With a showmans expert timing, gruen saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of. 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. August is an antagonist and jacob is a protagonist. Charlie enters the book in the secondtolast chapter and plays a small but pivotal role. 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. 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.
Classroom ideas posted april 12, 2011 by sara novel novice 5 comments there is so much to love about sara gruens water for elephants, from the lush and magical setting of a 1930s circus, to the sweeping forbidden romance, to the heartbreaking recollections of narrator jacob jankowski. Jacob jankowski marlena rosie the elephant august uncle al rosemary the nurse walter camel. 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. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. Water for elephants characters listed with descriptions. Oct 21, 2009 but what i liked more was the writing. Her works have been translated into fortythree languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. All 63 characters in water for elephants are listed by chapter with character descriptions included. 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 is built are essential, and. This story is characterdriven, and often said to have amazing character development and relationships. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Just one of the interesting tidbits i picked up from my year of 451.
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. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. Jacob is working overtime as the narrator of water for elephants. A national bestseller in canada and a new york times bestseller in the united states, this is a book destined to become a beloved fiction classic. The circus man water for elephants by sara gruen is a fascinating and. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and answers. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Jacob is eager to experience the world as an adult and is ready to take whatever the world can offer him in adulthood. Feb 02, 2012 the movie water for elephants stays close to sara gruens beloved book particularly with the 1930s circus memories section. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Analysis and discussion of characters in sara gruens water for elephants.
This character is hidden on the train to protect him until. Jacob jankowski is the main character in the book, water for elephants. Water for elephants a depressionera circus provides the backdrop for sara gruens latest novel, water for elephants. Character analysis of water for elephant 995 words 4 pages. Mcguinty is a minor character who appears early on in the book.
Jacob is ninetythree year old and is looking back on his adventures in life while he spends his days in a nursing home. She is an animal, but she is very clever and she even understands polish language. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. Water for elephants discussion so recently i read this book and loved it, so my boyfriend listened to the audiobook and also thoroughly enjoyed.
Water for elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring reese witherspoon, rob pattinson, and christoph waltz. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding lessons. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. 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 central truth jacobs connection marlenas connection connections text to world text to self text to text media translations kaitlyns sad story about love love is. 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. 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. Jacobs story begins at cornell university where he is studying to come a vet. 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. 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.
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. This character has a dog that means a great deal to him. August can be very friendly and sweet on the surface, but deep down he is a cruel and cold man. Sep 07, 2016 i bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it.
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. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. Water for elephants is the story of jacobs life with this circus. Jacob jankowski is the narrator of the novel, and senior in college whose ready to explore the world and find where he belongs. When the book opens, jacob jankowski is an angry old man who has been living in an assistedliving center. 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. A novel and millions of other books are available for instant. Apr 22, 2011 8 big differences between water for elephants book and movie apr. Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. Marlena rosenbluth from water for elephants charactour. Water for elephants is an enchanting pageturner, the kind of book that creates a world that engulfs you from the first page to the last. The film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. 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.
You might like to consider the following adjectives. Jacob is the main conflict in the book, water for elephants. 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 circus. What are six character traits jacob jankowski has in water for elephants. Readers may find themselves churning through this book at a rapidfire pace, eager to see what lies ahead, then slowing down as they realize the pages are dwindling. Jacob jankowski is a main personage and protagonist of this novel. 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. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed. A description of key characters in water for elephants. While august treats them akin to slaves, his wife tries to ensure that rosie and the horses live as comfortable as possible. Water for elephants character descriptions for teachers. 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. I was astounded at the lack of research which became clear when i.
Stories similar to water for elephants books, stories, and novels like water for elephants by sara gruen. According to his life story he appears as an honorable and sensual man. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. Overall, water for elephants was a book that grabbed me from the.
In the book, jacobs narration takes place in his own mind. He always tries to find justice and proves that people are able to show restraint and consideration. If you say that you carried water for elephants, i am. Jacob, when narrating in his older years, demonstrates to readers that he remains as a static character throughout the novel. Related questions and answers for characters in water for elephants. The only place the movie veers from the original is in its details of the older, current jacob. Passionate hopeless beautiful treacherous dangerous cruel love can destroy you just as fast. Times, publishers weekly, san francisco chronicle, and washington post lists a usa today and wall street journal best seller an american book association indiebound best seller. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. Guy montag is the main character in a book about burning books. The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list.
While reading water for elephants i found the plot hyperbolic and excessively melodramatic and the characters little developed beyond their names. Water for elephants, 2007, sara gruen water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. In water for elephants, the characters marlena and jacob are drawn together. Every few chapters, the narrative switches from one jacob to the other. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story.
The movie water for elephants stays close to sara gruens beloved book particularly with the 1930s circus memories section. 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. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. He starts narrating the story, but suddenly you realize you are reading young jacob while being at the circus.
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. Sara gruen is the internationally bestselling author of water for elephants and at the waters edge. Their two, completely separate personalities clash and collide. In the beginning of water for elephants jacob jankowski tells us that he is ninety or ninetythree. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. Oprahs book club do you remember the first book she. Sara gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. Aside from august, marlena, al, camel, and walter, the other people who work at the circus sort. Marlena is married to august, but it is a bad marriage. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends.
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