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.