The One and Only Ivan Philosophical Viewpoint: Animal Rights Quotes

What does patient mean in Ivan's view? Has being patient with Mack's poor choices helped anybody? Is Ivan confusing patience with feeling disempowered to change things?

Mack could easily be looking in a mirror, talking to himself here, but he's actually talking to Ivan. Is it possible that people project their own feelings on to the animals they share their lives with—or do they just grow to look like them?

If humans could understand Ivan, we're thinking he'd spend way less of his life stuck in the mall.