I read water for elephants a few years ago and from time to time, i reread my favorite novels. This act itself proves how greedy and careless uncle al is because he is willing to. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Therefore, greed, in a physical or mental manner, played an utmost superior role in the book water for elephants. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. If the book wasnt a bestseller, it wouldnt have received awards. In some ways, elephants is a story thats been written many times over a love triangle in which the woman is torn between two men with starkly different backgrounds. The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. Aug 05, 2008 a meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus. Theme of greed in water for elephants 852 words bartleby. So, i read the story of jacob, son of isaac who was the son of abraham, who almost sacrificed isaac. Sara gruen, a writer from vancouver, canada, place where she presently lives.
When jacob jankowski arrived for the first time at the circus where he worked, he was in awe. Love is a driving force in water for elephants, and its not limited to the love one human feels for another. Elephants follows the story of a jacob jankowski, a man in his 90s who lives in a nursing home. Dive deep into sara gruens water for elephants with extended analysis. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on.
Many years before, jacob is a student at cornell university, studying veterinarian medicine in order to join. The truth is, it is summer and i am desperate for a distraction away from my recent obsession with greys anatomy reruns fueled by netflixs instant queue. Water for elephants by sara gruen the new york times. The circus travels around and eventually acquires an elephant. His stay here is cut short by the death of his parents. Jacob also runs into a couple other interesting characters, most importantly his roomie, walter. Water for elephants the novel water for elephants is written by the bestselling author sarah gruen. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus. On our first date, my husband took me to see tod brownings freaks, a 1932 horror film with a distinctly diane arbus feel. The novel, water for elephants, written by sara gruen and directed by francis lawrence, tells the story of a man named jacob jancowski, played by robert patterson, who starts off as a cornell university veterinary student and ends as a tired, old, former circus member. Aug 26, 20 water for elephants every book has the same basic hero archetype. Jacob jankowski jacob jankowski is the narrator of the novel, and senior in college whose ready to explore the world and find where he belongs. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. Water for elephants is a rich surprise, a delightful gem springing from a fascinating footnote to history that absolutely deserved to be mined. Sara gruen has said that the backbone of her novel parallels the biblical story of jacob, in the book of genesis. On the outside the circus looks like a fun, exciting, and beautiful life, but behind it is suffering and pain. I know i shouldnt do this, but somehow i cant help myself.
When jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a secondrate circus struggling to. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. With lines of startling beauty, haunting and evocative scenes and finelydrawn characters who dance off the page, readers can dip in and out of the novel, immersing themselves in jacobs memories. Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life. But its the setting and animal subplot that add flavor to this book. Put that triangle in an usual setting, and youve got yourself a story. To begin with, water for elephants is a captivating bestseller due to the point of view used by the author which is first person. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. Well, the phrase reinforces jacobs association with circuses. Water for elephants, published in 2010, is a contemporary novel by sara gruen. Water for elephants sarah gruens water for elephants entices readers by portraying a more forgotten whimsical side to the depression sunk 1930s. The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.
First, young jacob is found on the campus of cornell university in ithaca, new york. Water for elephants by sara gruen is a must read a story about a 90yearold man remembering his days with a circus during the great depression. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in love with marlena, a star. Analysis essay 9th novemember 2011 water for elephants in a recent interview for, robert pattinson, a household young actor, revealed that he was offered with various movie characters that he could choose from as his next role after starring in the twilight series. His years were filled with schooling and court cases, compared to a lifetime of adventures with the circus lived by jacob. Water for elephantsanalysis posted on march 18, 2008 6 comments i read that the story of jacob is allegedly the backbone of water for elephants. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Ana is the daughter of matthias, head scribe to herod antipas, tetrarch of galilee. Character analysis of water for elephant 995 words 4 pages. Water for elephants, an analysis case study template. Water for elephants study guide consists of approx.
The circus comes to town, and the mere mention of the word circus brings jacob back to his young in the 1930s. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding lessons. The grand rapids press you need this elephant in your life. It shouldnt be a surprise that in the prologue we cant tell whether jacob is talking about marlena or rosie when he uses the word she he loves them both and thinks of them both as individuals. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. Mar 26, 20 water for elephants the novel water for elephants is written by the bestselling author sarah gruen. She demonstrates an exceptional aptitude for writing, and matthias, for a time, indulges her with reed pens, papyri, and other 16 c. After his parents death, jacob jankowski is left penniless and homeless. This is where almost all of the action of the story took place. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse diamond award for most popular book. May 26, 2006 water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. People also love animals, and animals love them back.
Although water for elephants is a novel, the description of the circus, the effect it has on each of the characters and even the details the author gives us on how it. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Madeline arnold 2nd period ap english lang may 22, 2011 text analysis. Events lead him to joining the circus as their vet, working under their unstable boss august whose violent tendencies give everyone reason to be. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years. The alternating glamour and squalor of the circus world gruen expertly conjures may truly be one of the greatest shows. Sep 07, 2016 author, sara gruen is an excellent novelist. Water for elephants is the touching story of jacob jankowski, a ninetythreeyearold man, who is reminded of his colorful past when a circus sets up next door to his assistedliving center. Water for elephants every book has the same basic hero archetype. Mar 18, 2008 it came up as question 16 in the water for elephants reading group guide. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories.
On the first night after his leaving cornell, for example, jacob as did his biblical namesake lies back on the bank, resting my. The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a travelling circus and falls in love with the ringmasters wife. So i purchased the book and slowly began retreating. Its one of the few books that everyone has come back to me saying, water for elephants was so good. I decided to not watch the movie when i heard it was coming out simply because i didnt want to possibly ruin the experience id had with the book if the movie wasnt uptopar. While i enjoyed the movie with robert pattinson and reese witherspoon, the novel is far better. The following quote from jacob, taken from the book, describes, in detail, the marvelous scene. I have to admit, when our book club picked this book, i thought it was going to be long and tedious. This study guide consists of approximately 58 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of water for elephants. If you say that you carried water for elephants, i am.
The circus was the main setting of the book, water for elephants. The fourth theme shown in the book, water for elephants is suffering. The relevance of this book, and the plot, isnt the story itself, but the setting and the psychological environment. This book, as the rest of her collection, was written in english, same. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on moving trains and fighting for the women he loves. Gruen, whose first novel was riding lessons, turns horses and other creatures into sympathetic characters. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. It is a book i have recommended to everyone who has asked me what book i would recommend. A meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus. When jacob overhears a man at the assistedliving center confess to having been a water boy for the elephants in a circus, jacob knows the man is lying because jacob himself once worked. There are three main settings in water for elephants. The book was published on may 26, 2006, under algonquin books, in the united states of america.
Order our water for elephants study guide buy the water for. It has 335 pages, and is classified as historical romance and fiction. August feels the need to beat rosie to get her to walk on cue and august beats marlena so she does what he wants her to do. The narrative technique of water of elephants is more complicated than it might seem. Such is the case with sara gruens water for elephants.