Jim Button and Lucas the Machinist

Jim Button and Lucas the Machinist (original title: Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer) is a German children's novel written by Michael Ende. Published in 1960, it became one of the German children's books of the post-war years after being rejected by a dozen publishers. It received the German Prize for Youth Literature in 1961 and has been translated into 33 languages. This success led to the publication in 1962 of Jim Botón and the 13 Savages (original title: Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13), the second of the parts into which the story was divided for reasons editorials, since they considered its length excessive.

Michael Ende grew up in Nazi Germany. His father, Edgar Ende, was a painter banned for & # 34; degenerate & # 34; in 1936. Ende began writing the story in 1956 to respond to Nazi ideology and its perverse use of the theory of evolution. In a 1991 radio interview, he stated that "The idea of racism and racial discrimination came from a revision of Darwin's theories. Citing Nazi euphemisms, he added, the & # 39; extermination of lives unworthy of life & # 39; and & # 39; concentration camps'."

Ende did not see his book as children's literature, he only wrote for himself. He based the character's name on Jemmy Button, a native Fuegian, who in the 19th century XIX, as a teenager, he was sold for a mother-of-pearl button and taken to England. He later managed to return home aboard HMS Beagle, on his voyage to the Galapagos Islands, along with his fellow passenger Charles Darwin, who later wrote about the episode.

That Ende's book was full of Nazi symbols and images in his head, and that his English references came from his interest in Darwin, was unknown until late 2008, when Julia Voss, a German journalist, published an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which reveals the background of the story. Voss cites aspects of Ende's book and English colonialism, showing their similarity. His examples of Nazi education and indoctrination, as well as information about Ende's own experiences, reveal the sources that inspired him.

Argument

Jim Button and Lucas the Machinist

The story begins on a small island called Lummerland, which has enough space for a small palace, a train station and rails throughout the island, a supermarket, a small house, a king, two subjects, a locomotive called Emma, and the locomotive driver named Lucas (Lukas) (who, as a railway official, is not a subject). One day, the postman - who has to arrive by boat - leaves a package with an almost illegible address for aMrs. Cursing in xuMMRlANT . On the back was a large 13. After a futile search for the recipient among the few inhabitants of Lummerland, they open the package. To his immense surprise, there is a black baby inside. After the commotion has died down, the baby is adopted by the islanders and they name him Jim Button.

As Jim grows older, the King begins to worry because the island is too small and there will not be enough room for Jim to live when he is an adult. He announces to Lucas that they must get rid of Emma. Lucas, unhappy with this decision, decides to leave the island with Emma, and Jim (who has overheard Lucas recounting his concerns to Emma) decides to leave with him. They convert Emma into a makeshift sailboat and leave the island at night, reaching the end of their journey on the shores of China.

When they arrive in Ping, the capital, they gain the friendship of a little great-grandson named Ping Pong, who tells them that the Emperor was very sad. Their daughter, Li Si, had been kidnapped and was being held in the City of Dragons. Lucas and Jim offer their help, and while investigating the circumstances of Li Si's disappearance, they come across several names that are related to the Jim's mysterious arrival in Lummerland: Mrs. Cursed, the Wild 13, and Kummerland. Now Jim and Lucas have another reason to go to the City of Dragons, which is located in Kummerland, and find Mrs. Cursed.

After a long and dangerous journey, they arrive at the City of Dragons. Along the way they have made two new friends, the giant Mr. Tur Tur (who is actually just an Apparent Giant), and Nepomuk, the half-dragon. Jim and Lucas free Princess Li Si and several children who have been kidnapped and sold to Mrs. Cursed by a gang of pirates (the Wild 13). Mrs. Cursed has chained the children to the desks of her school, where she gave her lessons screaming like a commander. Jim and Lucas grab Mrs. Cursed and make her return with them across the Yellow River, which originates in the Dragon City, right behind Cursed's house. Upon arriving in Ping, they receive a triumphant welcome and surprising news. Mrs. Cursed becomes a Golden Dragon of Wisdom, and the inhabitants of Lummerland want to return home.

When they separate, they receive the advice of the transformed Mrs. Cursed and the generous help of the Emperor, thanks to which Lucas and Jim take possession of a floating island called New Lummerland, which will serve as Jim's future residence. once added to Lummerland. After a warm welcome in Lummerland, Jim and Li Si get engaged. Finally, Emma has a daughter, a little engine, whom they call Molly.

Jim Button and the 13 Savages

Jim Button and the 13 Savages (original German title: Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13) is the second of the 2 parts into which the book was divided for its edition.

Life in Lummerland continues as normal until the postman crashes into New Lummerland with his mail boat in the dead of night. It is decided that the island needs a lighthouse, but is too small to support one. Jim remembers Mr. Tur Tur's ability to look like a giant when he is seen from afar, so Jim and Lucas decide to invite him to Lummerland so that his ability can turn him into a living lighthouse.

While sailing across the oceans with Emma and Molly to reach the desert where Mr. Tur Tur lives, Jim and Lucas stop to help a mermaid named Sursulapitschi and her father, Lormoral, the king of the seas. This leads them to an uncertain encounter with the Great Imam of Gurumuch on the magnetic rocks. The magnetic force can be turned on and off. When it is turned on, the sea is illuminated and the entire bottom is illuminated, but the magnetic force is very dangerous for ships passing nearby. You have to find someone to check that there is no danger to any boat if the lighting is turned on. Additionally, Sursulapitchi is distraught because her boyfriend, a shelled Nock named Uchaurichuuum, has been commissioned by his father to make an Eternity Crystal, a task that is only possible with the help of a fire creature, with which the Sea dwellers are at war.

Jim and Lucas, thanks to the properties of the cliff stones, turn Emma into a flying vehicle that they nickname "Perpetummobile" due to her unlimited capacity for movement. Thus, they cross the Crown of the World looking for Mr. Tur Tur. To their surprise, in the desert, they also find his friend the half-dragon Nepomuk, who had had to leave the vicinity of the City of Dragons for his help in capturing Mrs. Cursing. Jim and Lucas persuade Nepomuk to come with them and become the guardian of the magnetic rocks. Unexpectedly the four encounter Sursulapitchi and Uchaurichuuum on the rocks, and Carapace Nock and Nepomuk quickly become friends, allowing the creation of the Crystal of Eternity.

Meanwhile, Molly, Jim's engine, which Jim and Lucas had left on the rocks during the search for Mr. Tur Tur, had been kidnapped by a gang of pirates called the Wild 13. Fortunately for Jim and Lucas the former Mrs. Cursed has awakened as the Golden Dragon of Wisdom in China and can help them with information, and she tells Jim how to find her origins. With the help of the Chinese Emperor, Jim, Lucas, and Princess Li Si, who had stowed away, begin their journey to find the Wild 13 and rescue Molly. In their encounter with the pirates, they prove to be too much for them in battle. Molly is lost at sea, and everyone except Jim is captured and taken to the pirates' base, the Eye of the Tempest, a pinnacle of rock within the eye of a perpetual hurricane.

Hidden, Jim manages to sneak into the pirates' fortress and thanks to a trick and a little luck he manages to subdue them and becomes their leader. Jim learns that he is the descendant of Balthazar the third of the Three Kings, whose descendants have been left homeless since Mrs. Cursing sank her kingdom under the sea thousands of years ago. Only the sinking of the Eye of the Storm will raise the lost kingdom back to the surface. Finally the 13 Savages sacrifice their fortress and the ancient kingdom reappears, and to everyone's surprise Lummerland is located at the top of the highest mountain.

The families of all the children that Jim and Lucas rescued from the City of Dragons come to live in the new country. Jim marries Li Si and they receive Molly whose iron has been converted into the Crystal of Eternity from the sea dwellers. The 13 Savages, reformed by their sacrifice, remain in Jim's kingdom as protectors and royal guard. Mr. Tur Tur, is going to live in Lummerland as the largest lighthouse in the world.

Scenario

"Lummerland", where the story begins, is a microcosm of the first stage of modern society, with a king, a citizen, a merchant and a worker. The novel sits firmly in the XX century, but it has anachronistic elements. China is still an empire, the Native American Indians and the Inuit still live traditionally, yet there are ocean liners, telephones, a postal service, chewing gum and other modern conveniences. There are many fictional locations, such as the Crown of the World, a large mountain range colored in red and white stripes, and the Magnetic Rocks. Some locations are based on real places, such as the Himalayas, and others are legendary, such as the magnetic rocks in the “Voyages of Sinbad the Sailorand a beautiful abandoned city, under the sea based on Atlantis. China is described in a fantastic way; In later German editions the name of the country became Mandala, but in more recent editions the original name was recovered.

In Lummerland its inhabitants lead an idyllic life, with an old-fashioned appearance, but enjoying modern comforts. The rest of the world is full of fantasy. As the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote, children read Jim Button at a time in their lives when 'the existence of dragons is as real as dinosaurs and kings are closer than ministers.' Contrast between reality and fantasy is reflected in the different places. In Lummerland, Jim is a normal boy. He plays in the street and doesn't want to wash; His mother sometimes worries about him. Outside of Lummerland, however, he goes on adventures, learns about exotic cultures, fights dragons, and ultimately saves the princess (as in the classic tales, Jim grows and matures).

List of Jim Button characters

Jim Boton (Jim Knopf)

the titular hero, shares the glory and is the companion of his best friend Lucas the Machinist. It grows in Lummerland under the care of Mrs. Quee. He wants to be a locomotive, too. Her name comes from her custom to tighten her pants every time she makes a mischief and the lady Quée put a button on so it could open up and it didn't break anymore. When he marries the daughter of the Emperor of China he becomes king of Jimballa by his own right, he does not renounce driving his own locomotive.

Lucas (Lukas)

Lummerland's engineer is Jim's best friend. While Jim represents the adventurous youth, Lucas is the experienced man and practically the one who manages and solves all the technical problems. It is very strong and has a great skill spitting, even making a loop with saliva. Its distinctive is its pipe, which smokes in emotional situations.

Princess Li Yes

The daughter of the Emperor of China is quite fit, especially when it comes to discipline. Admire Jim for his courage and intelligence, even though for a long time he refuses to learn to read and write, skills that she dominates very well.

Emma and Molly.

Lucas and Jim steam locomotives. Emma is very sensitive, and she expresses her feelings about Luke's mood for whistles and resoplanting, despite the fact that she often doesn't understand the reason for her owner's mood. Molly's smaller and younger.

Mrs. What? (Frau Waas)

the owner of a grocery store in Lummerland and Jim's adoptive mother. She loves Jim heartily and cares about him constantly when he is in his adventures. His special ability is to make sweets, ice creams and especially a cake called Gugelhupf .

King Alfonso Doce-less-Fourth (König Alfons der Viertel-vor-Zwölfte)

the king of Lummerland, who owes his nickname at the time he was born, which is the same as his subjects in the holidays. It's well intentioned, but it gets very nervous under pressure and it's very forgetful.

Mr. Manga (Herr Ärmel)

a citizen of Lummerland and a subject of King Alfonso. He is portrayed as a stereotyped English, most of the time he is seen taking a walk, wearing a light bulb and wearing a umbrella on his arm. It is very cult and educated and is highly esteemed by the rest of the island's inhabitants.

Mr. Tur

the apparent giant (Scheinriese) is a modest and kind person and is vegetarian, but unfortunately he is detained because of his unusual nature. When seen from the distance, it looks like a giant, scaring anyone who sees it. That's why he lives in an oasis in the desert, "The End of the World."

Nepomuk

half-dragon by birth (his mother was a hippopotamus), he looks like his mother. Like his fellow mestizo dragons, he is not accepted by the pure blood dragons in Kummerland. Try to behave like a "authentic" dragon, being terrifying and ruining, when it's not really either. However he is able to help Uchaurichuuum create the Eternity Crystal, and becomes the guardian of the magnetic rocks.

Ping Pong

a very young and small Chinese boy whose head is the size of a ping pong ball. With just over a year and not greater than a man's hand, he is perfectly able to behave and think like an adult. He is one of the descendants of the Emperor's head of kitchen. After saving Jim and Lucas from a treacherous minister, he is made China's prime minister by the Emperor – a role for which he is extremely capable.

Mrs. Evil (Frau Mahlzahn)

a pure breed dragon and the main villain of the first part of history. His name comes from a single chopper that stands out from his muzzle. She is very prudent, but as all dragons like to torment inferior beings with their power. She runs a children's school in Kummerland.

The 13 Salvages (Die Wilde Dreizehn)

a band of pirates where all are completely identical in appearance and capacity. Terrible pirates and sailors, they are not particularly bright and have little education. Each of them only knows a letter from the alphabet; they are always needing a leader. portrayed as antagonists, they become the main characters of the second part of the story.

Literary references

Voss's 2008 article explains that Ende's book was not "escapist literature" of pure fantasy, as Ende himself had already warned with his frequent warnings about hiding messages in books. Voss identifies numerous literary references in the book, some contrary to the Nazi indoctrination of young Ende and other young men, which come from his interest in Darwin and his knowledge of English culture and history.

Darwin's first book, The Voyage of the Beagle, contains passages about Jemmy Button, a native Fuegian teenager who was sold in exchange for a mother-of-pearl button and taken to England, an island nation. Darwin describes Button's character and behavior and tells details about his capture and sale, explaining his strange name, and about his return to his homeland two years later.

British references

Like the real Jemmy Button, Ende's Jim Button is sent to an island nation and is seen by its inhabitants as exotic, but in his case he is quickly accepted and becomes loved. Maritime trade, which during the English colonial era, began to bring products from all over the world, also plays an important role in Lummerland. Mrs. Quée's Grocery is supplied from all corners of the world once a week and receives mail by ship, creating its own version of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.

English culture is also present in the character of Mr. Manga, who, like the stereotypical Englishman, wears a bowler hat, carries an umbrella, is courteous and very polite. His unusual name in the original German, Herr Ärmel, is a reference to Ärmelkanal, the German name for the English Channel.

Nazi symbols rediscovered

Ende's Jim refuses to learn to read and write, which takes us back to the author's own experience with Nazi education and indoctrination, which he observed with horror. Said Ende, "I didn't want to learn, at least not what they tried to teach us there." Voss explains that subjects such as German, history and geography became subordinated to biology, where the need for Racial purity was officially hammered into the students. Citing Nazi literature itself, Voss writes, "no boy or girl should leave school without having been brought to the definitive cognition of the imperative need [of] and the essence of racial purity." Ende's school in Kummerland is run by a dragoness who has a skull on her door, reminiscent of Heinrich Himmler's SS Skull Units, and she terrorizes them with a cane and teaches them lessons in eugenics and racial purity. All of the dragon's students have been kidnapped and taken there against their will.

Recalling the anti-Semitic signs seen at the entrances during Nazi Germany, the City of Dragons announces its racial policy at the entrance to the city with a sign that reads, "Attention! Entry is PROHIBITED for non-purebred dragons. DEATH PENALTY! Ende spent the summer of 1943 visiting his grandparents in Hamburg, during the series of Allied bombings that caused destructive fires. and catastrophic damage, so that the Nazis allowed the temporary departure of 2,000 prisoners for two months. It shows the City of Dragons as a smoking "land of a thousand volcanoes", a hellish place. The entrance to the city looks like the smoking door of an oven, which the protagonists enter on the train. Nepomuk, who is only half dragon, is not allowed entry by purebred dragons. At one point in the story Nepomuk is shown upset and embarrassed at not being able to rekindle the volcano from him. In the German original, he says that he is a schande, a word with Nazi connotations of the word rassenschande, miscegenation.

The myth of Atlantis has special meaning for the Nazis, who maintain that Atlantis was the homeland of the Aryan race. Children's books were imbued with Nazi racial politics and Atlantis was mentioned in many of them. Sun Koh, the hero of a science fiction series, complains in a 1935 story that the races have not been kept pure, except in Germany, where a methodical racial policy has allowed the Nordic roots to be recovered again. Koh says, "If our Atlantis rises again from the sea, then we will be the blond man, hard as steel, of pure blood and we will create the superior man, who will finally dominate the earth." Ende shows this scenario, only with the definitely not-blond Jim Button as king, and creates a multiethnic and multicultural paradise, a utopia where people from all walks of life of the earth and even the birds come in droves because there is no fear there.

While the world associates the word Führer with Hitler, in Germany, the word is in everyday language as "driver", "controller" or "leader". At the beginning of his book, Ende writes: "Lokomotiven haben zwar keinen Grossen Verstand-deshalb brauchen sie ja auch immer einen Führer" In Spanish, the phrase has only its superficial meaning, 'Locomotives don't really have much understanding - so they always need a driver.' But this is not the case in German, where it has a double meaning.

Adaptations

• Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer (1961), animated series led by Harald Schäfer, based on the children's novel Jim Boton and Lucas the Machinist
• Jim Knopf und die wilde 13 (1962), animated series led by Harald Schäfer, based on the children's novel Jim Button and the 13 savages
• Jim Knopf und Lukas, der Lokomotivführer (1970, telefilm directed by Günther Meyer-Goldenstädt and Eberhard Möbius, based on the children's novel Jim Boton and Lucas the Machinist
• Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer (1977), animated series led by Manfred Jenning, based on the children's novel Jim Boton and Lucas the Machinist
• Jim Knopf und die wilde 13 (1978), animated series led by Manfred Jenning, based on the children's novel Jim Button and the 13 savages
• Jim Button (1999-2001), animated series led by Bruno Bianchi, André Leduc, Jan Nonhof and Jean-Michel Spiner based on the series of children's novels Jim Boton
• Jim Knopf " Lukas der Lokomotivführer (2018), film directed by Dennis Gansel, based on the children's novel Jim Boton and Lucas the Machinist
• Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13 (2020), film directed by Dennis Gansel, based on the children's novel Jim Button and the 13 savages