The Clayton couple is marooned in a coastal jungle of Africa, with no hope of escape. Then, Alice Clayton gives birth to a boy, and the family makes the best of its predicament and settles down in the jungle. But Alice's death on her son's first birthday, and the murder of John Clayton by a rampaging ape tribe led by Kerchak, leaves the infant defenceless. The baby is rescued from Kerchak's wrath by the she-ape Kala, and he grows up to become Tarzan, the ape-man. The jungle is paradise for Tarzan; he makes a place for himself in the ape tribe, makes friends with other animals, and fights great predators. But when Tarzan discovers his parents' old cabin, long-buried questions about his true nature begin to surface. Edgar Rice Burroughs's most acclaimed novel has become, over time, one of the most important cornerstones of popular culture.