The Wild Robot

“And then came the last crate. […] The crate was cracked and crumpled, but the robot inside was safe.”

From the beginning of the story, it is highlighted that Roz is a very special robot. The reader follows the fate of the crates that are swallowed up by the waves, then that of the crates that make it to the shores of the island. One lone crate survives, with one lone robot inside. This passage highlights the extraordinary circumstances that led to Roz being the only survivor of the sinking ship and how she came to the island.

“As you might know, robots don’t really feel emotions. […] And yet, as she sat in her crumpled crate, Roz felt something like curiosity.” 

This is the first instance in which the author uses the phrase “felt something like” to describe Roz’s “feelings,” her robotic responses that can be compared to human emotions. The Roz’s character is developed to show how, even though she is a robot, she experiences the world in ways to which the reader can relate, creating empathy through difference. She feels curiosity about her surroundings, having just been activated.

“Animal sounds filled the forest. Chirps and wingbeats and rustlings in the underbrush. […] The forest animals fell silent, and from their hiding places they watched as a sparkling monster stomped past.”

This is the animals’ first introduction to Roz, watching as she makes her way through the forest. The animals do not understand what she is and thus consider her a monster. Her metallic appearance and unnatural way of moving make the animals instantly judge her as foreign and repugnant.