Plot Summary
In Chapter Six of My Father's Dragon, titled "My Father Meets a Rhinoceros," Elmer Elevator continues his journey through Wild Island following a trail that he hopes will lead him to the captive baby dragon. Shortly after setting out, he overhears two wild boars discussing the mysterious "invasion" on the island, having learned from the tortoises that someone was spotted the previous night. The boars split up to search: one heads toward the dragon, another back through the clearing, and a small mouse is sent to watch the Ocean Rocks. Elmer hides behind a mahogany tree and narrowly avoids detection as the first boar passes him on the trail.
Continuing along the path, Elmer stops at a brook to drink, only to be snatched up by a rhinoceros who catches him by the seat of his pants with its tusk. The rhinoceros is furious that Elmer has trespassed in its "private weeping pool" and threatens to drown him. Through conversation, Elmer discovers that the rhinoceros weeps constantly because its once-pearly-white tusk has turned an ugly yellow-gray with age. Thinking quickly, Elmer offers to restore the tusk's whiteness using the toothbrush and toothpaste from his pack. After scrubbing a small spot and revealing the gleaming white beneath, the rhinoceros is overjoyed and begins brushing furiously, completely forgetting about Elmer. Just then, the suspicious boar returns from the clearing where the tigers are still chewing gum, but the rhinoceros is too absorbed in brushing to answer questions. The boar trots off toward the dragon, muttering about the unsettling "invasion" disrupting the island's animals.
Character Development
Elmer continues to demonstrate the quick thinking and empathy that define him as a protagonist. Rather than panicking when caught by the rhinoceros, he listens carefully to the animal's complaint and identifies a practical solution from his carefully packed supplies. This chapter reveals that Elmer's heroism lies not in physical strength but in his ability to understand what others truly need. The rhinoceros, meanwhile, is characterized as both threatening and surprisingly vulnerable—an imposing creature undone by vanity and self-consciousness about his appearance. The boar emerges as an increasingly determined antagonist, growing more suspicious with each distracted animal he encounters and actively organizing a search for the intruder.
Themes and Motifs
The chapter reinforces the book's central theme of cleverness triumphing over brute force. Elmer's knapsack of ordinary household items continues to serve as a symbol of resourceful preparation, with each item proving unexpectedly useful against a different animal. The rhinoceros's "private weeping pool" introduces a motif of hidden insecurity beneath a fearsome exterior, suggesting that even the most intimidating obstacles can be overcome by addressing emotional needs rather than matching physical power. The boar's mounting frustration represents the ticking clock of Elmer's mission, as the island's animals draw closer to discovering him.
Literary Devices
Gannett employs dramatic irony throughout the chapter, as the reader understands that the "invasion" the boars discuss is simply a resourceful boy with a knapsack. The rhinoceros encounter uses situational irony—an animal that threatens drowning is itself drowning in tears over its appearance. The humorous juxtaposition of a dangerous wild animal obsessively brushing its tusk like a child with a new toothbrush creates gentle comedy. The frame narrative ("my father") maintains the storytelling distance that gives the tale its fairy-tale quality, while the boar's closing monologue functions as rising action, building suspense as the net of suspicion tightens around Elmer.