Once again, Christmas isn´t celebrated and this is my only chance to access a computer, so... Water for Elephants it is.
First off, I loved how the book started out with a vivid memory. While it is bizarre, I can tell that the book is descriptive, which means that I´ll like reading it. The passage that stood out to me was, "She lifted the stake high in the air and brought it down, splitting his head like a watermelon. His pate opened, his ezes grew wide, and his mouth froze into an O" (4). Not only was this passage described well (I particularly enjoyed the watermelon part. I actually pictured juice flowing from his skull; gory but well-worded), but it was interesting because we don`t know who Marlena is, yet we already know so much about her. For instance, later when the narrator sees her for the first time, she is talking to the man that she will later kill. The scene described prior to this made me pay special attention to her interactions with him. Do you feel the same way? Also, based on what we have read, do you think Marlena´s act was just or not?
I also found the segregation of the performers and the workmen interesting. I feel like this will be a major part of the book later, perhaps with Marlena and Jacob´s relationship. I noticed how the men, like Camel, act different around the performers and the workers. Camel is gruff and casual with Jacob, but sucks up to the ringmaster. Uncle Al seems to have no respect for his workers, although he should as his show would not go on without them.
First off, since the mad rush of Christmas eve shopping, I decided not to go out and buy the book, because my mom said I was getting a Kindle, so I could buy it at home. So bare with me, I can not cite in kindle.
ReplyDeleteI loved the beginning as well. Jacob seems like the perfect old man to me. He is well off, and is grumpy. He reminds me of the old guy from Up. The way the author did the beginnig of the book to me was just excellent. It gave just enough knowledge for us to know that something has happened to him in the circus. He was very defensive about it, including snapping back at the new guy. Also, I think he is a very amarible man. He says that he is glad that his wife died before him, because he would never want her to expierence what he had to when she died. I thought that was very interesting, because some by that age can not wait till their day of death.
Uncle Al seems to be one of those violent drunks displayed in the movies. Infront of everyopne he could be your best friend, but when its just you and him, he will get mean. Like, I think it was him, allowed JAcob to stay, because they needed the vetenarian, but he was infront of a group of people. Had he been by himself with JAcob he would have thrown him off the train.
I also found the stripper scene really wierd. It was very descriptive, almost too descriptive. The author got into details that I did not need to know, and probably can not be repeated here. I have a feeling that this will play a major role later on in the book. Perhaps where JAcob loses his virginity.
I haven't bought the book yet (back-to-back-to-back-to-back family events.. gag) but I plan on doing so today after my friend's grandma's funeral and I clean my room so that my brother's girlfriend can live in it for a week. Most hectic Christmas break ever :'(
ReplyDeleteSo anyway, I'm gonna spare myself reading these posts as not to give the book away.
This is through chapter 18-
ReplyDeleteThis is aa really good book. I love the way that Gruen ineracts JAcob at the convolessence home and in the circus. The chapters where he is in the convolesence home are interesting too. They show the plight of each elderly person. JAcob is trying to convince himself that he still is young and healthy. He tries walking every, wants real food that 'crunches' and talks about how he still gets an erection. After reading it, it makes me truly feel bad for old people. JAcob is couped up in a convolesence home when he could be out and about living his life right up until the day of his death.
Also, I just read the chapter where August explosdes at Marlena. This was very wierd. Her and Jacob were both trying to do something nice for him and he took it the complete wrong way. I think JAcob is being accurate when he says he and Marlena never fooled around. He does not seem like the kind of person that would do something like that (he was ashamed after the Barbra and Nell incident) and he has not done anything as a narrator to make him unreliable. His story is accurate to me.
Finally,
How great is Camel? He is just stuck in the corner of the train car with a bottle of whisky and always drunk. Alls Kinko and JAcob do is shit on him, for lack of a better word. And he is always left out of all the conversations and details. It cracks me up everytime they do this to Camel.
How'd the pig tracks get on the ceiling?
ReplyDeleteWho is the masked avenger?
ReplyDelete