Chapters 8 -13

Marlena with Rosie the circus elephant

Throughout these six chapters Mr. Jankowski experiences different conflicts during his job working for the circus. Jacob also finally expresses his feelings towards Marlena who is another fellow employee at Benazini Bros Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob is secretly in love with Marlena who is married to August who is one of the main organizers of the show. I am wondering how when August finds out about Jacob and his love for his wife if he might fire Jacob from the circus or discipline him in some way because he will be terribly disappointed. "I hate him. I hate him for being so brutal. I hate that I'm beholden to him. I hate that I'm in love with his wife and something so damned close to that with the elephant. Sara Gruen finally comes through and backs up the title by uniting the circus with its first elephant. At first the crew was very unhappy with their purchase of "Rosie" because she was old and sluggish and was not very entertaining to their guests. During this time in the novel the new elephant was nothing but trouble and was despised by August who didn't like the idea of an elephant involved in his circus. I am also very interested and curious if the circus will inherit anymore elephants for their show. Chapter thirteen consists of Jacob returning to the circus for a visit he points out all of the changes from the days when he was working there. This gets me thinking if Mr. Jankowski will start an argument with other residence of the nursing home just like during at the beginning of the book.