Anthropomorphic-dualism in Fantastic Mr. Fox
“Because I am a wild animal.” - Mr. Fox
Have you ever seen a talking fox who wears a suit, walks on its hind legs and engages in community debates? Without a doubt, Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox offers viewers a masterclass in anthropomorphism, with characters such as Mr and Mrs Fox, Ash, Kylie, and more, adopting human traits, speech, clothing, and even social structures. A creative choice that is not only humorous and engaging for children, the anthropomorphism of the animal characters also displays a cutting image of dualism (the idea that the mind and body are distinct substances).
Dualism explains that the mind/soul is non-physical and conscious, while the body is inherently material and mechanical. This is demonstrated in Fantastic Mr. Fox, where characters remain animals physically yet possess highly developed human minds and thoughts. The foxes, opossums, and other creatures talk intelligently, make metaphors, and even engage in complex emotional relationships—actions usually associated with humans. This juxtaposition between the animals' physical furry bodies and the highly intelligent minds showcase the split of dualism demonstrated between the mind and the body.
Such a situation can be reflected in John Locke’s thought experiment The Prince and the Cobbler, except we can replace a cobbler with a crow. In the event that the prince and the crow were to switch minds/souls, we would still associate the crow body as the prince, since the separate mind and physical bodies allows the crow body to now experience and project all the thoughts and desires of the prince, and vice versa. Even having this thought experiment be possible (in theory), supports the dualist idea that the mind and the body are separate substances that could theoretically be switched around!
However, with dualism telling us that the mind and the body are completely separate, throughout Fantastic Mr. Fox, there are still certain physical limitations that make effective use of the “humanistic” identities impossible, such as the animals’ need to dig tunnels to feel from farmers or their “wild animal-like” eating behaviour. These internal conflicts highlight that, despite these animals acting almost perfectly civil and human-like, their physical bodies stop them from being treated with dignity by the farmers who see them in a Monist view (body and mind as one).
Ultimately, the anthropomorphism used in Fantastic Mr. Fox not only heightems the storytelling, but also helps dramatize the ontological dualism between the humanistic minds and their animal bodies. Suggesting that identity and consciousness can transcend physical form, we may think twice before wronging a fox, as you never know what is going on in its mind!
