Summary Of Jacob Jankowski's 'Water For Elephants'

In the story Water for Elephants, 93 year old Jacob Jankowski recalls the story of his life, and more specifically, his experiences in the circus. In the exposition, Jacob flashes back to a disaster that occurred when he was a young man. All of the animals in the circus have escaped and are running wild around, and Jacob searches desperately for his wife. As memory fades, he once again becomes the old man that he is. Throughout the novel, he drifts in and out of memories, lacing the past with the present, and showing what happened to the incredible life he once had.
The narrative hook occurs in Jacob’s past. During veterinary school, he is informed that his parents have been in a fatal car accident, leaving him paralyzed with grief and despair. Jacob goes through the next few few weeks in a daze, unable to focus or comprehend what happened, “I stare at his face, trying to make eye contact, but it’s difficult because he is zooming away from me, receding to the end of a long black tunnel” (17). Jacob walks out during …show more content…
The train he hops happens to be the Benzini Brothers travelling circus and Jacob is welcomed into the staff on account that they desperately need a veterinarian on board. Things take a turn for the better when the Benzini Brothers circus gets a new addition; an elephant. Rosie is purchased for two thousand dollars and August, the animal acts director, is sure she will be a sensation. Unfortunately, training her is more difficult as it seems, and August’s temper shows more than often. This leads him to brutally beating Rosie with a bullhook. August’s wife, and Jacob’s love interest, Marlena, is devastated at the treatment of such a gentle creature, and goes to Jacob for consolation. August notices that Marlena and Jacob are getting close, and he once again displays his violent nature by beating both Jacob and Marlena. Marlena decides to leave August for Jacob, and run away from the circus