An Elephant's Faithful, 100%

[IBIS]

Linda, about elephants remembering... that's an interesting one too.

Sara Gruen in one of her interviews said that there are several true stories she heard about elephants which she decided to include in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS.

There really was an elephant who took up the stake to which she was tied. She would go to the food tent and drink all the lemonade. Then she'd go back to her area, and put the stake back into the ground. So no one was the wiser!

Another one is that there really was an elephant whose trainer threw a lit cigarette into her open mouth. Of course it burned her tongue. And that elephant later trampled that trainer to death!

I guess she remembered!

IBIS

[Fozzie]

---

rkubie wrote:
What is Rosie's role in the novel?

---

I think Rosie's role is to represent another contrast, that of the dehumanization of animals versus the humanization side of animals. At the time of the book, not as much research had been done, and was certainly not widely available, regarding the intelligence of animals and their ability to interact with humans. In the book, the readers witness Rosie treated terribly and also respectfully. The author also manages to let the readers know, in very subtle ways, that Rosie understands and is communicating with people. Thus, the reader observes the contrasts between animals, specifically Rosie, treated humanely and those treated inhumanely and the results of that treatment.

[ELee]

Fozzie wrote:
"The author also manages to let the readers know, in very subtle ways, that Rosie understands and is communicating with people."

It was remarkable that she would tolerate any human contact after the beatings she received from August. What really blew me away was that Rosie only understood Polish! I even "got it" a little sooner than Jacob. When Rosie raided the vegetable patch and Greg came to entice her away with a "cocktail", he spoke to her in Polish. It was then that I recalled that her previous owner, an "elephant tramp", had also been Polish. Her behavior with Greg seemed to be more spontaneous, more comfortable. By the time of the lemonade incident and her subsequent beating, when Greg was applying ointment to her cuts, I was already thinking that she only understood Polish and Jacob's discovery was more of a confirmation than a surprise. Of course this only makes the injustice of her treatment at the hands of August greater, she hadn't a chance of responding to the commands if they were in English.

[IBIS]

I think Rosie is the main character of WATER, even more so than Jacob or anyone else.
We see Jacob's stay with the circus as a kind of setup for Rosie's arrival.

When Uncle Al finally bought her, he felt closer to catching up with his arch-rival, the Ringling Brothers. Rosie comes at an enormous cost, a gamble that hopefully will pay off. They paid $3,000 for Rosie, the wagon for her transportation, and the enormous amount of food she ordinarily consumes.

When she doesn't perform on cue, and refuses to budge... the anxiety level must have skyrocketed. She was a last-ditch attempt to save the Benzinni Brothers' circus... Uncle Al was having more and more difficulties meeting payroll, and was redlighting many roustabouts.

Once they bridge the language-gap with Rosie, she becomes the main attraction in a new act with Marlena; this in turn gave the circus a boost in revenue; in short, we can safely say that Rosie saved Uncle Al's circus singlehandedly.

Her affect on Jacob is self-evident since he spends 70 years of his life keeping her secret safe. And having her must have made his job application to the zoo in Chicago a shoo-in. I mean, how many vets bring their very own elephant?

IBIS

[KathyS]

My ideas from the peanut gallery:

I figured out the 'speak', as soon as an English speaking person spoke to Rosie. Why was she considered so 'dumb'...well, elephants don't become part of ANY circus act, if they are that dumb...from the get-go...but why now? What changed this? I asked myself. Self? It had to have been in the communication between human and animal, right? (p.s. - this gave the author the advantage of creating a connection between Jacob and Rosie)

Deduction, Watson! Now, my dear Watson had to speak another language to Rosie, to make her understand, and Polish was the only other language that was introduced into the storyline, from day one, right? No, S - Sherlock?

IBIS,
I think you hit the 'nail on the head' sort-of-speak, with this one! Rosie certainly was the main event! And she certainly did ~pull her weight~ in this novel. But I wouldn't consider her the main character, although she was an absolute 'character', at times,---- she was definately the strongest secondary 'story' I've seen, by a long shot.

K.S.-----

[kiakar]

---

KathyS wrote:
My ideas from the peanut gallery:

I figured out the 'speak', as soon as an English speaking person spoke to Rosie. Why was she considered so 'dumb'...well, elephants don't become part of ANY circus act, if they are that dumb...from the get-go...but why now? What changed this? I asked myself. Self? It had to have been in the communication between human and animal, right? (p.s. - this gave the author the advantage of creating a connection between Jacob and Rosie)

Deduction, Watson! Now, my dear Watson had to speak another language to Rosie, to make her understand, and Polish was the only other language that was introduced into the storyline, from day one, right? No, S - Sherlock?

IBIS,
I think you hit the 'nail on the head' sort-of-speak, with this one! Rosie certainly was the main event! And she certainly did ~pull her weight~ in this novel. But I wouldn't consider her the main character, although she was an absolute 'character', at times,---- she was definately the strongest secondary 'story' I've seen, by a long shot.

K.S.-----

---

I also feel that Rosie was the star of the show. All of it happened with Rosie in the mist. She played a part in most happenings in the story or she was the reason for the part. But of course Jacob and Marlena was right behind Rosie's feet.

[Fozzie]

---

ELee wrote:
What really blew me away was that Rosie only understood Polish! I even "got it" a little sooner than Jacob. When Rosie raided the vegetable patch and Greg came to entice her away with a "cocktail", he spoke to her in Polish. It was then that I recalled that her previous owner, an "elephant tramp", had also been Polish. Her behavior with Greg seemed to be more spontaneous, more comfortable. By the time of the lemonade incident and her subsequent beating, when Greg was applying ointment to her cuts, I was already thinking that she only understood Polish and Jacob's discovery was more of a confirmation than a surprise. Of course this only makes the injustice of her treatment at the hands of August greater, she hadn't a chance of responding to the commands if they were in English.

---

I thought Rosie was responding to the body language and the "vibes" of Greg. Animals can sense how people feel about them, and I thought this was the case with Rosie.

[KathyS]

Laura, there did seem to be an added quality of 'humaness' to Rosie. This author knew how to apply it, didn't she? Otherwise, how else could we really identify and empathize with her?

---

Fozzie wrote:

---

ELee wrote:
What really blew me away was that Rosie only understood Polish! I even "got it" a little sooner than Jacob. When Rosie raided the vegetable patch and Greg came to entice her away with a "cocktail", he spoke to her in Polish. It was then that I recalled that her previous owner, an "elephant tramp", had also been Polish. Her behavior with Greg seemed to be more spontaneous, more comfortable. By the time of the lemonade incident and her subsequent beating, when Greg was applying ointment to her cuts, I was already thinking that she only understood Polish and Jacob's discovery was more of a confirmation than a surprise. Of course this only makes the injustice of her treatment at the hands of August greater, she hadn't a chance of responding to the commands if they were in English.

---

I thought Rosie was responding to the body language and the "vibes" of Greg. Animals can sense how people feel about them, and I thought this was the case with Rosie.

---

[Rachel-K]

---

Fozzie wrote:

---

rkubie wrote:
What is Rosie's role in the novel?

---

I think Rosie's role is to represent another contrast, that of the dehumanization of animals versus the humanization side of animals. At the time of the book, not as much research had been done, and was certainly not widely available, regarding the intelligence of animals and their ability to interact with humans. In the book, the readers witness Rosie treated terribly and also respectfully. The author also manages to let the readers know, in very subtle ways, that Rosie understands and is communicating with people. Thus, the reader observes the contrasts between animals, specifically Rosie, treated humanely and those treated inhumanely and the results of that treatment.

---

Your post again makes me think of the title, of the extraordinary underestimation of that assumption that you can "carry water for elephants" when you would have to be able to drag half a swimming pool behind you! Rosie is such a sensitive, intelligent, communicative character in the novel, referred to as "the bull," and assumed (by August) to be a dumb beast, so thick-skinned that she might barely feel her beatings. She is simply much deeper than she's given credit for.

I loved the pretended rivalry in her act with Marlena! And I think it was Jacob's relationship with Rosie that made me realize how perfect he and Marlena were for each other. Jacob doesn't tell us for most of the novel that the "wife" he misses so dearly is Marlena, and I tried to hold off making that assumption--but I certainly knew it by the time they are both claiming circus animals they had nowhere to house!

Rachel

[KathyS]

---

rkubie wrote:

---

Fozzie wrote:

---

rkubie wrote:
What is Rosie's role in the novel?

---

I think Rosie's role is to represent another contrast, that of the dehumanization of animals versus the humanization side of animals. At the time of the book, not as much research had been done, and was certainly not widely available, regarding the intelligence of animals and their ability to interact with humans. In the book, the readers witness Rosie treated terribly and also respectfully. The author also manages to let the readers know, in very subtle ways, that Rosie understands and is communicating with people. Thus, the reader observes the contrasts between animals, specifically Rosie, treated humanely and those treated inhumanely and the results of that treatment.

---

Your post again makes me think of the title, of the extraordinary underestimation of that assumption that you can "carry water for elephants" when you would have to be able to drag half a swimming pool behind you! Rosie is such a sensitive, intelligent, communicative character in the novel, referred to as "the bull," and assumed (by August) to be a dumb beast, so thick-skinned that she might barely feel her beatings. She is simply much deeper than she's given credit for.

I loved the pretended rivalry in her act with Marlena! And I think it was Jacob's relationship with Rosie that made me realize how perfect he and Marlena were for each other. Jacob doesn't tell us for most of the novel that the "wife" he misses so dearly is Marlena, and I tried to hold off making that assumption--but I certainly knew it by the time they are both claiming circus animals they had nowhere to house!

Rachel

---

I think when I found this out, that Marlena had been his wife, I cried. Knowing that they did have a wonderful life together, but she was gone, now. For whatever reason, it's making me cry, again. Sheesh!
K.

[Wrighty]

---

KathyS wrote:
I think when I found this out, that Marlena had been his wife, I cried. Knowing that they did have a wonderful life together, but she was gone, now. For whatever reason, it's making me cry, again. Sheesh!
K.

---

I was hoping throughout the whole story that his wife was Marlena but the prologue made me a bit suspicious. I knew something unexpected was going to be thrown in there and I didn't want it to be that. Since I was looking for it I did figure out who the real murderer was a bit before we got the big reveal but I still thought it was great and very appropriate.

While looking back for something else I found an interesting and telling sentence on pg. 39. When Jacob gets to look at the menagerie for the first time he is looking at all of the many circus animals.

I am searching in vain for an elephant when my eyes come to an abrupt stop on a woman.

We know where the story goes from there and how important those two beings become in Jacob's life.

[KathyS]

---

Wrighty wrote:

---

KathyS wrote:
I think when I found this out, that Marlena had been his wife, I cried. Knowing that they did have a wonderful life together, but she was gone, now. For whatever reason, it's making me cry, again. Sheesh!
K.

---

I was hoping throughout the whole story that his wife was Marlena but the prologue made me a bit suspicious. I knew something unexpected was going to be thrown in there and I didn't want it to be that. Since I was looking for it I did figure out who the real murderer was a bit before we got the big reveal but I still thought it was great and very appropriate.

While looking back for something else I found an interesting and telling sentence on pg. 39. When Jacob gets to look at the menagerie for the first time he is looking at all of the many circus animals.

I am searching in vain for an elephant when my eyes come to an abrupt stop on a woman.

We know where the story goes from there and how important those two beings become in Jacob's life.

---

Yes, the love story begins....for all...I'm happy the way it ended. It's always nice to have these kinds of resolutions to a story. Not always possible, but nice when it happens.

[kiakar]

---

KathyS wrote:

---

Wrighty wrote:

---

KathyS wrote:
I think when I found this out, that Marlena had been his wife, I cried. Knowing that they did have a wonderful life together, but she was gone, now. For whatever reason, it's making me cry, again. Sheesh!
K.

---

I was hoping throughout the whole story that his wife was Marlena but the prologue made me a bit suspicious. I knew something unexpected was going to be thrown in there and I didn't want it to be that. Since I was looking for it I did figure out who the real murderer was a bit before we got the big reveal but I still thought it was great and very appropriate.

While looking back for something else I found an interesting and telling sentence on pg. 39. When Jacob gets to look at the menagerie for the first time he is looking at all of the many circus animals.

I am searching in vain for an elephant when my eyes come to an abrupt stop on a woman.

We know where the story goes from there and how important those two beings become in Jacob's life.

---

Yes, the love story begins....for all...I'm happy the way it ended. It's always nice to have these kinds of resolutions to a story. Not always possible, but nice when it happens.

---

Yes, the only sad part is Marlena has gone on. But he of course is not far from going.
This story seems so real to me. I wonder how long he had in the circus this time before he met Marlena again.

[KathyS]

Stop it, Linda! I'm chocking up, AGAIN!

[kiakar]

---

KathyS wrote:
Stop it, Linda! I'm chocking up, AGAIN!

---

You are doing what??

[KathyS]

---

kiakar wrote:

---

KathyS wrote:
Stop it, Linda! I'm chocking up, AGAIN!

---

You are doing what??

---

Sorry, Linda.....The ending to this book brought tears to my eyes, and every time I think about it, I recall it all over again. it's probably just me, it touched me, I tend to lean towards the sentimental. I annoy myself sometimes....and you're the lucky one to hear about it!

K.

[IBIS]

Linda, I think Kathy meant to say that she was "choking" up.

IBIS

[KathyS]

Thank you, IBIS. Now, how did that "C" get in there? I tend to choke up when I spell, too! The word, Chock, is an interesting word.....Used in mountain climbing....or a wedge for blocking movement of a wheel.....I need one for my brain.

---

IBIS wrote:
Linda, I think Kathy meant to say that she was "choking" up.

IBIS

---

[kiakar]

---

KathyS wrote:

---

kiakar wrote:

---

KathyS wrote:
Stop it, Linda! I'm chocking up, AGAIN!

---

You are doing what??

---

Sorry, Linda.....The ending to this book brought tears to my eyes, and every time I think about it, I recall it all over again. it's probably just me, it touched me, I tend to lean towards the sentimental. I annoy myself sometimes....and you're the lucky one to hear about it!

K.

---

Yes, wasn't it a great book! It had alittle of everything in it. The perfect book. It rates high on my list. And I cried a few tears myself.

[kiakar]

---

IBIS wrote:
Linda, I think Kathy meant to say that she was "choking" up.

IBIS

---

Thanks IBIS; Sometimes its hard to explain Kathy S., hehehe