waterforelephants

Water for Elephants


"Age is a terrible thief. Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back. It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse." (p. 12)

"I cling to my anger with every ounce of humanity left in my ruined body, but it's no use. It slips away, like a wave from shore. I am pondering this sad fact when I realize the blackness of sleep is circling my head. It's been there awhile, biding it's time and growing closer with each revolution. I give up on rage, which at this point has become a formality, and make a mental note to get angry again in the morning. Then I let myself drift, because there's really no fighting it." (p. 69)

Book Club Rules- Strike One: Can't eat the food or drink. Strike Two: Sit outside and do their work. If you finish it, we guess we'll let you back in. Strike Three: Won't be involved in discussion; instead, will have to do double the work (e.g. if you were assigned 5 questions, you would have to present 10) and you also get a 0 for the day. You're Out: GO AWAY.

__ Week 1 __ : Paige Zlotolow is responsible for Person A. We like Jacob, the main character, because he is the only character in the first five chapters that we actually get to know and relate to him, because of his past. We also like the nurse, Rosemary, because she gave him real food in the nursing home, opposed to the gross food they give patients. We don't like Uncle Al because he really doesn't give a damn about anyone in the show, besides the performers.

Sam Bansil is responsible for Person D. Paige and I had a wonderful chat about Water for Elephants this Friday. Amelia, unfortunately, was unable to join us but was kind enough to email both of us her questions and quotes. We started off the meeting by discussing the main character, Jacob. We found him funny and likable and sympathized with him for his tragic past. In the book, we noticed how he often thought about his deceased wife and how miserable he was, living without her in a nursing home. A few times, he would completely lose himself as he recounted his memories as a young man working for the Benzini Brothers Circus. Paige thought that the transition between the past and present was too sudden, but I argued that it fit the scene just fine. Both of us observed how in the circus, workers and performers were strictly segregated and wondered how this would impact the ending.

Later on, we went over the questions and quotes compiled by Amelia. The first question, which related to the prologue, mentioned Marlena murdering August. Both Paige and I missed this detail because the whole chapter was full of chaos as all the circus animals broke lose, wrecking havoc in the menagerie. We discussed Jabob's vivid memory about his days in the circus. In the beginning, he says, "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other," which we found interesting since he could relive a moment to the last detail but he could not even remember his age. We especially liked how the author continually switches the point-of-view between younger and older Jacob because it allows the reader to see how his past influenced his life. To conclude the first book club meeting, we talked about the quote on the first page of the novel, which is from the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hatches an Egg. We decided that it was included to show Jacob's his loyalty to his friends and family. We also thought it pertained to his decision to tell his story for the first time in complete honesty.

Amelia Stalknecht is responsible for Person B and D. Questions for Water for Elephants about loyalty during hard times? It shows that no matter how much money you have, how educated you are, you can still be loyal to your friends, and to yourself > Quotes for Water for Elephants
 * 1) Who did you, upon reading the prologue, think murdered August? What effect did that opening scene of chaos and murder have on your reception of the story that follows? we think Marlena murdered August, for unknown reasons, which we will find out as we keep on reading
 * 2) To what extent do the chapters concerning the elderly Jacob enhance the chapters recounting the young Jacob's experiences with the Benzini Brothers circus? Very vivid and remembers it perfectly, unlike his age, which he doens't know if he is 90 or 93.
 * 3) How would the novel be different if the author, Sara Gruen, had only written about the younger Jacob? Would it be as compelling? Yes. It wouldn't be as compelling because we won't know how older Jacob was impacted by his experiences in the circus.
 * 4) The novel begins with a quote from Dr. Seuss. What does the novel have to say
 * 1) Do you think if Jacob's parents had more money when they died, would he still be in the circus? No. He would have pursued his dream to be a veterinarian.

> - Theodore Seuss Geisel
 * 1) "Although there are times I'd give anything to have her back, I'm glad she went first. Losing her was like being cleft down the middle. It was the moment it all ended for me, and I wouldn't have wanted her to go through that. Being the survivor stinks." (p. 13)
 * 2) “I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other.” (p. 5)
 * 3) “This is the first time I've ever seen a woman naked and I don't think I'll ever be the same.”(p. 47)
 * 4) “I meant what I said, and I said what I meant...An elephant's faithful-one hundred per cent!”

__Week 2__: Sam: B and C

Quotes: 1. “I cling to my anger with every ounce of humanity left in my ruined body, but it’s no use. It slips away, like a wave from shore. I am pondering this sad fact when I realize the blackness of sleep is circling my head… I give up on rage, which at this point has become a formality, and make a mental note to get angry again in the morning.” (p. 69)

2. “‘Watch yourself,’ he says… 'Look, I’m only going to say this once. August’s a funny one, and I don’t mean funny ha-ha. You be careful. He don’t like no one questioning his authority. And he has his moments, if you know what I mean.'” (p. 87)

3. “ ‘Damn, August,’ I say. ‘I almost forgot. The cats haven’t eaten. We had to dump their meat.’ ‘It’s all right, my boy,’ he says. ‘It’s already been taken care of.’ ‘What do you mean, taken care of?’ I stop in my tracks. ‘August? What do you mean it’s been taken care of?’ August continues walking, the gun slung casually over his shoulder.’” (p. 104)

4. “I remember leaving my house for the last time, bundled up like a cat on the way to the vet. As the car pulled away, my eyes were so clouded by tears I couldn’t look back.” (p. 109)

5. “Kinko turns and hands me a mirror. I take it with great trepidation. When I raise it to my face, a clown looks back at me.” (p. 136)

Questions: 1. After Jacob refuses to eat the nursing home food, Dr. Rashid gives him medicine for depression. Do you think Jacob is depressed? Why or why not?” No, we don't think Jacob is depressed. We think he is just getting old and angry with life. He is wishing he was young again, which explains why he keeps having flashbacks to his days with the circus.

2. Both Joe and Marlena have commented on August’s violent mood swings and even fear him because of it. Why do you think he acts this and why do you think Marlena stays with him? We think August has a mental disorder that causes these mood swings. Marlena stays with him because she keeps hoping that he will get better and that deep down, he is still the man she fell in love with.

3. Jacob had five children before his wife died. Why did none of the children offer him a place to live? Do you think their relationship with their father changed after the wife’s death? None of the children offered Jacob a place to live because they just do not want to have to take care of him. Jacob was probably not as close to them as they were to his wife. After his wife died, they probably drifted a part because whoever Jacob's wife was was the only thing that kept them together.

4. Barbara is a prostitute who works in the cooch tent for the circus. Why do you think she chose this life? We don't think that she really chose this life. We think that she has no where else to go. After all, the story takes place in the Great Depression. Jobs are hard to come by and she would probably take any money that she can get.

5. At the end of chapter ten, August has Pete brutally stab some decrepit horses stabbed to death. Why does he do this? Do you think Marlena knows but can’t do anything to stop him? August does this because he senses that Marlena is drifting away from him and is angry at her because of it. Marlena probably knows but she does not stop him because she is afraid of him.

Paige: D Sam, Amelia, and I started off week two of Book Club discussing the language of the //Water for Elephants//. We figured that the words were a little more challenging, but when they are all put together, Sarah Gruen makes the book understandable to three teenage girls. We think it was written at a higher/ basic level, for a mature audience, because the topics it discusses are harsh. We decided that //Water for Elephants// is not a classic, and we figured out that this book is neither a classic or controversial and could be read and understood completely during modern times. We all discussed that this book was good for school, because even though there is mature scenes, it is all in the news and teenagers and beyond are okay for us to watch, because we know about murder, rape, etc.We discussed that the train where the Benzini Brothers’ Circus is very dirty and we would never be able to live there. The book took us, again, back and forth from the nursing home where Dr. Rashid gives Jacob medicine for depression. In one of Sam’s questions, she asked if we thought he was depressed, and we agreed that he was not, but he couldn’t face the fact that he was an old man. We talked about Jacob’s 5 children- none who ever visit for unknown reasons. We hypothesize that his children were not close to Jacob at all, but more to his deceased wife, where Jacob describes his visiting from his children as chores and a waste of time. One thing that has come up multiple times in the discussion was that August is a fearsome man. In the reading of the week, we are getting to see August’s violent mood swings and how Marlena reacted. We discussed that Marlena is missing the August that she met, but now is fearful of the man he has become.

Amelia: A The group decided the book is an easier read, but it takes a more sophisticated mind to understand, comprehend, and imagine. The book is neither classic nor controversial it is a more modern approach. The words the author writes on the page, conveys the reader what the circus was like in the Great Depression.

__Week 3__: Sam: A The mood of the book switches between bright, vibrant, and chaotic when Jacob is remembering his past, to very clean, subdued, and dull when Jacob is in the nursing home. When our group pictured young Jacob and his days in the circus, we saw the characters as being very rugged and dirty. In the nursing home, however, we saw the setting as being very sterile, almost like a hospital. The tone changes frequently, almost like a roller-coaster. The author uses humor and sarcasm to cover serious topics. For example, when the old man, Camel, gets paralyzed, the characters still joke around with each other like nothing bad has happened. It was especially humorous when Camel told Jacob that he could no longer feel his 'man stuff.'

Paige: B/C QUOTES: “’Jacob?’ ‘Yeah?’ ‘You can call me Walter if you want.’ Under my hand my eyes open wide.” (Page 145)

“We’re in an alley surrounded by large redbrick warehouses. The streetlights illuminate the asphalt’s rough texture. On one side of the aley trash is blown up against the wall. On the other are parked cars-roadsters, coupes, sedans, even limousines-all flashy and new” (Page 149)

“She is easily the most popular animal. Her big ears flap back and forth as she accepts candy and popcorn and even chewing gum from delighted circus-goers. One man is brave enough to lean forward and dump a box of Cracker Jack in her open mouth. She rewards him by removing his hat, placing it on her head, and then posing with her trunk curled in the air. The crowd roars and she calmly hands the delighted patron his hat. August stands beside her with his bull hook, beaming like a proud father. There’s something wrong here. This animal isn’t stupid.” (Page 163)

“//Don’t have money? What have you got? We’ll take anything!// ” (Page 186)

“I’m now so desperate to lay eyes on her that I find myself trying to figure out ways of peeking into the window without getting caught.” (Page 198)

QUESTIONS: Do you think that Jacob’s love for the animals will foreshadow anything?

If you were in Marlena’s shoes for that kiss, would you have reacted differently? Do you think it was the right time for Jacob to do that?

Why do you think Rosie responds to gin and ginger ale and Polish commands?

Why, in the nursing home, does Jacob reluctantly go sit with his friends? Do you think it’s better to sit alone? Why do you think Rosemary, the nurse, pushed him to sit with other people?

What were your reactions to the way Rosie walked with August, in the beginning of Chapter 14?

Amelia-D

=== This week in book club, everyone focused on the mood of the story. Paige, Sam and I looked at the story as a roller coaster. There were times of the book were t he book was exciting and hilarious. On the other hand, there were times in the book were the book was serious and sad. Then the group was predicting what the mood of the movie would be. We pictured vibrant colors for the circus scenes. Then when the story was brought to the nursing home, it would be boring and have a darker feel. The group then tried to picture the book as a movie with the characters. It turns out that a movie is coming out soon. The actors that were === chosen for the movie, did not fit the imaginations everyone had in the group. During the session, the group answered Sam's questions and read Paige's quotes. In this session, we realized there is a lot of foreshadow in the book. Jacob's love for the animals in the circus foreshadows that something might happen to the animals. Something bad that is. The group has some sort of idea that the animals will get hurt because of the prologue. Hopefully by next week, the group will find out what happens next.

__Week 4__ Paige: A We don't think that "Water for Elephants" has that many symbols. Amelia mentioned the pictures that are provided before the chapters, how they give setting and idea to what the setting is. We discussed the themes of the books and decided one might be "don't drink alcohol", after the numerous accounts Jacob has had with alcohol. "Always protect the people you love", when Jacob runs to Marlena to let her know that August will try to find her at the hotel. "growing up and discovering yourself" is another theme, through Jacob's early life.

Quotes-Amelia

Questions-Amelia
 * 1) '“No. About...Oh hell, don't you understand? I //didn't even realize I was talking.// It's the beginning of the end. It's all downhill from here, and I didn't have very far to go. But I was really hoping to hang on to my brains. I really was.”'(page 217)
 * 2) “ 'No, I mean... can I take it for someone else?(page 225)
 * 3) “ We roll around, grunting, so close I can feel his breath on my face.”(page 246)
 * 4) “ After about an hour she falls asleep, sliding down until her head rests on my shoulder. I remain awake, every fiber of my body aware of her proximity.”(page 253)
 * 5) “ You //hit// her August”(page 267)
 * 6) “ He hit her”(page 266)
 * 1) Do you think by the end of the book, Jacob will lose his memory? Because of this outcome, do you think he will live a happy rest of his life? We think Jacob will forget almost everything except the memories of the circus. Everyone thinks Jacob will live a happy rest of his life, because what he dreamed for happened at the circus.
 * 2) In consideration that August has a mental disorder, do you think Marlena should forgive him? Do you think August will get more aggressive as time goes by? Marlena should not forgive August. Marlena should become friends again, so the show can go on, but they should seperate their marriage. August can get more aggressive, just like in Mice of Men. If August hurt one of his wife, who will he attack next?
 * 3) How does Jacob react after he teaches August Polish words to talk to Rosie? Does his reaction have to do with his relationship between August? Jacobs feels happy for August. He feels kind of jealous because August is getting all the credit. Overall he is happy because if Rosie does well in the circus then he gets paid more.
 * 4) What triggered August to start a temper tantrum after the successful show that night? August thought the table that was set for two was for Marlena and Jacob not Marlena and himself. August thought that Marlena loved Jacob and was cheating on him so he went on a tantrum.
 * 5) Older Jacob missed the circus because his son had plans. How would you feel if you were Jacob, stranded alone? We all thought it was terrible, that Jacob did not go to the circus. If we were Jacob, we would all be very upset, that our family forgot about us.

Sam: D Everyone agreed that this week's section, despite being the shortest, was the most exciting and eventful. We discovered that most of the predictions we made last week actually came true. For example, we predicted that Marlena would eventually leave August and later on, sleep with Jacob. All of us were relieved that she finally did so and were happy now that her and Jacob's romance could finally blossom. We also guessed that August had some sort of mental disorder, which would explain his violent mood swings. It turned out that he was a paranoid schizophrenic and thus, severely unstable.

Even though there did not seem to be a lot of symbolism, there were many messages that could gathered by the reader. There is a heavy emphasis on taking chances and finding your own path in life. Amelia pointed out that if Jacob had not decided to jump on the Benzini Brother's train, he would never have met Marlena and fallen in love. Most of our conversation centered around the making of __Water for Elephants__ into a movie. We all agreed that they should not have cast Reese Witherspoon as Marlena, since she does not look like how we pictured her in our heads. Based on the pictures of the set we saw online, we thought that the movie looked like it would turn out great, and now we are all excited for it. We are planning to see it together when it comes out in April. If we have time, we also want to take a field trip to the circus.

__Week 5__ Amelia: A Everyone's final thought on the book was ok. The problem with the book was that it just ended. We were all waiting see to see what hapens but nothing happens. The ending was so out there. The book as a whole conveyed the message that life is short, and to live to the shortest. Water for Elephants is a good book to recommends to friends. The author is so creative in writing old fashion but coming out so modest. The group concluded that the book should be required for students after all, it is an all time classic book.

Sam: B and C 1. “‘I look after those who look those who look after me.’ He smacks his lips, stars at me, and adds, ‘I also look after those who don’t.’”

2. “‘I’m late.’ ‘For what?’ She raises her head and turns beet red. ‘I think I’m going to have a baby.’”

3. “It occurs to me that my conscience stopped me from killing August at the very moment someone was attempting to carry out his orders to kill me.”

4. “Those were the salad days, the halcyon years! The sleepless nights, the wailing babies; the days the interior of the house look like it had been hit by a hurricane; the times I had five kids, a chimpanzee, and a wife in bed with fever. Even when the fourth glass of milk got spilled in a single night, or the shrill screeching threatened to split my skull, or when I was bailing out some son or other – or, in one memorable instance, Bobo – from a minor predicament at the police station, they were good years, grand years.”

5. “It’s like Charlie told the cop. For this old man, this //is// home.”

1. Why does Jacob agree to help Uncle Al get August and Marlena back together? Does Uncle Al believe him? He pretends to help him because he wants to protect Marlena. Uncle Al seems to believe him at first and waits for a few weeks for him to convince Marlena. He begins to get suspicious, however, and has Jacob redlighted.

2. After hearing of Marlena’s pregnancy, Jacob takes a knife to August’s train car. Do you think he could have killed him? What does it say about his character? Jacob could have killed him, but he probably would not be able to live with so much guilt. It shows that he is an honorable character.

3. What does it mean to be ‘redlighted’? What happens to Walter and Camel while Jacob is out and whom do you think did it? Redlighted means to be fired from the circus. In the case of Walter of Camel, they are thrown out of the train along with a few other men and were killed upon impact. Jacob was supposed to be with them. Uncle Al probably did it because he was angry with Jacob and ruthlessly tried to get revenge.

4. Who ended up killing August and why is this surprising? What was the fate of Uncle Al and the Benzini Brothers circus after the stampede? Rosie ended up killing August. This is surprising, because the prologue led us to believe that it was Marlena who killed him. After the stampede, the Benzini brothers were taken over by another circus and Uncle Al was found choked to death.

5. Did the ending of the book where Jacob rejoins the circus surprise you? Why or why not? In a way, it did because we all assumed that he would die in the end. We did think that it suit him because the circus was the only place he seemed at home.

Paige: D On the last week of Book Club, Amelia brought in bagels and I brought in cookies. While munching on the goodies, we discussed the ending of our book. We felt that the ending was very out there and that Jacob truly felt at home when he is by the circus. We went into discussing the discussion question. All three of us agreed that she could have written more to the book, like an epilogue, as Sam had said. We decided that the theme that Sara Gruen was trying to convey was to live life to the fullest, as Jacob had, in his adventures with the Benzini Brothers. One of the questions asked if we would recommend to friends. We all agreed, and Sam made a comment that even though it takes place in the early 1900’s, it is not an old fashioned book. Amelia said that it was not the best book that she read, but it was one of the good ones. I said that I would recommend it to friends, and even my parents, as they would like the topic that is covered. Another one of the questions that was asked was, “Should this book be required as a book to read in school?” The group discussed this question greatly and decided that it should be read in school because people can understand, but may not relate, the book because the author writes it in such a way that anyone, any age, can enjoy it. Even though there are a couple of risqué scenes, we felt that high schoolers are mature and can handle reading those minimal scenes. We talked about how a part of our section was something bad, but it was uplifting and funny and were found chuckling, not crying. After discussing those, we talked about all of Sam’s quotes and questions from the section. Soon enough, it was the end of the period and our __Water for Elephants__ book club was done.