Previous
Stella
Bob is a tiny stray dog who lives at the Big Top Mall. While Bob is proud that he’s a stray and insists that he doesn’t actually have a home, he does spend nearly all his time at the mall. He sleeps every night on Ivan’s belly and regularly checks Ivan’s beard for crumbs. Bob came to the mall after someone threw him and his siblings onto the highway when they were tiny puppies; Bob was the only one to survive. In part because of this experience, Bob takes a very dim view of humans. Humans, in his opinion, are cruel, selfish, and are beyond even trying to understand. It’s shocking to him when Ruby or Stella suggest that humans are capable of kindness. However, it’s hard to tell how much of this is a front and how much of this Bob truly believes, as Ivan sometimes notices Bob sitting with Julia and allowing her to pet him—clearly, Bob doesn’t believe that all humans are horrible. In addition, Bob is honest to a fault; he isn’t always willing to go along with Ivan’s insistence that he lives in a domain rather than a cage, for instance. He also tells Ruby that Ivan is going to get her out of the mall—which is true, since Ivan promised Stella he would—but Ivan resents that Bob told Ruby this, since he sees success as unlikely. Ivan also notes that Bob is a “useful” friend, since he can sneak around the mall and gather information that Ivan, who can’t leave his domain, cannot. Though Bob is supportive of Ivan’s painting, he also resents that Ivan smells of paint and is spending his nights painting instead of allowing Bob to sleep on him. But not long after Ivan moves to the zoo, he learns that Bob allowed Julia’s family to adopt him.
Bob Quotes in The One and Only Ivan
The The One and Only Ivan quotes below are all either spoken by Bob or refer to Bob. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
change—worry Quotes
“A good zoo,” Stella says, “is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don’t hurt.” She pauses, considering her words. “A good zoo is how humans make amends.”
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I’ve heard the Jambo story many times. Stella says that humans found it odd that the huge silverback didn’t kill the boy.
Why, I wonder, was that so surprising? The boy was young, scared, alone.
He was, after all, just another great ape.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Bad humans killed my family, and bad humans sent me here. But that day in the hole, it was humans who saved me.” Ruby leans her head on Stella’s shoulder. “Those humans were good.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Bob says. “I just don’t understand them. I never will.”
“You’re not alone,” I say, and I turn my gaze back to the racing gray clouds.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
the next morning—photo Quotes
Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The One and Only Ivan LitChart as a printable PDF.
Bob Character Timeline in The One and Only Ivan
The timeline below shows where the character Bob appears in The One and Only Ivan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
hello—the littlest big top on earth
...Stella lives next to Ivan in her own domain, and along with a dog named Bob, she’s Ivan’s closest friend. He doesn’t have any gorilla friends.
(full context)
gone—the beetle
Bob loves TV too, though he prefers watching bowling and commercials for cat food. Bob and...
(full context)
...a lot. She’s like a mountain; Ivan is just a rock next to her, while Bob is as tiny as a grain of sand. Ivan and Stella talk every night after...
(full context)
bob. Ivan shares his plan with Bob, but Bob isn’t convinced. He insists that Ivan’s appetite isn’t the issue, hops onto Ivan’s...
(full context)
Bob is very tiny. He’s like a brown “barking squirrel,” and his tail is always moving....
(full context)
That first night, Bob slept in the mud and was so cold that he could barely get up. The...
(full context)
wild. Ivan asked Bob once why he doesn’t want a home. Ivan knows that humans love dogs and, to...
(full context)
drawing bob. Ivan adores the pictures that Julia draws of Bob. She draws him in all sorts of poses: running, hiding, or sleeping on Ivan’s belly....
(full context)
bob and julia. Bob doesn’t let humans touch him, insisting that the smell of humans “upsets his digestion.” Occasionally,...
(full context)
...tells Stella that he can’t sleep. She notes that he’s “the king of sleepers,” and Bob tells Ivan to be quiet—he’s dreaming about chili fries. Ivan says he’s tired, but he’s...
(full context)
...since he noticed her limping earlier. Stella admits it hurts a little. Everyone sighs, and Bob drools. Stella suggests that Ivan eat something, since that always makes him happy. Ivan eats...
(full context)
...bugs move on from Ivan’s domain quickly, so Ivan wonders if the bug is okay. Bob offers to eat the beetle, but Ivan declines. As Ivan finishes his last picture, Mack,...
(full context)
change—worry
guessing. Bob is afraid that they’re going to get a huge, dangerous cat, but Stella insists that...
(full context)
...she’s fine. Ivan asks her to tell the Jambo story—it’s one of his favorites, but Bob hasn’t heard it. Stella knows lots of stories, and Ivan knows he can’t be picky....
(full context)
...men took the boy out of the domain. The boy was okay in the end. Bob asks if the story is true, and Stella says that she always tells the truth—she...
(full context)
...understand why. The boy was young and afraid—and besides, the boy was another great ape. Bob asks Ivan why he and Stella aren’t in a zoo. Ivan and Stella look at...
(full context)
arrival. After the four o’clock show, the baby elephant arrives. Bob runs to tell Ivan and Stella as the truck rumbles through the parking lot. Mack...
(full context)
...other and at Ruby. The truck shudders as scrambling and pounding noises come from inside. Bob whispers that he already likes Ruby as Mack says that he’s going to get Stella...
(full context)
...door shut. Ivan can see Stella and Ruby’s trunks intertwined and hear Stella whispering, and Bob welcomes Ruby to the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, Home of the...
(full context)
...to talk to Ivan. Ivan will admit that Ruby is adorable—but he’s “handsome and strong.” Bob snuggles on Ivan’s belly and tells him he’s old news as Julia starts to draw...
(full context)
...Ivan introduces himself. Ruby asks if Ivan is a monkey, and Ivan says he isn’t. Bob, asleep on Ivan’s belly, says that Ivan is a gorilla, while he’s a dog. When...
(full context)
...Ruby down. Ruby asks if Ivan has parents, and Ivan says that he used to. Bob chimes in that parents are “unavoidable.” Ruby shares that before she was a part of...
(full context)
elephant jokes. Ruby wakes Ivan and Bob up early the next morning. She says she didn’t want to wake Stella up since...
(full context)
...time she fell into a big hole. Humans dug the hole, she says. At this, Bob perks up—he loves stories about digging. Ruby explains that the hole was full of water...
(full context)
Ivan shudders and asks what happened. In a dark tone, Bob says he knows what happened: the heartless humans caught Ruby and shipped her here in...
(full context)
the promise—a visit
five men. According to Bob, who heard it from a rat, it took five men and a forklift to get...
(full context)
the one and only ivan. When the humans have left the mall, Ivan sends Bob to check in on Ruby. Bob returns and says that Ruby was shivering, so he...
(full context)
...the night moaning and crying. Ivan stays awake in case she needs something, even though Bob encourages him to get some rest. After a while, Ruby calls for Ivan. She sobs...
(full context)
nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-six days. Ivan watches Ruby and Bob sleep, but his mind is racing. He’s remembering his past for the first time. He...
(full context)
a new beginning—another ivan
Julia sits to watch Mack and Ruby when she and George arrive. Bob also keeps a close eye on the training session. Mack leads Ruby around the ring...
(full context)
...the claw-stick back. Julia screams, but Mack says he’s not going to hurt her. As Bob snarls, Mack brings the hook down so that it passes right above Ruby’s head. He...
(full context)
a bad dream. Ivan and Bob are awake, peeling and licking paint off themselves. Ivan keeps an eye on the claw-stick...
(full context)
...Ruby. Ruby wants to know why she only has two feet in the picture, and Bob says it’s because of “artistic license.” With a sigh, Ruby asks for another story. Ivan...
(full context)
how. After a long time, Ruby falls back to sleep. With a yawn, Bob asks how Ivan is going to get Ruby to a zoo. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Ivan...
(full context)
remembering. Bob and Ruby sleep, but Ivan doesn’t. He thinks about his promise to Stella, his pictures...
(full context)
days—finally
...heat at night. Ivan thinks that Ruby looks thinner and more wrinkled, so he asks Bob if Bob thinks that Ruby is getting enough to eat. Bob isn’t sure, but he...
(full context)
bad guys. Ivan dozes until late afternoon, when Mack approaches and Bob hides under Not-Tag. Mack notices a painting sticking out from under Ivan’s pool. Ivan tries...
(full context)
ad. Bob says this is great news: Ivan will get more paint. Ivan notes that he doesn’t...
(full context)
not-tag. Ivan pulls Not-Tag’s stuffing out and then hides his paintings inside of her. Bob complains when he tries to sleep on her, and then he says that he misses...
(full context)
...this, Ivan isn’t pleased with his painting for Ruby. It’s huge, but it’s missing something. Bob accuses Ivan of being “a temperamental artist,” since he has the elephants and the zoo...
(full context)
twelve. Bob lies on Ivan’s stomach, and they both watch Julia do homework. Ivan can tell that...
(full context)
Ivan lays out 16 pieces of paper in a square. Bob, annoyed, is even more upset when Ivan says that this has to do with the...
(full context)
...Ivan digs through his paintings and tries to hold a couple up against the glass. Bob drags some paintings over to Ivan, and Ivan then passes them out through the crack...
(full context)
...drop what’s in their hands. Ivan storms around his cage, bellowing and beating his chest. Bob hides, and Ivan thinks that he’s finally angry. Now, he has someone to protect.
(full context)
the next morning—photo
...come to visit and buy Ivan’s paintings. He paints for the visitors and even paints Bob, so that Bob can be on the billboard. In the afternoons, Mack and George put...
(full context)
...night. One night, after telling Ruby a story to help her fall asleep, Ivan tells Bob that this isn’t working. Bob suggests that Ivan be patient, but Ivan is tired of...
(full context)
...at Ivan’s floor, Ruby’s hay, and the water bowls. Mack scowls as he watches, and Bob hides outside, unwilling to let the man see him.
(full context)
...object click and gives Ruby treats when Ruby touches the box. In a disapproving tone, Bob explains to Ivan that this is clicker training—the woman wants Ruby to learn that when...
(full context)
...live. Ruby says that this is her home, and she wants to live with Ivan, Bob, and Julia. But Ivan says that this place is her prison, not her home.
(full context)
...spends an hour inspecting Ruby, and then he enters Ivan’s cage. Since Ivan can’t copy Bob and hide under Not-Tag, he beats his chest. The doctor leaves Ivan’s cage and says,...
(full context)
more boxes. When Ivan wakes up from his morning nap, Bob is on Ivan’s belly watching four men with a big metal box—a box Ivan’s size....
(full context)
...their hands are very similar. Julia sniffs that she’s going to miss Ivan, Ruby, and Bob, but that Ivan deserves better than this. Ivan wishes he could respond.
(full context)
...to have a good life. Ruby reaches out to touch Julia as Julia asks where Bob is. George hasn’t seen him, and Julia wants to know what will happen to Bob—especially...
(full context)
...the box and into the cage—and then he has a fantastic idea. He suggests that Bob sneak into the box and come live at the zoo. Bob, however, insists that he’s...
(full context)
photo. Late that night, Mack opens Ivan’s cage. He seems smaller for some reason. Bob races away to hide, but Mack tells him it’s not worth it. Then, sitting on...
(full context)
leaving—mighty silverback
...Ivan’s elephant joke about the refrigerator. Ivan suggests that she also tell them about him, Bob, Julia, and Stella. Ruby agrees, and then the humans roll her box out to a...
(full context)
Now it’s Ivan’s turn. The humans don’t seem to notice Bob hiding in Ivan’s cage, so while they’re busy doing other things, Bob sneaks out to...
(full context)
missing. Ivan misses his cage, his art, and Bob. His belly is cold now.
(full context)
more about romance. Ivan wishes that Bob were here to give him advice. He thinks about all the romance movies he and...
(full context)
...Ivan tells his troop about his life. He tells them about his parents, Mack, Ruby, Bob, Stella, Julia, and George. They look away when he’s done, but Kinyani moves closer and...
(full context)
...wall, dances, and hoots as Julia and George wave. Then, from Julia’s backpack, Ivan hears Bob tell him to stop acting like a chimp. Bob pokes his head out of the...
(full context)
Bob explains that George starts his job at the zoo next month. In the meantime, Julia...
(full context)
...to his new family. Then she thanks George for everything. As they turn to leave, Bob sticks his head out of Julia’s backpack and calls that Ivan is “the One and...
(full context)
