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Tarzan

Edgar Rice Burroughs · 1928

Explore the age guidance, content cautions, positive qualities, and supporting notes for Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This book is recommended for ages 14+; content notes include Death of a character, Violence, Frightening scenes; positive qualities include Courage & resilience, Creativity & curiosity.

Ages 14+Source checked

Why this age? Frequent lethal adventure violence and deaths combine with disturbing racial ideology, colonial stereotypes, and mature historical themes. Older teens benefit from context about racism and white supremacy. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age14+

Strongest cautions

  • Death of a character4/5
  • Violence4/5
  • Frightening scenes3/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Creativity & curiosity4/5
  • Good role models2/5

What’s in it?

Death of a character4/5
Why this rating?

Multiple human deaths are central to the plot and Tarzan's identity, including revenge killings and lethal attacks on racialized enemies.

Graphic injury3/5
Why this rating?

Graphic descriptions of jungle animal attacks and human death, often involving blood and gore.

Strong language2/5
Why this rating?

Contains period-appropriate racial slurs and derogatory language reflecting 1912 societal norms.

Religious themes1/5
Why this rating?

Christianity is referenced in the context of Western cultural expectations and social background.

Romance2/5
Why this rating?

A central romantic plot involves the attraction between Tarzan and Jane.

Frightening scenes3/5
Why this rating?

The jungle setting, predators, dangerous encounters, captivity, and threats to Jane create sustained peril and frightening situations.

Sexual content & nudity1/5
Why this rating?

The supplied material references sexual violence and threats to Jane, but does not indicate consensual sexual activity or explicit sexual detail.

Alcohol or drugs1/5
Why this rating?

Occasional references to drinking within a colonial or exploration context.

Violence4/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan repeatedly hunts, fights, kills, and pursues human enemies; violence is central to his heroic identity and includes hanging and killing Black characters.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan repeatedly faces dangerous animals, enemies, and wilderness threats with exceptional bravery, though some actions are reckless or violent.

Creativity & curiosity4/5
Why this rating?

The feral-child premise, imagined ape society, jungle world, survival challenges, and adventure plotting strongly stimulate imaginative engagement.

Diverse representation1/5
Why this rating?

The work includes Black African characters, but the supplied evidence shows them chiefly through racist stereotypes and as targets of Tarzan's violence, not as equally developed agents.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

Offers insight into early 20th-century literature and anthropological attitudes of the period.

Kindness & empathy1/5
Why this rating?

Kindness exists between specific individuals but is often outweighed by the survival-of-the-fittest jungle mentality.

Positive messages2/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan rewards courage and loyalty, but the story also treats racial hierarchy and killing Black people as heroic, making its overall message deeply mixed and harmful.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan shows courage and loyalty, but his celebrated killing and racist worldview make him a highly problematic role model without critical context.

Family discussion

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Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What did courage look like in this story? Was being brave always the same as being fearless?
  2. How did the story approach death or loss? What helped the characters cope?
  3. Which choice in Tarzan would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Tarzan, and what caused that change?
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These content notes are a starting point, not a guarantee. Review the evidence and use your own judgment before choosing a title.

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