An Elephant's Faithful, 100%

[Rachel-K]

What is Rosie's role in the novel? What is her relationship with each of the main characters? Do you have any "mythology" of elephants, and does Rosie fit into those expectations?

[vivico1]

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rkubie wrote:
What is Rosie's role in the novel? What is her relationship with each of the main characters? Do you have any "mythology" of elephants, and does Rosie fit into those expectations?

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I will have to think about this one a bit more, about how to answer it so its not an end of book spoiler answer, hmmmm. Hard to discuss her fully in those terms this early.

[Frank_W]

I'm not really sure what Rosie's complete role in the novel is. She might have been the temporary savior of the circus. But if she was, August's treatment of her was reprehensible! I can understand to a point that people were afraid of him, and they could literally lose their lives coming against him; but I don't think I could have stood by while he brutalized such an awesome, intelligent creature. I know my days with the circus would be over, and I'd have to leave the train, and try to find work in the town, etc. I'd hate to think I'd stand by and do nothing.

[Wrighty]

I have to say that the descriptions of Rosie with her long eye lashes and her smile made me fall in love with her. She sounded so intelligent, sweet, loyal and beautiful. That may not be a typical description for a hulking, gray, rough skinned giant but she did sound amazing. She was one of my favorite characters and I could easily imagine her creating mischief and performing.

We were given a small crystal elephant as a wedding gift and were told it represented good luck. Has anyone else heard that before?

Message Edited by Wrighty on 11-29-2007 02:12 AM

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:
I have to say that the descriptions of Rosie with her long eye lashes and her smile made me fall in love with her. She sounded so intelligent, sweet, loyal and beautiful. That may not be a typical description for a hulking, gray, rough skinned giant but she did sound amazing. She was one of my favorite characters and I could easily imagine her creating mischief and performing.

We were given a small crystal elephant as a wedding gift and were told it represented good luck. Has anyone else heard that before?

Message Edited by Wrighty on 11-29-2007 02:12 AM

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Wrighty, I had an aunt (I am assuming she is still alive) who collected elephants of all kinds and yes they are a sign of good luck. According to her, they were if the trunk is turned up and she doesn't like statuary of them if their trunk is not up, but yep, thats right.

[IBIS]

Wrighty, the elephants with their trunks up is a symbol of good luck. I hope your elephant's trunk is up!

IBIS

[Peppermill]

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Wrighty wrote:
We were given a small crystal elephant as a wedding gift and were told it represented good luck. Has anyone else heard that before?

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For some play with the elephant as symbol, try:

http://ganapati.club.fr/anglais/anoms.html
http://ganapati.club.fr/anglais/aculte.html -- See "Various invocations."

http://www.crystalinks.com/ganesh.html

http://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_and_goddesses/ganesha.htm

"Acceptance of the somewhat funny looking elephant man Ganesha as the divine force stills the rational mind and it's doubts, forcing one to look beyond outer appearances. Thus Ganesha creates the faith to remove all obstacles.

"Meditation on the Ganesha Yantra creates internal balance."

Those are certainly attributes contributing to marital happiness!

I was first introduced to this charming little deity in a display of Eastern statuary at the Los Angeles Museum. I have just tried to find an Internet image that captured the fine detail of that work. Instead, I have found mostly more modern conceptions. Without spending more time searching right now and while far from what I was seeking, this starts in that direction (with apologies to any who know the art to which I refer):
www.mindgiftshop.com/mind_page5.htm (enlarge)

[Wrighty]

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IBIS wrote:
Wrighty, the elephants with their trunks up is a symbol of good luck. I hope your elephant's trunk is up!

IBIS

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Uh, oh...I just checked and it's down. Should I send it back? I started dating my husband our junior year of high school and we've been married 21 years. He's a wonderful man. We've had good luck and bad along the way but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Maybe I should check on the people who gave it to us...

[Peppermill]

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Wrighty wrote:

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IBIS wrote:
Wrighty, the elephants with their trunks up is a symbol of good luck. I hope your elephant's trunk is up!

IBIS

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Uh, oh...I just checked and it's down. Should I send it back? I started dating my husband our junior year of high school and we've been married 21 years. He's a wonderful man. We've had good luck and bad along the way but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Maybe I should check on the people who gave it to us...

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Wrighty -- I thought Ganesha was always portrayed with his trunk up, but he didn't seem to be in what I perused this morning. Sometimes his trunk is just curled up at the end, but sometimes it doesn't seem to be at all. I have heard the symbolism Ibis mentions, but don't know its history. It sounds similar to the proper way to hang a horseshoe so its luck doesn't run out.

Sounds like you ought to continue cherishing the gift, though. Congratulations!

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:

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IBIS wrote:
Wrighty, the elephants with their trunks up is a symbol of good luck. I hope your elephant's trunk is up!

IBIS

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Uh, oh...I just checked and it's down. Should I send it back? I started dating my husband our junior year of high school and we've been married 21 years. He's a wonderful man. We've had good luck and bad along the way but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Maybe I should check on the people who gave it to us...

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LOL @ check on the people who gave it to us hehe. Hey, go by your own little tradition now, not a superstition. It was a nice gift for a wonderful event that happened and has lasted, its more a symbol of that now than any old thing about good or bad luck.

[IBIS]

Wrighty, the trunk being up is just an old wives' tale.

Its like the one that claims that rain on your wedding day is good luck. On my wedding day, it was a beautiful sunny August day, and I worried not raining it would bring us bad luck.

I'm celebrating my 28th anniversay in August, so you see.... your elephant has brought you lots of good luck, even with its trunk down.

IBIS

[vivico1]

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IBIS wrote:
Wrighty, the trunk being up is just an old wives' tale.

Its like the one that claims that rain on your wedding day is good luck. On my wedding day, it was a beautiful sunny August day, and I worried not raining it would bring us bad luck.

I'm celebrating my 28th anniversay in August, so you see.... your elephant has brought you lots of good luck, even with its trunk down.

IBIS

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Hey wrighty? I just read that an elephant with its trunk down, given as a wedding gift is a sign of fidelity in the MAN! That he will always be faithful to the wife and um, keep his "trunk" down, except with her. LOLOL

[Wrighty]

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IBIS wrote:
Wrighty, the trunk being up is just an old wives' tale.

Its like the one that claims that rain on your wedding day is good luck. On my wedding day, it was a beautiful sunny August day, and I worried not raining it would bring us bad luck.

I'm celebrating my 28th anniversay in August, so you see.... your elephant has brought you lots of good luck, even with its trunk down.

IBIS

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Congratulations IBIS! That is very impressive. It poured on my wedding day but stopped whenever we had to be outside to go from church to car and car to reception. At the time I didn't even know that rain was a sign of luck. I think wives' tales are interesting but I believe we make our own "luck".

[Wrighty]

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vivico1 wrote:
Hey wrighty? I just read that an elephant with its trunk down, given as a wedding gift is a sign of fidelity in the MAN! That he will always be faithful to the wife and um, keep his "trunk" down, except with her. LOLOL

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Good to know! Now I can keep my elephant. And I can keep my husband too!
(I wonder what the sign of fidelity in the woman is? eek!)

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:

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vivico1 wrote:
Hey wrighty? I just read that an elephant with its trunk down, given as a wedding gift is a sign of fidelity in the MAN! That he will always be faithful to the wife and um, keep his "trunk" down, except with her. LOLOL

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Good to know! Now I can keep my elephant. And I can keep my husband too!
(I wonder what the sign of fidelity in the woman is? eek!)

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an elephant wearing a chastity belt??? LOL

[Wrighty]

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vivico1 wrote:

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Wrighty wrote: (I wonder what the sign of fidelity in the woman is? eek!)

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an elephant wearing a chastity belt??? LOL

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Somehow that doesn't seem as subtle as a man's sign.

Message Edited by Wrighty on 11-30-2007 02:49 AM

[vivico1]

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Wrighty wrote:

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vivico1 wrote:

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Wrighty wrote: (I wonder what the sign of fidelity in the woman is? eek!)

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an elephant wearing a chastity belt??? LOL

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Somehow that doesn't seem as subtle as a man's sign.

Message Edited by Wrighty on 11-30-2007 02:49 AM

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talk about stand out like an elephant in a room huh lol. or how about the male has his trunk down (which by the way, I never read anywhere hehehehe), and the female has her back legs crossed? That would be a bit more subtle wouldnt it? lol.

[kiakar]

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vivico1 wrote:

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rkubie wrote:
What is Rosie's role in the novel? What is her relationship with each of the main characters? Do you have any "mythology" of elephants, and does Rosie fit into those expectations?

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I will have to think about this one a bit more, about how to answer it so its not an end of book spoiler answer, hmmmm. Hard to discuss her fully in those terms this early.

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Yes, I agree, Viv, but I would say she is certainly the backbone of the whole novel. I too, will probably say more later.

[IBIS]

There are so many myths about elephants, some true and some not.

One is that huge elephants are terrified of little white mice. I thought that was an old wives' tale, until I saw this special about elephants on the ANIMAL KINGDOM TV show.

This TV special had a little white mouse hidden underneath a huge fake pile of dung. When a herd of elephants came near it, the staff pulled the string, and the white mouse skittered, terrified, into the path of this oncoming elephant.

The elephant saw the white mouse, and stopped DEAD in its tracks. She then began to back up away from the mouse.

It was the most amazing thing. The elephant was terrified of the mouse!

IBIS

[kiakar]

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IBIS wrote:
There are so many myths about elephants, some true and some not.

One is that huge elephants are terrified of little white mice. I thought that was an old wives' tale, until I saw this special about elephants on the ANIMAL KINGDOM TV show.

This TV special had a little white mouse hidden underneath a huge fake pile of dung. When a herd of elephants came near it, the staff pulled the string, and the white mouse skittered, terrified, into the path of this oncoming elephant.

The elephant saw the white mouse, and stopped DEAD in its tracks. She then began to back up away from the mouse.

It was the most amazing thing. The elephant was terrified of the mouse!

IBIS

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Wow! that is a fabulous story about the elephant and the white mouse. Wonder why? Have you heard the thing about an elephant never forgets when someone does something to them? Of course some of this was in the story but I mean generally can they remember things.?