Chapter Summaries

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Chapter Summaries
Sy Montgomery in The Soul of an Octopus exposes the other side of science, where it is hallucinatory, boneless and beautiful. Sy deconstructs the self-imposed borders by humans between them and other animals. As much as there exist differences between humans animals and nonhuman animals, there also exist several similarities.
Chapter One – Athena
Sy introduces the readers to Athena. Athena is a giant Pacific Octopus who appears friendly to Sy when they first meet. Athena comes across as a feisty, active, and easily excited; when octopuses like someone they reach out to that person and if not, they spray water from their funnels (Montgomery 13). At the end of this chapter on Athena, the reader gets to understand that octopuses are venomous, come in all sizes; can weigh same as humans and be as long as a car. Octopuses have a memory same as that of a pet as they seem to recall their visitors. Octopuses can even escape and explore when bored (Montgomery 26). An octopus can love, more than humans can do.Chapter Two – Octavia
In this section, the readers get introduced to Octavia after the loss of Athena. When compared to Athena, Octavia is shy. Octavia came in to fill the vacuum left by the death of Athena (Montgomery 36). The aquarium acquired Octavia after Athena’s death. Octavia came in old against the standard practice of most aquariums where a pup is brought into growing when there is the likelihood of losing an old octopus.

However, as Octavia begins to age, a young octopus is brought in to take over when Octavia dies (Montgomery 54). The intelligence of other animals gets discussed in detail by Sy in this chapter. Sy showcases the multitasking abilities of Octavia to her radio show listeners.Chapter Three – Kali
Kali gets introduced in this section; also, Sy explores the differences between the sexes (Montgomery 63). Also in this episode, Sy talks about other animals and their interaction with humans. Sea animals use bile as a protection mechanism. Octopuses, as opposed to other animals, love living a solitude life (Montgomery 86). For octopuses, a company comes in handy during the last days of their lives. Old octopuses seek relations when they know their death is imminent.
Chapter Four – Eggs
Sy visits Octavia to observe her eggs. Like all other animals, the ways of life change when animals bring a new life to the world. Much of the later days of life for an octopus are spent tending to the eggs. Giant Pacific octopuses lay between 67000 and 100000 eggs (Montgomery 121). The males just like the females engage in protection of the new lives. Kali bites Anna when she visits his tank. Or maybe, machos are just rough for a majority of the animals. Sadly Octavia spent all her time tending to the eggs not knowing they will not hatch. Just like old humans, Octavia does less and eats a corresponding amount of food.
Chapter Five – Transformation
After visiting the aquarium for some time, Sy decides to go a real treat in the wild waters. In the beginning, Sy tells of her struggles in diving. Sy encounters a rough start, but later on, she manages to complete open dives. When she finishes open free-falls in New England, Sy’s lessons on scuba diving pay off (Montgomery 130). While diving in the ocean at Cozumel, Sy meets with an octopus outside the aquarium for the first time. Sy encourages the reader to strive in pursuing their desires no matters how impossible they seem.Chapter Six – Exit
Away from the wild waters, Sy is back in New England to visit Octavia and Kali at the aquarium. The interaction of Kali and tank mates gets explored; the dreaded nature of animals gets exposed when some octopuses eat their mates. A new home gets created for Kali; this happens after Kali bites Anna. Kali desires to explore hence gets separated from others (Montgomery 160). As the human race, some persons would always wish to explore the world and handle whatever is thrown their way, just like Kali who dies in her endeavors to explore.Chapter Seven – Karma
The death of Kali brings the staff at the New England Aquarium and Sy together in mourning. A necropsy gets conducted to determine the cause of Kali’s death (Montgomery 196). All the assumptions that Kali might have succumbed after crawling over a poisonous liquid used to disinfect visitors to the aquariums get shelved as the death is ruled a consequence of natural causes (Montgomery 199). As a tradition anew octopus gets acquired to take the place of kali, the new member is Karma. Choices have consequences, and it is incumbent on the decision maker to make touch wise decisions. Chapter Eight – Consciousness
Sy gets back once more into the wild waters. This time she meets and describes several sea animals and their reproduction habits. While in the Polynesian waters, the health of Octavia continued to decline (Montgomery 220). Towards the very end days of Octavia, the New England Aquarium switches the homes of Octavia and Karma. The switching of tanks depicts that no matter how long we try to stay away from karma, someday it will be investable to encounter the dreaded (Montgomery 231). Octavia’s poor health forces the changes to take place at the aquarium. Reflective of humans, a person who gets bedridden for long without any signs of recovery is left to succumb. Thoughts, feelings, and knowledge are always at the core of decision making as can be deduced from this chapter.
Sy portrays a very different picture from what many people have when they think of octopuses. An octopus exhibits intelligence same as that of a pet at home; this makes persons rethink their menu. The awareness created through the book, makes one yearn to an encounter with the octopuses.

Works Cited
Montgomery, Sy. The soul of an octopus: A surprising exploration into the wonder of consciousness. Simon and Schuster, 2015.