Human Search for Meaning of life
The fox notices with a lot of amusement how humans strive to look for meaning in everything instead of sometimes just letting things be. He tells her that however much they try to find a solution to everything it will never be enough. There has never been a conclusion to the meaning of life so they should not fuss over it. The line “you fuss, we live” alludes to human’s not living fully because of their obsession to solve every life issue. Humans believe that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and therefore are obligated to always find something to do. They have no time to live fully like the fox who is seen enjoying the shade peacefully. Humans have no luxury like that because society would consider such laziness and that does not equate to respect among your peers. On the contrary, humans are even more determined to continue looking for a way they can still find the meaning of life. Humans are just accustomed to living life that way. They find purpose through solving life’s problems. The fox feels like that is not an authentic way to live a life that can be taken from you at any moment and therefore advises the speaker to stop fussing and live.
Human Life versus Animal Life
Differences and similarities are drawn from the speaker’s conversation with the fox. When the fox talks about hearing a conversation that the humans had about hunting foxes, the speaker is slightly shocked. Just like humans gossip all the time and the information is passed around so do the foxes also pass information. Interestingly, the foxes can listen to human conversation and comprehend whatever is said. Humans expect animals to escape whenever they come in contact as the line suggests “you’re not running away”. Just like stray dogs or cats whenever they meet a human being they hide because the first instinct of a human is to pick a stone and throw it at them. The fox however does not bother escaping and is instead very calm and composed while talking to the speaker. The foxes just like humans have feelings and hold grudges against those who have offended them. The line “so you’re okay in my book” indicates that the speaker has not wronged them compared to the lady that insinuated that foxes should be hunted. The fox openly tells the speaker the difference between humans and animals in the line “…could anyone figure it out, to a finality?” Humans spend their entire time trying to find meaning in life instead of just living it as the foxes do.
Wisdom of Nature
The speaker grasps a lot about life from her interaction with the fox. She learns that life’s complexities will never end and therefore life needs to be enjoyed not solved. It is only through the fox that she understands the perception of life from a different angle. She acknowledges the wisdom that nature contains through the fox’s wise words. She is amazed by how unfazed the foxes are in their approach to life, barely doing anything just living. The speaker did not know the conversation she had with that lady about the hunting of foxes would sell her as empathizing. The fox recognizes her empathy when she does not share the opinion that foxes should be hunted. She realizes how the fox appreciates her empathy in the line, “so you’re okay in my book." It takes an animal for a human being to learn how to live their life. The fox perceives life as an experience that needs to be fancied, lived and not picked apart. The fox lying comfortably under the tree enjoying the shade gives the speaker an idea of how exactly the fox expects them to live. To savor their experience and learn from nature instead of looking for something that has never been found.
