The Conflict of Leaving

The One and Only Ivan

Relocation offers a route out of the mall but forces Ivan and Ruby to confront grief, trauma, and the unknown.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Ruby's Fear of Separation Ruby's Fear of Separation from "The One and Only Ivan". Ruby's Fear of Separation A home that is familiar Ruby says she wants Ivan, Bob, and Julia rather than a zoo.

Ruby's Fear of Separation from "The One and Only Ivan". Ruby's Fear of Separation A home that is familiar Ruby says she wants Ivan, Bob, and Julia rather than a zoo.

Ruby's Fear of Separation A home that is familiar Ruby says she wants Ivan, Bob, and Julia rather than a zoo. She has formed bonds at the mall and cannot yet imagine that another place could meet needs she does not know how to name. Ivan reframes the place Ivan tells her that the mall is a prison, not a home. The disagreement is painful because he must encourage her to leave the companions who helped her endure captivity.

Ivan's Memory of the Crate Ivan's Memory of the Crate from "The One and Only Ivan". Ivan's Memory of the Crate The past inside the present The transport box recalls the cramped crate in which Ivan and Tag were taken from their family.

Ivan's Memory of the Crate from "The One and Only Ivan". Ivan's Memory of the Crate The past inside the present The transport box recalls the cramped crate in which Ivan and Tag were taken from their family.

Ivan's Memory of the Crate The past inside the present The transport box recalls the cramped crate in which Ivan and Tag were taken from their family. Ivan fears that entering another box may repeat the loss rather than end it. A safety plan challenged Bob explains that the animals are being moved to zoos or shelters, but explanation cannot erase what Ivan remembers. His uncertainty gives the rescue a psychological conflict as real as the physical move.

The Open Door The Open Door from "The One and Only Ivan". The Open Door Choice under observation Ivan sees the doors to his enclosure and the transport box open.

The Open Door from "The One and Only Ivan". The Open Door Choice under observation Ivan sees the doors to his enclosure and the transport box open.

The Open Door Choice under observation Ivan sees the doors to his enclosure and the transport box open. Maya uses clicker rewards, while Ruby watches from behind her bars, making Ivan's decision part of her own effort to trust the journey. A voluntary crossing Ivan sniffs the interior and steps inside. The action is small in outward terms, but it marks a decisive change from being carried away as an infant to participating, however cautiously, in his own relocation.

Goodbye to Julia Goodbye to Julia from "The One and Only Ivan". Goodbye to Julia A final visit Julia presses her hand to Ivan's glass and explains that it is her last night at the mall.

Goodbye to Julia from "The One and Only Ivan". Goodbye to Julia A final visit Julia presses her hand to Ivan's glass and explains that it is her last night at the mall.

Goodbye to Julia A final visit Julia presses her hand to Ivan's glass and explains that it is her last night at the mall. She is sad but believes the move is good for the animals, even though it separates them from one another. A wordless exchange Julia leaves Ivan a drawing of him and Ruby in a happier future. Ivan cannot answer in human words, but the image gives him a way to receive her affection before the transport begins.

The New Door The New Door from "The One and Only Ivan". The New Door Courage borrowed from Ruby Ivan initially refuses to socialize and later retreats after Kinyani tests him.

The New Door from "The One and Only Ivan". The New Door Courage borrowed from Ruby Ivan initially refuses to socialize and later retreats after Kinyani tests him.

The New Door Courage borrowed from Ruby Ivan initially refuses to socialize and later retreats after Kinyani tests him. Remembering Ruby's curiosity and willingness to enter her box, he decides to try again. Entry into a new life The door opens and Ivan steps outside. His arrival does not guarantee easy acceptance, but it begins a process in which he can test, learn, and belong rather than remain alone behind the old mall glass.

When the zoo team begins training Ruby with a transport box

After workers install a box sized for Ivan

The day before transport, when Maya rewards Ivan for approaching the box

The night before the move, when Julia learns her father has been fired

After Ivan has met the gorillas at the zoo and tried again the next day