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.