Oct 21, 2009 he starts narrating the story, but suddenly you realize you are reading young jacob while being at the circus. Mar 18, 2008 it came up as question 16 in the water for elephants reading group guide. The name of the character jacob is the first clue and its. While he was at dinner, one of the new comers to the nursing home was saying how he gave water to the elephants. In the beginning of the novel, jacob mocks another resident of the nursing home who claims to have worked in the circus and carried water for. For interested readers rooting for a satisfying ending, water for elephants succeeds. The only place the movie veers from the original is in its details of the older, current jacob. Younger jacob and older jacob each gets to have his say. The setting of the story changes throughout the book. Water for elephants is a fascinating read, filled with danger, acts of evil, overwhelming kindness, and enduring love.
Water for elephants, an adaptation of the sara gruen bestseller about the. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. This is where almost all of the action of the story took place. In the book, we see jacob as an old man in the nursing home throughout. Water for elephants is the story of jacobs life with this circus. Jacob, 93 years old, retells his adventures one lifechanging summer when he happens upon a job as a veterinarian for a traveling circus. 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. What are the disadvantages of using water as a thermometric substance. Heads up folks water for elephants is coming out as.
Water for elephants questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on water for elephants. Differences between water for elephants book vs movie page 1. Jacob jankowski jacob is working overtime as the narrator of water for elephants. The tenderhearted jacob quickly grows to manhood as he is forced to protect both animals and coworkers from abuse and worse. Water for elephants book discussion questions water for elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. Every few chapters, the narrative switches from one jacob to the other. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Water for elephants original motion picture soundtrack. Water for elephants is a best book club book for discussion, about the bond of love, trust, hope, and survival that grows between a circus trio during the depression. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. It is a world filled with a menagerie of exotic animals, midgets, freaks, performers, and a sadistic circus. I read in the paperback version of this book that the author used the story of jacob in the book of genesis as. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants by sara gruen wordy evidence of the fact.
Also, if you want a special treat, listen to it on audiobook. From my understanding of both works, the only clear connection is the theme of deception. Jul 12, 2007 water for elephants begins violently and then veers into weirder terrain. The novel has received high praise from numerous critics, and has. But like you, martha, id appreciate other opinions. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus. Anyhow, i finished water for elephants last night to considerable. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. On the first night after his leaving cornell, for example, jacob as did his biblical namesake lies back on the bank, resting my head on a. Water for elephants is a moving tale about circus life during the depression era with quirky characters and complex emotions underlying the characters actions.
Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. They drink nearly 40 gallons 151 l of water at a time and can eat as much as 500 pounds 227 kg of vegetation, consisting of fruit, branches, grass, and other foliage. Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. Jacob is the only person in the book who has a handle on a moral compass and as his reward. Jacob laughs and says, im not running away, im coming home. In the beginning of the novel, jacob mocks another resident of the nursing home who claims to have worked in the circus and carried water for the elephants. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years. Heads up folks water for elephants is coming out as a movie soon and i am looking forward to seeing it. Once jacob earns the right to use walters real name, things start to change. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story.
The circus, the great depression, a complex elephant, equally complex love, the mists and twists of memory articulated in the utterly winning voice of a very old man whos seen it all. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. May 26, 2006 water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. 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. Another article in our series highlighting water for elephants by. The man agrees, saying that jacob will go down in the records book as the oldest man to run away with the circus. Although i wanted more emotion between marlena and jacob, its a romantic story, full of action, love for animals and a magnificent circus. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks. But when he seen that the circus was in town, he hobbled to the window to see the circus tent. However, if we dig a little deeper, we find the story of jacob in the king james old testament bares some resemblance to the story of jacob in water for elephants. Jacob decieving first his brother, then his father.
How is the book water for elephants related to the story. It was written as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants begins violently and then veers into weirder terrain. Water for elephants is an historical novel by sara gruen. Water for elephants parallels to the biblical story of jacob showing. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. There, he works as the shows vet, and falls ever more in love with marlena, the star of the circus and beautiful wife of the temperamental ringmaster august. The circus man water for elephants by sara gruen is a fascinating and captivating novel told from the point of view of jacob jankowski, a veterinarian who jumps aboard a traveling circus during the depression in the 1930s. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen.
Water for elephants summary water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. I read that the story of jacob is allegedly the backbone of water for elephants. In the book, jacobs narration takes place in his own mind. He is particularly angry with one old man who says he once got the water for elephants in the circus. The name of the character jacob is the first clue and its pretty obvious. May 19, 2011 water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen. He is portrayed as a bit of a rebel, arguing with other residents, complaining about the food. The movie water for elephants stays close to sara gruens beloved book particularly with the 1930s circus memories section.
I can sort of see a parallel to the stealing the birthright part. I read in the paperback version of this book that the author used the story of jacob in the book of genesis as the backbone of this novel. The author, sara gruen allows readers to read the book from two perspectives, one from young jacob and the other from older presentday jacob. Starring reese witherspoon as marlena, robert pattinson as jacob, and.
The circus was the main setting of the book, water for elephants. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. Sara gruen has said that the backbone of her story parallels the biblical story of jacob in the book of genesis 4. August sees their attraction and attempts to get jacob redlighted, which means to be thrown of the moving train at midnight. In the 1930s, 23yearold jacobs life changed drastically. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student at cornell, discovers that his parents have been killed in a car accident.
In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. Jacob jankowski is the main character of water for elephants. I can see some parallels, but i also see maybe even more parallels with the story of joseph. Jacob jankowski, the main character in water for elephants has some likeness to the biblical jacob, firstborn son of isaac. Review of water for elephants good books for catholic kids. Nov 29, 2007 jacob jankowski, the main character in water for elephants has some likeness to the biblical jacob, firstborn son of isaac. Water for elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. How do the elderly jacobs memories of marlena and their life together confirm or alter those expectations. At first he doesnt even let jacob call him by his real name. The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. However, in her 2006 novel water for elephants, sara gruen showed that the circus life might not have been as glamorous as it appeared from the outside. Jacob jankowski is the main character in the book, water for elephants. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on. Apr 29, 2008 i went to my bible and read the story of jacob.
Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. How is the book water for elephants related to the story of jacob in the bible. Water for elephants by sara gruen if you can read this. Jacob is working overtime as the narrator of water for elephants. Water for elephants parallels to the biblical story of. The best thing about water is the telling of the story by jacob jankowski, who is a 90 or 93 year old vet depending on how you look at it, now confined in a residential nursing home and looking back into his past. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Jacob, when narrating in his older years, demonstrates to readers that he remains as a static character throughout the novel. Apr 22, 2011 8 big differences between water for elephants book and movie apr. In the book water for elephants by sara gruen, there are some slight biblical themes if you look closely.
But the book locked me in and all i could do was turn the pages until i reached page 331 and the story was complete. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen. In water for elephants, jacob comes in and gets in uncle als good graces without a lot of history that august has. As much as the story focuses on the growth of jacobs masculine independence, gruen did not fail to surrender the lives of the cruel. Water for elephants study guide contains a biography of sara gruen, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Reading for a book discussionwhether you are the leader or simply a. Filmen borjar med att jacob som gammal berattar for en cirkusarbetare om sitt liv. In what other ways does water for elephants parallel the story of the biblical jacob. Its the story of jacob, who runs away to the circus during the depression when his life falls apart around him. To what extent do the chapters concerning the elderly jacob enhance the. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. The following quote from jacob, taken from the book, describes, in detail, the marvelous scene. Jacob then asks the man for a job as a ticket taker for the circus, saying theres nothing wrong with him other than that he is old.
Jacob mocks another resident at the nursing home who claims to have worked in the circus and carried water for the elephants. Overall, water for elephants was a book that grabbed me from the beginning. The story follows jacob jankowski who was an old man living in a nursing home, as he looks back about a time that defined his life. In the bible, jacob takes care of rachels fathers animals, and ends up leaving and going back home with quite a few animals like gruens jacob, who leaves the circus with an elephant, a dog, a. Water for elephants soundtrack11jacob returnsjames newton howard duration. Parisienne have you ever wondered if the story your reading have any hidden meaning to it. To emphasize this, the whole book is written in the present tense. The unusual title comes from an incident at the beginning of the novel. Jacob is ninetythree year old and is looking back on his adventures in life while he spends his days in a nursing home. Sara gruen has said that the backbone of her novel parallels the biblical story of jacob, in the book of genesis. Gruen has said that the backbone of her story parallels the biblical story of jacob in the book of genesis. Walter starts out as jacob s enemy and ends up as his friend. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing. On the first night after his leaving cornell, for example, jacobas did his biblical namesakelies back on the bank, resting my head on a flat stone page 23.
In this captivating depressionera melodrama, impetuous veterinary student jacob jankowski joins a celebrated circus as an animal caretaker but faces a wrenching dilemma when hes transfixed by angelic married performer marlena. If you say that you carried water for elephants, i am. In what ways is water for elephants a survival story. Together, jacob and marlena strive to protect and save rosie. Water for elephants is a delightful, moving book, and the ending was a very pleasant surprise. Jacobs story begins at cornell university where he is studying to come a vet. Even when living in the nursing home, jacob demonstrates that his violent tendencies remain when. When jacob jankowski arrived for the first time at the circus where he worked, he was in awe. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. Its uniquely told from the perspective of one character at two different stages of his life. 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 jacob s memories. So, i read the story of jacob, son of isaac who was the son of abraham, who almost sacrificed isaac. Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life.
On the first night after his leaving cornell, for example, jacob as did his biblical namesake lies back on the bank, resting my. Download water for elephants kindle for free youtube. His parents, on his final day of his cornell academy of veteranary science exams, get killed. On the first night after his leaving cornell, for example, jacob as did his biblical namesake lies back on the bank, resting my head on a flat stone page 23. The novel centers on jacob jankowski and his experiences in a traveling circus called the benzini brothers most spectacular show on earth. Elephants love water and like to bathe daily, spraying their bodies and each other with their trunks. May 19, 2011 sara gruen has said that the backbone of her story parallels the biblical story of jacob in the book of genesis 4. The elephant is a gentle animal, but becomes extremely dangerous if angered. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on moving trains and fighting for the women he loves. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers. Jacob at 20 and again when he was 93 and living in a nursing home. Jacob becomes the father of the first thirteen tribes of israel. How is the book water for elephants related to the story of. Jacob jankowski from water for elephants charactour.
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