Ok, so I liked it. The only thing that drove me crazy was the fact that Jacob was silent. There were so many times I was screaming at the book “just say something,” or “just explain yourself” and everything will be fixed. He never does. I brought this up so some friends of mine and the simply remind me that that is how most people act (except for the few cases where there life is an open book), including myself. The fact that I was screaming at a book is a good sign then. I goes to show that I cared for each of the characters; even the villain. I loved to hate him.
The book basically gives a visual of the circus in the mist of the Great Depression. The story talked about how the circus moved from town to town, daily life, how the circus collected acts, brought in money, how they didn’t ( or couldn’t) pay all that worked on the show, and why people stayed when they were on the show. There were also several other dimensions that were added to the book that were interesting, such as: social classes, reasons for entering the circus, and how many hands where “fired”. These other dimensions I am sure that Gruen did not pull out of nowhere but I am sure they were developed and elaborated with Gruen’s story telling ability.
Water for Elephants also examines the protagonist life after the circus. He is ninety, or ninety- three, and is in a nursing home. He is examining his life in the nursing home as the circus is coming into town. He is agitated by his state. He is treated like a child and others are not willing to listen to him; and when a old lawyer that sits across from him begins to retell stories of how he carried the water for elephants Jacobs is outraged by the lies, and still no one will listen. But on the other hand whether Jacob is twenty-three, or ninety-three his silence takes over and he still refuses to explain or discuss his past with those that he does not know.
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