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Tarzan of the Apes

Edgar Rice Burroughs · 1912

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

Ages 14+Source checked

Why this age? Frequent lethal peril, parental deaths, grief, hunting, revenge, colonial violence, and strongly dated racial ideas accompany an emotionally and historically complex adventure narrative. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

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At a glance

Recommended age14+

Strongest cautions

  • Death of a character4/5
  • Frightening scenes4/5
  • Violence4/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Creativity & curiosity4/5
  • Positive messages3/5

What’s in it?

Death of a character4/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan's mother, father, adoptive sibling, Kala, Kerchak and others die; death and grief strongly shape his identity and actions.

Graphic injury3/5
Why this rating?

The text includes severe wounds and violent deaths, though the supplied material does not establish sustained graphic anatomical detail.

Strong language2/5
Why this rating?

Occasional usage of language reflective of the period's cultural views.

Religious themes1/5
Why this rating?

Not a significant element of the plot.

Romance3/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan's attraction to Jane and the conflict involving her engagement are important to the plot, though romance is not the sole focus.

Frightening scenes4/5
Why this rating?

The story includes orphanhood, deadly predators, severe attacks, hostile tribes, abduction-like danger, and a dangerous fire. Peril is frequent and sometimes intense.

Sexual content & nudity1/5
Why this rating?

No explicit sexual content or nudity.

Violence4/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan hunts, fights and kills animals and people; major attacks, tribal conflict, revenge, and lethal confrontations are central to the adventure.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan repeatedly confronts predators, enemies, fire, isolation and social displacement, often risking himself to rescue others.

Creativity & curiosity4/5
Why this rating?

The premise, jungle setting, self-taught literacy, survival ingenuity and imaginative identity conflict strongly invite imaginative engagement.

Diverse representation1/5
Why this rating?

The story includes African and European characters and explores human-animal identity, but its colonial racial hierarchy and stereotypes substantially limit representation.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

It offers historical and cultural themes about empire, race, civilization and identity, but is primarily an adventure novel rather than instruction.

Kindness & empathy2/5
Why this rating?

Adoption, rescue, loyalty and sacrifice appear alongside cruelty, raiding and revenge, making compassion present but inconsistent.

Positive messages3/5
Why this rating?

The story explores identity, heredity, civilization, loyalty, self-sacrifice and colonial racial hierarchy, but also presents troubling superiority-based ideas.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

Tarzan shows courage, loyalty and self-sacrifice, but also kills, raids, takes revenge and treats a community cruelly; modeling is morally mixed.

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 of the Apes would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Tarzan of the Apes, 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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