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. Based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. 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. 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. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories.
Set during the great depression, water for elephants tells the story of a young man who leaves his life as a cornell university veterinary student after losing both his parents in a car accident, and jumps onto a train that happens to house the benzini brothers most. Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. 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 by sara gruen summary study guide.
Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. Jacob says that he was able to give her everything he ever promised her. All of the important quotes from water for elephants listed here correspond, at least in some way, to the paper topics we created on water for elephants and by themselves can give you great ideas for an essay by offering quotes about other themes, symbols. Stories similar to water for elephants books, stories, and novels like water for elephants by sara gruen. Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. Water for elephants chapter summaries flashcards quizlet. Marlena works with eleven horses on a routine shown under the big top. Charlie enters the book in the secondtolast chapter and plays a small but pivotal role. Sara gruen uses her talent as a writer to bring that world alive for the reader.
The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Water for elephants summary 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. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in. But when he seen that the circus was in town, he hobbled to the window to see the circus tent. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. While reading water for elephants i found the plot hyperbolic and excessively melodramatic and the characters little developed beyond their names. Jan 18, 2011 based on the acclaimed bestseller, water for elephants presents an unexpected romance in a uniquely compelling setting. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it.
When jacob overhears a man at the assistedliving center claim to have been a water boy for the elephants on. 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. Written by claire cornwall and other people who wish to remain anonymous. I have not read the novel even though i plan to do it now so im only offering my views on the movie. Start studying water for elephants chapter summaries.
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. Sep 07, 2016 i bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it. 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. Sunday express you are so immersed in circus life that you are completely blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust. Every few chapters, the narrative switches from one jacob to the other. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen.
These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen. Water for elephants summary water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. The man agrees, saying that jacob will go down in the records book as the oldest man to run away with the circus. 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. Unlike the other brave boys of their generation, ellis and hank are not off fighting hitler. Marlena is the main love interest in the book, water for elephants, and also a performer at 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.
When jacob overhears a man at the assistedliving center claim to have been a water boy for the elephants on a circus, jacob knows the man is lying because jacob himself once worked as a vet on a traveling circus. I bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it. Water for elephants essay appraisal, hoa and reo asset. Immediately download the water for elephants summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching water for elephants. Goodreads members who liked water for elephants also liked. Water for elephants study guide consists of approx. Water for elephants summary these notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community. Find books like water for elephants from the worlds largest community of readers. Water for elephants trailer 20th century fox youtube. Rosie couldnt do the teams from the beginning, so august remained very aggressive and ready to beat it, bu. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen.
We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Water for elephants by sara gruen essay freebooksummary. Through her careful research of a fascinating topiccircuses of the 1920s and 1930sgruen not only draws. 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. Aug 14, 2011 water for elephants summary a veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a tr. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years. 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. Daily telegraph trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise. All of the important quotes from water for elephants listed here correspond, at least in some way, to the paper topics we created on water for elephants and by themselves can give you great ideas for an essay by offering quotes about other themes, symbols, imagery, and motifs than those already mentioned. Click here for the complete analysis of the entire book. On our first date, my husband took me to see tod brownings freaks, a 1932 horror film with a distinctly diane arbus feel. Asian elephants learning guide has everything you need to explanations of water wells in asia. I was astounded at the lack of research which became clear when i.
This book is every bit the fabulous escapist entertainment that the big top once was. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. 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. Apr 22, 2011 8 big differences between water for elephants book and movie apr. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel. 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. 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. Veterinary school student jacob meets and falls in love with marlena, a star. 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.
Water for elephants a depressionera circus provides the backdrop for sara gruens latest novel, water for elephants. First let me say this is one of my all time favorite books i would really suggest you reading it if you havent already. The book turned out to be about elephants because i had just finished reading sara gruens water for elephants. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Water for elephants is proof that author sara gruen understands storytelling techniques. For elephants in the epic mutiny of religious beliefs and show up as we have it here. 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.
Aug 21, 2009 first let me say this is one of my all time favorite books i would really suggest you reading it if you havent already. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. 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. Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a travelling circus and falls in love with the ringmasters wife. Water for elephants by sara gruen at the best online ebook storage. 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. While he was at dinner, one of the new comers to the nursing home was saying how he gave water to the elephants.
The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. Click below for more about water for elephants by sara gruen. Ok, ill try to tell you a bit of what i thought about water for elephants, without spoiling anything. 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. 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. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed. Marlena ran away from home to join the circus and married august, the head animal trainer. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends.
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