Final Thoughts (Chapters 14-25)

When reading through the last half of the book I really began to answer my own questions about the authors intended main theme of love. During chapter fifteen is when I started to realize that the Benzini Brothers circus was going to fall apart and important events were going to occur. The death of Lucinda brought sadness and memories to the whole circus crew. Lucinda was who was one of the sideshow performers in the circus and was well liked by all, with this event I believe that my opinion on the  theme really supports the theme of love. "And we will do her proud --oh yes, such was our singular love for Lucinda that despite the grief that consumes us, tugging on our breaking hearts, we will summon the strength to honor her final wish and do her proud".(Gruen 200). In chapter 15, August and Marlena leave eachother because of how August loses his mind and physically abuses his wife for no reason at all. This buys time for Jacob to express his secret love for Marlena without August knowing that his wife doesn't want anything to do with him and wants to be with Jacob instead of him. A few chapters after Marlena leaves August a very important event happens when Greg one of the working men along side Jacob start to communicate with Rose the elephant which allows him to train her for the show. This got me thinking that becuase of Rosie finally being able to take part in the show and attract many more guest, that the circus would possibley be successfull once again. But in the next chapter I find out that Marlena and August are still in a dispute and Marlena who has one of the main acts in the circus descides that she is no longer going to perform in the presence of her husband. The Benzini Brothers circus then gets ran out out of each city they enter for their show. This gets me thinking that their has to be something very important that is going to happen in the next few chapters. Later on Marlena confronts Jacob that she is pregnant and they are having a baby. Due to the way the plot of the book has with Marlena and Jacob I was wondering how August would react to hearing the news about their soon to be child. During the finally chapters a huge riot breaks out with raging animals running everywhere around the open lot. August decides to tie Rose up to a stake so she couldn't get loose and go wild with the other animals. Rosie then decides to kill August with that same stake she was tied up with by slicing him right in half. Sara Gruen uses her emotions as an author through her passion for animals, which in this case she expresses her frustraion with one of the characters in her book which results in death. On another note it was like Rosie was a human in animal form which brought a great of happiness to the reader for doing what she did to August.  The Final chapter, consists of Jacob ecsaping the nursing home to go visit the circus that is in town so he could relive the memories of his past years. He needed to escape becuase of how one of Mr. Jankowski's sons forgot to come pick him up to go to the circus with others from the nursing home. This was a great way to end the novel becuase it help bring out the outgoing and determined personality of Jacob at an old age.

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.

Love The Main Theme?

Chapters 6 and 7 of Water for Elephants is a very passionate and emotional time during the book where Sara Gruen finally shows her love and respect for animals. Chapter 6 starts out with one of the show horses "Silver Star" has been injured and is suffering from a serious amount of pain. Jacob being partial veterinarian looks over the horse and knows right away what exactly wrong and confronts Marlena the horse owner. Sara Gruen expresses her love for animals my creating a character that enjoys working with animals in her novel. The horse is then removed from the show to rest and try to overcome the life threatening injury. Jacob is then soon hired as the circus' vet instead of being somebody who is ordered around each time they enter a new city for their show. Sara Gruen incorporates that dedication is key to be noticed by others to succeed in a workplace environment. Chapter 7 brings the drama and curiousness into the novel by continuing the theme of love in the story. Jacob leaves Marlena worrying about Silver Star even though he has a clear understanding what most likely will happen to him. As time passes the horse begins to get worse and various decisions have to be made on whether it is worth the pain and suffering of Silver Star. Jacob then makes the decision to put the favourite show horse down and stop the pain of his injury. Sara Gruen chooses to constantly shows her personal feelings on animals through the characters of Marlena and Jacob. Gruen's theme of love in my opinion is the most influential and important theme in the novel. Up to this point in the book she is always providing her beliefs and opinions directly through the characters which makes the novel very personal and inspiring to read.

Third Critical Article Summary

Marilla Mulwane

The third critical article published by Marilla Mulwane breaks down the basic outline of the book Water for Elephants. Marilla Mulwane from her article proves she is a huge supporter of Sara Gruen and her style of writing. In the authors eyes you can perfectly picture the events settings throughout the book because of the great amount of mental details provided. Sara Gruen doesn't under estimate the life during the great depression because she is constantly telling the story in a physical manner. Sara Gruen brings the characters to life and makes them believable and very real. Marilla also explains how Water for Elephants is a book about love, not just between male and female but also love for animals and the love they show in return. The author also touches on the fact that the novel was very dark with a source of light at the end of the tunnel. Even though most of the book takes place in a harsh and brutal environment, love is the forever the answer to a happy conclusion of the novel. Overall the article by Marilla Mulwane is a positive review of Sara Gruen as an author because of of the themes and interests she incorporates into her novels.

Water for Elephants- Chapters 4 & 5

Chapter 4
Chapter four of Water for Elephants links into one of my predictions from chapter about Jacob Jankowski possibly promoted to a higher role in the circus. At the start of the chapter Jacob departs from "Camel" (the man who set him up with his starting job with the circus) and continues his hunt in finding a better job. With Jacob's atitude the author Sara Gruen is saying that you always need to work your way up to where you want to be in life. Jacob then meets up with Uncle Al who is the ringleader of the show and asks him for work. Jacob tells Uncle Al that he attended Cornell to become a veternarian but never finished his exams and then was given a chance to work with animals and a place to stay on the train when they were travelling to the next show. I am curious why Mr. Jankowski didn't finish school at Cornell and write his exams to become a veternarian becuase I am sure he could be more successful being a vet then just working at the circus. Without knowing what the rest of the novel is about I am wondering if Jacob will excel in his new job and become an important piece of the circus team.

Chapter 5

This chapter consists of Mr. Jankowski in the nursing home back in present time. The nurse wakes up Jacob and explains to him that tomorrow he is going to the circus. With the author switching back and forth between past and present it makes the book confusing but that is just the way the storyline was created. Jacob is thrilled to watch the people in the park where the circus is being held from the nursing home window. I am very interested about how Mr. Jankowski is going to react about going to the cicus now and be able to reflect on when he was actually participating in the circus. The chapter ends with more anger between Jacob and the other residents so I am wondering how the tension will be like tomorrow when they are visiting the circus together.

Second Critical Article Summary

The second critical article that I have decided to comment on is a article writen by Elizabeth Judd. This article is written to personally promote the novel because of the great storyline and interesting events. The author shares that the story begins violently and veers into weirder terrain. The author believes Sara Gruen creates a circus that uses morality to symbolize the warped vigor of capitalism. Elizabeth Judd states that Water for Elephants resembles stealth hits such as The Giant House and The Lovely Bones both books are outrageously whimsical premises with crowd-pleasing romanticism. The author touches on the fact that throughout the book there is black-and-white pictures of circus scenes which she belives evoke and dignified power contained in the quiter moments of this unusual plot. Sara Gruen demonstrates themes thata re very important in creating the effect of a fairytail. The author Elizabeth Judd ends the article on a high note by saying that the it was one of her favourite storylines and enjoyed reading the book.

First Critical Article Summary

Allan Schwartz

The first article that provides criticism towards the novel Water for Elephants is written by a doctor named Allan Schwartz. This article breaks down the overall idea of the main character from when he was a young man to when he is in his early nineties. Allan Schwartz states that he enjoys the major themes that the author Sara Gruen has incorporated into the novel. Throughout the story Jacob Jankowski uses his age to partly to joke and partly out of sarcasm to show use the reader how it is to be living in a nursing home. The author also comments on how the time line shifts from present to past as he constantly shares his struggle living in the nursing home. Mr. Schwartz reveals some very important and life changing events that Jacob has to deal with throughout the novel which is disappointing to readers of the book. Sara Gruen is complemented on the way she smoothly and neatly contrasted Jacob's life in the nursing home and while in the circus by the author of the article. The author also states that Jacob at the age of  90 or 93 he is alert, intelligent, angry and sarcastic which is ironic for somebody that is suffering from being around Alzheimer patients and living in a nursing home. The author also states how our institution often turn people from individual human beings into nameless objects. Lastly Allan Schwartz concludes by saying that the book truly captures the sense of helplessness that physiologically sound elderly patients must feel when they are deprived of their autonomy and decision making powers.

Water for Elephants - Chapter 3

In chapter three, Jacob flashes back to the beginning of his working life when Camel helps him get a job working at the circus. Camel says that he is going to set up Jacob with crazy Joe to get a job. He then was giving a job quite easily and began to work with the horses and also cleaning up after them. I am wondering how Jacob will like his new job because it seems as though he isn't really thrilled with the work he was told to do at the beginning of the chapter. As the circus gated opened the crowed began to pile in and guests started arguments with staff at the circus. Jacob stood up for himself against the upset guest and was latter congratulated by Cecil a man was was in charge of the circus. With Cecil complimenting Jacob's composure with the guest I wonder if he will promote Mr. Jankowski to a higher position with the circus later on. Jacob throughout the chapter seems to be overwhelmed with all that is going on at the circus with things he as never seen before in his life. I am also wondering how he will comprehend theses things throughout the book.

Survey of Authors and Secondary Sources

1. Author: Sara Gruen                                             Title: Water For Elephants

2. What made me interesting in this author is that she is a Canadian author and she usually writes her novels about animals or incorporates animals into her stories. Sara Gruen has also won many awards for her fiction books in the past with her book Riding Lessons.

3. Sara Gruen was born in Vancouver, lived in London,Ontario and went to the university of Ottawa. She now lives in a community outside of Chicago.

4.Other published books include: Flying Changes, Riding Lessons, and Ape House. All of her books were written in a fictional format.

5. Sara Gruen is a devoted animal lover which in my opinion is what makes her want to write. Due to the fact that she is a fictional writer the places and time of her books change. This making her an interesting author and you never know what the setting and time is going to be in her novels.

Sara Gruen

6. The themes that Sara chooses to write about are: inspiration, independence and passion.

7. Some other authors that Sara has been compared to are: Margaret Atwood and Kate DiCamillo because of their love for animals and wildlife.

8. Critical Sources:

http://www.helium.com/items/1614041-book-review-water-for-elephants-by-sara-gruen
Mulwane, Marilla. Water for Elephants. Helium Inc., 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/books/review/04judd.html
Judd, Elizabeth. Water for Elephants. NY Times., 2006

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=18488
Schwartz, Allan. Water for Elephants. LCSW., 2008

Water For Elephants - Chapter Two

In chapter two, Mr. Jankowski reveals some very important and lifechanging moments of when he was younger. Mr. Jankowski meets up with a twenty-three year old girl named Catherine Hale. Even though he just met her in person, it seems as though he already knows a lot about her through the grapevine from other people. Jacob Jankowski says "Catherine is one of only four women in the class of '31 and her cruelty know no bounds". This gets me thinking of what Jacob might do to avoid Catherine in the future or how Catharine might try to get under Mr. Jankowski's skin later on in the next few chapters to casue suspence between the two characters. Mr. Jankowski flashes back to when he was younger and tells us  how he finds out about his parents and how they were in a car accident and died because of the crash. With Mr. Jankowski having no parents as a child, could have played a role with how he doesn't really like interacting with others and frowns upon his surroundings that he has to put up with now in his retirement home. After Jacob disscuses with Edmund Hyde about his parents house, he then descides to return back to school. When he is at school all he can concentrate on is the death of his parents. This making everybody sympathetic and tries to help him out through the tough times. I am wondering how Jacob is going to overcome his parents' death and get back on track with school.

Water For Elephants - Chapter One

My first impression of the book Water for Elephants after reading the first chapter is that I am curious and intrigued to what the whole story is going to be about. I feel this way because of how the narrator Jacob Jankowski goes into detail about his surroundings and how he says he doesn't really like living where he is because he still believes he is young at heart but knows his age has caught up with him physically. Jacob goes on about how once you get past a certain age you forget your age and a few years isn't going to make a huge difference to your life. Even though Jacob states that when you get older you loose you memory he seems to be able to remember things from when he was younger which shows irony to what he says about memory. Towards the end of the chapter Jacob is at dinner with other people in the retirement home and gets into an argument with a man named Joseph McGuinty. Mr. McGuinty said that he used to carry water for the elephants at the circus which Jacob didn't believe and called him a "liar" and an "old coot" Mr. Jankowski was then taken to his room by the nurse and was told to calm down. Therefore I am excited to find out how the relationship between Jacob and Joseph will play throughout the rest of the book because I have a feeling Joseph McGuinty will play a huge roll in the rest of the book. 

Water for Elephants

Hello, my name is Ben Erb. I have decided to read the book Water for Elephants due to the positive and enthusiastic reviews I have read from others about the book. Another reason I chose this book is because of how there is a movie scheduled to come out based on the novel sometime in the upcoming year. With the movie I will later on be able to compare the two and get a better overall understanding of the story. My understanding of the story is that there is a man that was in a traveling circus that is now older and he tells us about his experiences he had when we was younger. I hope to get a lot out of this novel and be able to enjoy reading the book to possible learn new things about the characters throughout the book.

Reviews From:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Water-for-Elephants-A-Novel-Sara-Gruen/9780006391555-AllReviews.html