What I Think So Far

I am currently on page 239 of the novel, about 90 pages from the end. I have really been enjoying the novel so far. I like how the author switches back and forth between the older version of Mr. Janikowski in the nursing home and the younger version who is traveling with the circus. I was a little unclear as to where the story was going because there was a little bit of a lull in the story, but the events have picked back up and it's become a lot more interesting.  I've definitely learned a lot about the politics of circuses and gained a greater insight into the behind the scenes work of it. The circus workers definitely do not have an easy life, and this book demonstrates that. I also really like the chapters from the nursing home perspective. I knew living in nursing homes and aging is very tough for many people because I have had many family members who have lived in them. However, reading about the experience from a first person point of view makes it a lot more personal and makes me have more sympathy for these people. I also understand why they are so grumpy so often. Overall, I would recommend this book to others.

Character

I am on page 64. The main character in this book is Mr. Jacob Janikowski. As said in my previous blog post, he introduces himself in the beginning as a ninety or ninety-three year old man. He goes into a lot of detail about his life as an elderly man. He talks about how he is now very forgetful and he hates it. The first mention of his name is during an encounter with two old ladies. He falls out of his chair and onto the floor and the women exclaim "Jacob! Oh Jacob!.. Oh dear oh dear!" (pg 7). The nurses then rushed to help him up, despite his belief that he could get up on his own. This shows his stubborn nature. In the second chapter, young Jacob is revealed. He attends school at Cornell and seems to be a very smart person. However, after his parents die, he cannot continue to pay for his education, so he runs away. This takes a great amount of courage, as he does not know where he's going, but eventually he "stop[s] because [he] is tired and does not know where [he] is." (pg 23). He then gets on the train, even though he has no idea where it is going. This shows his spontaneousness. He does this because he wants to start over, as his parents are dead and he has nobody else left to support him. Eventually, he ends up working backstage at the circus. One of the other workers comes up to him and very angrily says "I ain't trying to know your business, but I do know you ain't been on the road long. You're too clean, your clothes are too good, and you don't got a possession in the world. I know I ain't got no talking room, but a boy like you shouldn't be on the bum... If you got a life to go back to, I reckon that's what you should do." (pg 51). Jacob then responds with a voice crack, "I don't".  This quote describes Jacob as being cleanly and unlike the other workers in the circus. He is intimidated by this man because he has been in the circus much longer and knows this is not where Jacob belongs. However, Jacob is starting something new and has nowhere else to be, so he stays.

I have taken a strong liking to Jacob's character. I really liked the opening passage where he describes how he had a nice life leading up to being in the nursing home. The first person narrative makes me feel bad for him because he truly does not enjoy the nursing home. As the story transitions, I continue d to feel bad for him when his parents died tragically. He is incredibly resilient, however, and starts a whole new life for himself. Jumping on a random train takes an immense amount of courage, which is seen through his character as the story progresses. I am looking forward to reading more about his life and seeing how his character develops throughout the rest of the novel.

Young Jacob as the 2011 movie portrays him

Old Mr. Janikowski as the movie portrays him

Setting

I am on page 39 of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. The first chapter introduces Jacob Janikowski, a "ninety or ninety-three" (pg 5) year old man. He is currently living in a nursing home, which he does not enjoy. Gruen does a good job of painting the picture of a typical nursing home by describing the "long hallways", which look even longer when Mr. Janikwoski has to complete his physical therapy and walk down them. She also describes the type of people he is surrounded by. at the dinner table, calling them "silent... with frozen faces and withered limbs". (pg 8). He does not like the nursing home very much and talks about how "[s]ometimes the monotony of bingo and sing-alongs and ancient dusty people parked in the hallway in wheelchairs makes [him] long for death" (pg 13). Gruen truly captures the essence of being in a nursing home in this sentence. The details provided create a clear picture of what Mr. Janikowski's life is like from inside his new home.

Chapter 2 begins by going back in time to when Jacob is twenty-three and sitting in college. He attends Cornell University, where he is next to a girl he likes very much. He then discovers his parents have died in an automobile accident. He goes to the police station which he describes in detail. "There are no windows. There is a clock on one wall, but the room is otherwise bare. The floor is linoleum, olive green and white and in the middle are two gurneys. Each has a sheet-covered body on it" (pg 17). This provides the reader with exactly the scene he walks into as he sees his parents for the last time. After this, he runs away and ends up getting on a train, despite not knowing where it goes. He meets a few men named Grady, Bill, and Blackie. They try to kick him off the train because they think he is a hitch hiker. He then finds out he is actually on a circus train, which is on its way to Utica for a show. This sets up the setting for the rest of the novel. 

Modern circus train

Old fashioned circus train

What's in a Name?

Throughout this semester, I will be reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I chose this book for a variety of reasons. Primarily because I have always wanted to read it after hearing about it from my mom. While she never told me about the plot of the story, she always suggested it as a free read book for whenever I had time. Without having any insight as to what the novel is actually about, I am interested in it just by the title. Water- water is a substance that is essential to all forms of life. It is also incredibly plain, having no taste, color, or odor (assuming it is purely water). For- this word is used to indicate the intention or purpose of something. The use of it in the title implies the water is intended to be given to the elephants. The last word is Elephants. Elephants are known for being gentle giants in the wild. These majestic creatures roam a wide variety of habitats. However, they are also sometimes held captive and taught tricks to be performed in circuses all over the world. The cover of the edition of the book that I am reading shows a ringmaster or some type of circus worker entering curtains, which leads me to associate the book with a circus. I think this book will be about a circus worker's encounters with the animals in the circus or just their experience in general. Based on these insights, I am excited to see how the story will unfold!


Here is a link to the New York Time's review of this novel.