August can be very friendly and sweet on the surface, but deep down he is a cruel and cold man. According to his life story he appears as an honorable and sensual. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Jacob jankowski is the main character in the book, water for elephants. Marlena is married to august, but it is a bad marriage. I read water for elephants for our book club, and i expected it to be as slow, dull, and superficial as most of the other books we have read. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. Water for elephants was a thoroughly engaging and mesmerizing read from the characters to the story itself. Author interview sara gruen, author of water for elephants. The freak show of the circus is quite plain in the welldrawn cast of water for elephants. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel.
Included throughout the book are portrait gems from the archives of the circus world, and that only added to the imageries already saturated in my mind. Water for elephants was a thoroughly engaging and mesmerizing read from the characters. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. Marlena is the main love interest in the book, water for elephants, and also a performer at the circus. It has 335 pages, and is classified as historical romance and fiction. 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 is a 2011 american romantic drama film directed by francis lawrence and written by richard lagravenese, based on sara gruens 2006 novel of the same name. Their two, completely separate personalities clash and collide. Jacob is the son of polish immigrants, a vetenarian student at cornell university, and has never dated a girl. Although it is only april, i predict that water for elephants by sara gruen will be one of the best books i read this year. Jacob is the main conflict in the book, water for elephants. Marlena ran away from home to join the circus and married august, the head animal trainer. August is an antagonist and jacob is a protagonist. When the book opens, jacob jankowski is an angry old man who has been living in an assistedliving center. Even when living in the nursing home, jacob demonstrates that his violent tendencies remain when. Character analysis of water for elephant 995 words 4 pages.
At its finest, water for elephants resembles stealth hits like the giants house, by elizabeth mccracken, or the lovely bones, by alice sebold, books that combine outrageously whimsical premises with crowdpleasing romanticism. Jacob jankowski marlena rosie the elephant august uncle al rosemary the nurse walter camel. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. You might like to consider the following adjectives. May 26, 2006 i read water for elephants for our book club, and i expected it to be as slow, dull, and superficial as most of the other books we have read. When jacob overhears a man at the assistedliving center claim to have been a water boy for the elephants on. Water for elephants, as hollywood interprets it, is a nice film, but so many of the colorful characters are eliminated that the film is left dull. Its not terribly surprising, then, that one of the most memorable characters in this animal lovers new novel is a pachyderm named rosie.
Water for elephants symbols, allegory and motifs gradesaver. The first edition of the novel was published in may 26th 2006, and was written by sara gruen. Do remember, however, that characters can change during the course of the book, and the jacob jankowski. At the beginning of water for elephants, he is living out his days in a nursing home, hating. Sara gruens very readable novel is a story of impossible love set in the circus world during the 1930s and is set to be made into a blockbuster film starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon. 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.
Free download or read online water for elephants pdf epub book. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. Events lead him to joining the circus as their vet, working under their unstable boss august whose violent tendencies give everyone reason to be cautious around him, including his beautiful and quiet wife marlena, whom august is very possessive of and who jacob finds himself soon falling in love with. Jacob jankowski is the main character in the book water for elephants.
Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Israels solution for a water starved world our world of water. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless.
All 63 characters in water for elephants are listed by chapter with character descriptions included. Water for elephants 2011 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. For the best answers, search on this site although i dont have a hard copy on hand, i do recall the main character who was also the narrator if i remember correctly was clearly the means of the stories propulsion. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus. Sep 07, 2016 i bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it. Jacob, when narrating in his older years, demonstrates to readers that he remains as a static character throughout the novel.
The film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. 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. If you like water for elephants, you might like little heathens by mildred armstrong kalish seabiscuit by laura hillenbrand the adventures of miles and isabel by tom gilling. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Surprising, poignant, and funny, water for elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down. 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. Jul 23, 2018 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. Oct 06, 2015 water for elephants 2011 bdrip 1080p rus. 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. Water for elephants is told in the first person but from two different perspectivesjacob jankowski at. What are six character traits jacob jankowski has in water for elephants. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 335 pages and is available in paperback format. The author, sara gruen allows readers to read the book from two perspectives, one from young jacob and the other from older presentday jacob.
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. After his parents death, jacob jankowski is left penniless and homeless. Water for elephants the novel water for elephants is written by the bestselling author sarah gruen. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are jacob jankowski, rosemary. A book about the water cycle water for elephants let there be water. Jacob is working overtime as the narrator of water for elephants. The theme of age the theme of age if the fifth theme in the novel. Marlena works with eleven horses on a routine shown under the big top. I simply adore this book and recommend it to everyone. 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. Water for elephants characters listed with descriptions. Younger jacob and older jacob each gets to have his say.
In this movie water for elephants, robert pattinson plays a character named jacob, while in the twilight saga movies, for which he became famous, his nemesis name played by taylor lautner is jacob. Jacob jankowski, a veterinary student at cornell, discovers that his parents have been killed in a car accident. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. However, i find it refreshing that each one has the potential to be the bad guy because its an excellent display of their humanity. Novelist sara gruen sweeps her readers off their feet in the opening pages of water for elephantsand doesnt let go until she deposits them at the end of her fantastic tale of passion, madness and fancy. According to an authors note, she studied elephant. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen.
But its the setting and animal subplot that add flavor to this book. But if you were to be on his bad side, he will be downright cruel. In water for elephants, the characters marlena and jacob are drawn together. In a deleted scene of the 2004 film vanity fair, robert pattinson played reese witherspoons estranged son. Related questions and answers for characters in water for elephants. Joshilyn jackson, author of gods in alabama so much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only. In addition to jacob jankowskis love affair with rosie the elephant and a noticeably less sweet. Water for elephants is a historical fiction romance novel written by sara gruen as a part of national novel writing month about circus life in depressionera america. I was astounded at the lack of research which became clear when i. Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. Jacob jankowski the protagonist, a 93yearold nursing home resident reminiscing on the time he spent as a. I bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it.
Sara gruen has a big tops worth of vivid characters and an exhilarating narrative that. 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 movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. May 26, 2006 it has everything i look for in a truly great book.
The book was published on may 26, 2006, under algonquin books, in the united states of america. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in love with marlena, a star. The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. 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. Water for elephants book by sara gruen thriftbooks. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. Mcguinty is a minor character who appears early on in the book.
Water for elephants is a story of unspeakable love, of untold secrets, and ultimately learning that life is meant to be lived as the main spectacle of a glorious headlining show, not some cheap, dingy, forgettable sideshow. Sara gruen keeps her cats ashes in an urn behind her desk and donates a portion of her book royalties to animal charities. Water for elephants a depressionera circus provides the backdrop for sara gruens latest novel, water for elephants. Aug 28, 2012 the freak show of the circus is quite plain in the welldrawn cast of water for elephants. This also happens to be the name of the romantic rival to pattinsons character in a popular film series, also based on books. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen.
The main character is jacob jankowski who is in his nineties and in a nursing home. Water for elephants study guide contains a biography of sara gruen, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Pdf water for elephants book by sara gruen free download. August august is the owner of the circus, married to marlena, and a paranoid schizophrenic. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Jacob is ninetythree year old and is looking back on his adventures in life while he spends his days in a nursing home. Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. Jacob jankowski is a main personage and protagonist of this novel. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book.
Dec 11, 2011 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. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Ive always been a complete sucker for animals, says gruen, whose novel water for elephants has garnered. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011.
Joshilyn jackson, author of gods in alabama so much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only under the big top, but into the protagonists heart. If you say that you carried water for elephants, i am. Jacob jankowski, who is currently ninety or ninetytwo, tells the story of how he left his ivy league training as a vet and ran away after his. While reading water for elephants i found the plot hyperbolic and excessively melodramatic and the characters little developed beyond their names. Water for elephants original motion picture soundtrack licensed to youtube by sme, adrev for a 3rd party on behalf of t c. To emphasize this, the whole book is written in the present tense. Buy a cheap copy of water for elephants book by sara gruen. Oprahs book club do you remember the first book she. 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. Jacobs story begins at cornell university where he is studying to come a vet. 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. If youre on his good side, august is sure to treat you royally and be charismatic as well. Apr 22, 2011 8 big differences between water for elephants book and movie apr.
515 1109 1143 1041 366 1205 675 462 1225 1120 552 54 909 232 521 94 76 576 1198 1016 521 123 1442 777 768 1385 1212 1492 733 555 907 1154 70