. A
young boy from their village was selected to guide the blind men on their journey.
The smallest man put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. The second blind man put
his hand on his friend’s shoulder, and so on until all six men were ready to walk
safely behind the boy who would lead them to the Rajah’s magnificent palace.
When the blind men reached the palace, an old friend from their village who
worked as a gardener on the palace grounds greeted them. Their friend led them
to the courtyard. There stood an elephant. The blind men stepped forward to touch
the creature that was the subject of so many arguments.
The first blind man reached out and touched the side of the huge animal. “An
elephant is smooth and solid like a wall!” he declared. “It must be very powerful.”
The second blind man put his hand on the elephant’s limber trunk. “An elephant is
like a giant snake,” he announced.