This may be a totally amateur answer, but i totally thought the book was titled water for elephants because of the old man in the book that jacob despised. One day during class, dean wilkins, a dean at cornell, tells jacob son, there was an accident it was instant. Theres a world of new ideas in every books newsletter. As a result, human elephant conflict is rising as more and more elephants come into close contact with humans. 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. Jacob jankowski faces many conflicts throughout water for elephants, as one could expect any protagonist would. A conflict jacob encounters involves his boss, a schizophrenic named august, and his beautiful, performer wife, marlena. Can sri lankas elephants and humans learn to live together. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world.
The film was released in the united states on april 22, 2011. The band starts playing very fast and the redlighters set all the circus animals loose. Daily telegraph trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise. The circus train only had a limited amount of water on board, and elephants can drink 100300 litres per day approximately 2680 gallons. 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. 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. Aug 05, 2008 a meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus. Researchers are learning how asian elephants thinkin. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it.
Only days before graduating from vet school in 1931, young jake learns his parents have died and left him penniless. I also wondered why the conflict between marlena, jacob and ms husand couldnt have been resolved by getting rid of him. Unfortunately in jacobs case, marlena is married to the ever so charming man, august. 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. For instance, if you were trying to choose between things, that would be an internal conflict. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. 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 can be an unnerving view for animal lovers.
Apr 22, 2011 8 big differences between water for elephants book and movie apr. The story is dark and violent and follows a storyline seen in so many films. To drive away cropraiding elephants, farmers resort to all sorts of ways, from beating drums and bursting crackers to erecting electric fences and using spikes and fireballs. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. These negative interactions can result in the retaliatory killing of elephants. In the book, marlena wasnt portrayed as some flirtatious vamp. A thousand splendid suns, memory keepers daughter, etc. After all, jacob was good with rosie, spoke polish, as did another circus worker. When jacob jankowski is tossed by fate onto a rickety depressionera circus train, he enters a world that is both his salvation and a living hell. As a short term effort, organizing and mobilizing farmers in conflict villages and raising deep awareness on elephant behavior patterns is necessary. Water for elephants is a narrative of intriguing contradictions in a compelling plot about circus life that is both glamorous and repulsive.
This often leads to elephants destroying crops and property, as well as occasional human casualties. Setting great depression summer of 31 midwest nursing home significance conservative desperation hot transient staunch boring monotonous role of fate audience teens and young adults americans both movie and novel have the flair of 50s movies in the danger, melodrama. Because they live in such a complex society with everchanging groups, shortdistance and longdistance methods of communication are necessary both to maintain inter and intragroup relationships and to attract mates when it is time to breed. In jacobs eyes, the beautiful marlena is the absolute girl of his dreams. Sara gruen has written an utterly transporting novel richly full of the stuff of life. Indian elephants may spend up to 19 hours a day feeding and they can produce about 220 pounds of dung per day while wandering over an area that can cover up to 125 square miles. What is the setting of water for elephants by sara gruen. Within this relationship lies the key conflict in water for elephants, along with jacobs battle with the. What is the main conflict of this novel that leads to the climax. What are the main conflicts in sara gruens novel water. While reading water for elephants i found the plot hyperbolic and excessively melodramatic and the characters little developed beyond their names.
Like water for chocolate vs the brief and wondrous life of oscar wao. August can be very friendly and sweet on the surface, but deep down he is a cruel and cold man. What are the main conflicts in sara gruens novel water for. Human elephant conflict in sri lanka elephant country. The climax of the the book, water for elephants, is when several survivors who were redlighted return to the circus during one of the shows. Water for elephants, an analysis case study template. In sara gruens water for elephants, one main conflict is jacob and marlenas budding romance, as marlena is married to august, the violent head animal trainer at uncle als circus. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding.
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. As i was reading, i kept expecting something to exhibit water for elephants besides mcguinty. His lie telling the old ladies that he used to carry water for the elephants is what triggers jacobs memory about working with the circus. The novel alludes to books of the most famous authors. 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. It starts from the perspective of jacob as an elderly man in a nursing home clinging on to memories of his young life in the circus after hearing another older man. Researchers are learning how asian elephants thinkin order to save them as the pachyderms increasingly clash with farmers and villagers over disappearing land, scientists study the way the. 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. They crash and bang and make themselves at home, mostly because theres no competition. In the book, we see jacob as an old man in the nursing home throughout. I thought that water for elephants was to be solely based on the relationship between a man and an elephant.
They feed mainly on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots, leaves and. Elephants and humans are having a hard time cohabitating together. Jacob is working overtime as the narrator of water for elephants. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books. The major conflict concerns august and his conception about the most precious things in his life. Even when living in the nursing home, jacob demonstrates that his violent tendencies remain when. Elephant sense and sensibility is a comprehensive treatment of the full range of elephant behavior. Jacob jankowski, a retired veterinarian living out his days in an assistedliving facility, drifts in and out of his memories. Analysis of sara gruens water for elephants 862 words 4 pages. What is the main problemconflict in 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. Water for elephants author sara gruen will release a new novel later this.
I didnt read the book, but i hope its better developed than the movie. Differences between water for elephants book vs movie page 1. Later in the book, it is suggested that he is a paranoid schizophrenic, to explain his violence. My main issue with the book water for elephants not the title i would have chosen. In sara gruens water for elephants, one main conflict is jacob and marlenas budding romance. The love chase begins as regardless the circumstances, jacob is willing to do just about anything in. August is an antagonist and jacob is a protagonist. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel by sara gruen. Review of water for elephants good books for catholic kids. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. He is particularly angry with one old man who says he once got the water for elephants in the circus.
There is a great deal of animal abuse and even if it is simulated, it feels real. Marlena is married to august, but she and jacob fall in love. No matter how many variations or ways you think you can write a story, in the end you will always be simply rewriting someone elses story, for you will just end up putting your own spin on it. 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. Jacob also denies this because of his knowledge about elephants, especially after working with rosie, an elephant he had helped to train by speaking polish. One of the main problems is a lack of character development, especially for the supporting players. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. More conflicts jacob jankowski encounters in water for elephants have to do with his parents deaths. Water for elephants is a historical novel written by canadian author sara gruen, first published in 2006 by algonquin books of chapel hill. Sep 07, 2016 i bought this book because of push advertising and regretted it.
Water for elephants book and movie comparison by hannah. Water for elephants is based on a bestselling novel of the same name by sara gruen. African elephant, facts and photos national geographic. 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.
Mar 01, 2011 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 relevance of this book, and the plot, isnt the story itself, but the setting and the psychological environment. Water for elephants by sara gruen is an astonishing book that displays 2 narratives of jacobs past and present life. Younger jacob and older jacob each gets to have his say. Camel jim norton is an old roustabout with a drinking problem. What is the internal conflict in water for elephants answers. Elephants need a lot of room to roam, so habitat destruction and fragmentation not only makes it harder for them to find food, water, and each other, but it also puts them in increased conflict. 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. But be warned, this isnt the order of events in the book. Capturing the illuminate and pure magic of the circus is no easy task for an author. Download and read online for free water for elephants by sara gruen. She wrote the book as part of national novel writing month. He is portrayed as a bit of a rebel, arguing with other residents, complaining about the food. Beginning with chapters on evolution and the elephants brain, this book is an integrated presentation of the elephants capacity for memory, morality, emotion.
From lobbying lawmakers to getting your hands dirty at a refuge, there is plenty that can be done to help elephants worldwide. All i can do is put in time waiting for the inevitable. Another tendency is that migrated elephants turn into residential elephants, which becomes a major issue in the destination habitat as it raises the issue of humanelephant conflict as well as. The prologue features a younger version of jacob, who works at a circus and. Jacob, when narrating in his older years, demonstrates to readers that he remains as a static character throughout the novel. 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 is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing. 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 in one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. I know the cover is pretty, and the title is intriguing, and the summary is enticing.
From convincing people about the important nature of this iucn red data book listed giant and its innocent nature will reduce the humanelephant conflict. Their two, completely separate personalities clash and collide. Sarah mccann here is the trailer for the water for elephants movie, to get an idea of the setting and time period, as well as the characters. The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. May 18, 2011 i thought that water for elephants was to be solely based on the relationship between a man and an elephant. What are the main conflicts in sara gruens novel water for elephants. Love and work in sara gruens water for elephants bartleby.
A modernstory of a woman whos suffering against the existence she no longer desires and a historic tale of paris for the period of the time of international conflict ii. Of course, that is part of the story and life in a circus at the time was no joy for animals or humans. To emphasize this, the whole book is written in the present tense. Gruen transports us into the world of a thirdrate traveling circus during the great depression. Sara gruen has a voice to rival john irvings, and i am hopelessly, unabashedly in love with this book. Jacob is the main conflict in the book, water for elephants. The human elephant conflict is a term that defines a growing problem in asia. Sunday express you are so immersed in circus life that you are completely blinded by the thrilling, fatal dazzle of sequins and sawdust.
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. Conflict, at first glance, might not appear to be an important piece to this novel, but when you give the book some thought. It stars reese witherspoon, robert pattinson, and christoph waltz. For your own enjoyment, do not read the first 3 or 4 pages. This demonstrates that jacob is clearly in love with marlena. 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. First, if you havent read water for elephants yet, skip the prologue. A water for elephants discussion from reading group guides writers digest interview with sara gruen. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. Union governments project elephant estimates that every year the conflict results in the death of over 100 elephants. Sara gruens arresting new novel, water for elephants, explores similar subject matter the pathetic grandeur of the depressionera circus. This book is every bit the fabulous escapist entertainment that the big top once was. Every few chapters, the narrative switches from one jacob to the other. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. 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. The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and. The reason jacob is denying that joseph had carried water for any elephants is because it is nearly an impossible task with the amount of water that elephants can drink. Elephants and humans are not getting along and in sri lanka, it is more apparent than anywhere else. Water for elephants movie tiein by sara gruen, paperback. Water for elephants is the kind of story that sticks with you i finished listening to the audiobook through the overdrive media console app several days ago, and ive been thinking about it constantly trying desperately to decide what to say that would accurately portray my feelings about it first, the book has flawless characterization. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. If you say that you carried water for elephants, i am. Observing the ghosts from my past, rattling around in my vacuous present.