OVERLAY REPORT

In the 1999 Disney film *Tarzan*, the main characters know each other through three distinct social and narrative groups that converge in the African jungle. ### 1. Tarzan and his Gorilla Family Tarzan’s relationship with the gorillas is rooted in a tragic backstory established at the start of the film. * **Kala:** Tarzan knows Kala as his adoptive mother. She discovered him as an infant in a treehouse built by his biological parents (the Greystokes) after they were killed by the leopard **Sabor**. Kala, having just lost her own biological infant to Sabor, rescued Tarzan and raised him as her own. * **Kerchak:** As the leader of the troop and Kala's mate, Kerchak "knows" Tarzan as a dangerous outsider. He initially refused to acknowledge Tarzan as a son, seeing him only as a potential threat to the troop. Tarzan spent his entire life trying to earn Kerchak's acceptance. * **Terk and Tantor:** Terk is a gorilla and Tarzan’s childhood best friend (she is actually Kala's niece, making her Tarzan’s adoptive cousin). They met when they were young in the jungle. **Tantor**, a germaphobic elephant, joined their group after a "dare" where Tarzan had to retrieve an elephant hair, leading to a lifelong friendship. ### 2. The Human Expedition (Jane, Professor Porter, and Clayton) These characters already knew each other before the film began, arriving in Africa together from **London**. * **Jane and Professor Archimedes Q. Porter:** They are father and daughter. The Professor is an eccentric scientist specializing in gorillas, and Jane is an artist and ethnologist who accompanies him to document their findings. * **Clayton:** A veteran hunter and guide, Clayton was hired by the Porters in England to provide protection during their expedition. While the Porters believe he is there solely for their safety, he secretly intended to poach the gorillas for profit. ### 3. The First Meeting: Tarzan and the Humans The two groups first interact during a pivotal sequence in the jungle: * **Tarzan and Jane:** They meet when Jane becomes separated from her father and Clayton while chasing a baby baboon to retrieve her sketchbook. She is ambushed by a massive troop of baboons and is rescued by Tarzan. During this encounter, they realize they are the same species by comparing their hands and heartbeats. * **Tarzan, the Professor, and Clayton:** Jane leads Tarzan back to the human base camp. This is where Tarzan is introduced to the concept of other men. The Professor is fascinated by him as a "missing link," while Clayton views him as a tool to find the "nesting grounds" of the gorillas. ### Specific Detail: The "Clayton" Connection While the 1999 film presents Tarzan and Clayton as complete strangers, in the original **Edgar Rice Burroughs** novels, they are actually **biological cousins**. Tarzan’s real name is John Clayton III, and William Cecil Clayton is his cousin who unknowingly inherited the Greystoke estate after Tarzan's parents disappeared. The Disney film pays homage to this by giving the villain the name "Clayton" and giving him a similar chin and facial structure to Tarzan, though the movie never explicitly states they are related.