Summer of the Monkeys

A theme of perseverance becomes evident over the course of Jay Berry’s attempts to catch the monkeys. He is abundantly confident that he can catch them readily, as he has Grandpa’s good steel traps, his own skill and ingenuity, and the motivation for challenging work thanks to the reward money. Moreover, both his grandfather and his father indicate strong belief in the possibility of Jay Berry’s quick success; Grandpa says, “Just set your traps in the dirt, and hang an apple above each one. I think that’ll do the job” (26), and Papa tells him, “You go right ahead and have a go at those monkeys. Maybe you can catch them; you’ve caught everything else in these hills” (31). Additionally, Jay Berry has “never intended to be anything but a hunter or an explorer”; the path to trapping the creatures and earning the reward money feels clear (21). The contrast between his assumed success and the rapidity with which Jimbo outsmarts him adds humor. Not only does Jimbo evade the traps and keep his smaller cohorts safe, but he also steals the traps right out from under Jay Berry, and Jay Berry will not see those traps again for weeks.