Outside Reading Week 7 - Post B

As my last blog post for the novel, Water For Elephants, I would like to say that this book was AMAZING and that everyone should read it! 

I found the last chapter of the novel to be the most touching. Jacob shares his past of the circus and his family life after it with the circus member he met. He lets the stranger into his life and recalls old circus tales and his life as a husband and father. Like I said in my last blog, he then asks to become a member of the circus and, with Charlie's approval, he becomes one at the end of the novel!! I found this to be a little hard to believe. With an old man missing from a local nursing home and police out looking for Jacob, wouldn't the officer question Charlie and him a little further?? Although a little far fetched, I still found this ending to be extremely touching. Especially with Jacob's last quote of "It's like Charlie told the cop. For this old man, this is home." (331) Jacob feels more at home at the circus then any other place in the world, so I was really happy for him when he got out of his depressing nursing center and went back 'home.'  Although I do wonder what will become of him with this new life.. Will he be able to do any work? Or is he just along for the ride? This last sentence also supports my theme of: A home away from home, because in Jacob's case, that's what the circus is to him. 

Outside Reading Week 7 - Post A

Vocab:

1. formaldehyde (326): a colorless, toxic, potentially carcinogenic, water-soluble gas, derived methyl alcohol by oxidation
2. palpable (327): readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.

Figurative language:

1. "I'm sitting at a Formica table in the back of an impressively appointed RV sipping an equally impressive single malt-Laphroaig, if I'm not missed taken, and singing like a canary." (326) This is a simile. Jacob is comparing one of the tipsy members' of the Ringling Circus slurring and singing to a canary. 
2. "The sleepless nights, the wailing babies; the days the interior of the house looked like had been hit by a hurricane..."(327) This is an example of imagery. Jacob describes what fatherhood was like for him. This section applies to sight because he so well describes the state of their extremely mess house. 
3. "I snort like a pig with glee." (331) This is also a simile. After Charlie allows Jacob to run away with the circus, Jacob is so excited that he snorts-which he compares to a pig.

Quote: 

"All right. Let's give you something to tell your grand kids about. Or your great-grand kids. Or great-great-grand kids." (331) Charlie tells Jacob that he can stay with him on the circus and Jacob is soo thankful that his eye's begin to mist over. I think that Charlie is so kind to make a huge decision like that after only having known Jacob for a few hours. Jacob is now 'home.'

Theme: 

The theme is still a home away from home. 

Outside Reading Week 6 - Post A

Voab:

1. menagerie (326): a collection of wild or unused animals
2. precedence (314): act or fact of preceding

Figurative Language:

1. "She's dumb as a bag of hammers." (315) This is a simile. The elephant Rosie is being compared to a bag of hammers using the word 'as'.
2. "..leaping from the platform like a gazelle." (316) This is also a simile. Marlena compared to a gazelle using the word 'like'.
3. "Hot dogs jumped from their buns and rolled down the stands." (322) This is personification. The inanimate objects, hot dogs, are given the human characteristic of jumping. 

Quote:

"It's Uncle Al. A makeshift garrote is tightened around his blackened neck." (320) This quote surprised me! I won't have ever thought that the author would have several important characters to die in the fire/stampede. Its important because now Marlena and Jacob are free and able to do and take their relationship where ever they want. 

Theme: A home away from home

Outside Reading Week 6 - Post B

I feel really bad for Jacob! The novel flashes forward to presnt time where Jacob is old and in the nursing home. The day the circus comes has finally rolled around and all the residents are super excited! However, after waiting for almost a hour it becomes clear that Jacob is the only one whose family isn't going to show. I couldn't beleive this! How does a family just forget about someone? Exspecially on an important day like that. Anyway, Jacob is disappointed but he isn't going to let his no show family keep him from going to see the show. So once the nurses aren't looking he sneeks out the door and makes his way toward the giant red and white striped tent. He is in walking distance to the circus show, however it takes him over half an hour to get there due to his bad knees. When Jacob does get there, a working man escourts him to the front of the show after hearing that Jacob too once worked at the circus, and was alive for the great fire. After the show is over the worker asks him to have a drink with him in his car on the train. I thought it was really cute how excited Jacob was and through their conversation I also learned a lot more about the fire and Jacob's life post-circus. Jacob then asks the worker if he could join them on the circus!!!! I thought he was kidding at first, but he was totally serious! I'm really excited to find out what he's going to do! What happens when the nursing home finds out he's missing? Will he really re join the circus???

Outside Reading Week 5 - Post B

Oh my gosh, i can not believe what has happened! There was a huge stampede where all of the circus animals got out. This caused a riot and total chaos! The biggest part of this was when August died. Sure, it's great for Jacob, but he can't stop thinking about him. I wonder what will become of him and Marlena now. Jacob begins to talk to Marlena as his future wife and what their plans for the future hold. They plan on raising their child as well as taking many of the circus animals under their wing. Some animals include the elephant Rosie, Marlena's twelve horses, and the chimp Bobo. I think this is a crazy idea!! First of Jacob has no source of income to support his wife and child, let alone fourteen animals! I understand that they care for them but come on! Also, when I stopped reading, Jacob was just about to call his old college professor. I wonder if he's asking to finish his education and if his teacher will allow him to. I feel really bad for their whole situation, but i feel that because Jacob has been able to make it through so many other hardships, like his parent's death and joining the circus, that he will be able to provide for his family. I am also curious to find out what will happen to the old Jacob. Last I heard from him, his family forgot about him and he was unable to go to the circus with the rest of the people at the nursing home.

Outside Reading Week 5 - Post A

Vocab:

1. belligerent (287): warlike; giving to waging war
2. lithe (308): limber; supple; flexible
   

Figurative Language:

1. "..splits his head in a single clean movement - ponk-..."(309) Ponk is an onomatopoeia because it is describing the sound of the wood plank hitting August's head. 
2. "Marlena's scarf was sent dancing into the wind." (312) This is an example of personification because the scarf is being given the human characteristic of dancing.
3. "I found yellow eyes, like small suns, staring back at me." (318) Jacob is using a simile while comparing the lion's eyes to small suns. 

Quote:

"August's body was found and removed last night, and they're performing an investigation." (313) August died!! I expected him to be seriously hurt after the stampede, but I never thought he would die! I'm excited to find out what happens with Jacob and Marlena now that August is out of the picture. Also, I wonder if since Marlena is now a widow, if she will keep her and Jacob's baby.

Theme:

The theme is still that you can have a home away from home.

Outside Reading Week 4 - Post B

Dear Sara Gruen

Hi, It's me again! I'm writing again to tell you that your book is amazing!!

Holy crap I can't believe Marlena's pregnant. I never saw that coming... I'm really excited to see how that plays out with August and Uncle Al and Jacob. I hope that Marlena and Jacob end up together. Even though August tries to be a nice guy, he's kind of scary, like how he hit his wife and all. Also, I hope that Camel's drop off goes well. I know he's nervous to leave because he did something that he's ashamed of.. Do we ever find out?? Oh and i'm also excited to see what happens to the old Jacob in the nursing home. It was soo sad when his family never showed up. However, I think that this is adding to the theme of family and how Jacob will find a family in all the members of the circus. You do not necessarily have to be related to be considered family. I think that it's touching how Jacob is able to find friends and family in his fellow works. 

I'm having a really hard  not finishing your book right now! I want to keep reading, but I have till through winter break so i'll have to hold off. This book is like fifty times better than my last outside reading book so thank you!! Haha, i'll write again later! By that time i'll have probably finished my book, and will have hopefully have found out the answers to all of my many questions!

Sincerely,

Paige 

Outside Reading Week 4 - Post A

Vocab:

1. flay (234): to strip off the skin or outer covering of.
2. pachyderm(236): any of the think-skinned as the elephant, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros
   

Figurative Language:

1. "Uncle Al is delirious... basking in the coins that rain down on him." (237) This is a metaphor. Coins don't actually 'rain' down, the author is just using the word to emphasize the many coins the circus is earning. 
2. "I sound like I'm breathing through a gas mask." (248) This is a simile because Jacob is comparing his breathing to the sound of a gas mask using the word 'like'.
3. "My whole body feels like lead." (291) This is also a simile because Jacob is comparing his body to lead using the word 'like'. 

Quote:

"She raises her head and turns beat red, 'I think I'm going to have a baby.'"(284) Marlena tells Jacob that she's pregnant shortly after their return to the circus grounds. This is not good at all!! First of all Marlena is married to August and secondly Jacob is supposed to be trying to get them back together. I wonder what Uncle Al will do to them once he finds out...

Theme:

After reading through the climax of the book, I know believe that the theme of the book if that you can have a home away from home, and that you don't have to be related to be considered family.