Water for the Elephants by Sara Gruen - Book Report/Review Example

Introduction: “The greatness of a Nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated,” said Mahatma Gandhi, the philosopher-politician of India. Water for the Elephants by Sara Gruen, is a story related to the exploitation of animal talents for the sake for aggrandisement of wealth by human beings. The story also relates to the exploitation of economically weak and lesser fortunate human beings, by another set of human beings controlling power, wealth and authority. The story moves on parallel tracks, two plots are articulated simultaneously, both relating to the same main character, Jacob. In one life his economic and social condition is worse than that of an animal, and in another life he lives to see the exploitation of and cruel treatment to the animals by humankind. As a young man Jacob has a reasonably good start in life, and he is about to finish is degree at Cornell’s veterinary school. Cruel stroke of destiny plays its part, his parents die in an accident, leaving nothing for him in inheritance. He has no job, and his earlier plan to join his father’s veterinary practice goes haywire. I chose this book as it details how a young man faces the trials and tribulations of life, and also details the life of animals which are at the mercy of human beings. The most powerful animals like lions and elephants are compelled to behave subservient to the human beings when they are in his captivity and control. I have a passion to read the books that detail the life of animals and deal with their living conditions. About two years ago, I happened to read the book Animal Forum and Declaration of Third World War by an Indian author HCR Mallya, the story of which relates to the rebellion of animals against humankind and fight for their rights and how the animals and birds emerge victorious in the war against human beings. My passion to read animal stories and their adventures has increased manifold since then. Water for the Elephants contains 25 chapters. Though each and every chapter does not relate to the animals directly as such, a discerning reader can observed some connection to the main theme of the book related to animals. Chapter 1: Jacob is in his 90s and his condition evokes instant sympathy. The problems of aging have disordered his life. He hates to be old age bracket, though he is in it. He is undergoing treatment for the broken hip, yet reaches to the window, rejecting the help being offered to him by others, and observes the tents and trappings of a circus being fixed in the open ground below. He recalls his past life with circus companies. He is the genuine lover of animals. Chapter 2: This is the story of Jacob in flashback. He is a student at Cornell and the year is 1931. On his getting the tragic news that his parents are killed, he reaches to his hometown to identify their bodies. Father has left a huge debt at the time of his death. Jacob becomes cynical. He walks out of the college without finishing the examinations, wanders directionless and destination less and reaches a forest and sees the train tracks passing through it. He catches the running train at great risk to his life and joins the company of people who are part of a huge circus and they are riding that train. Destiny brings him into contact with the animals and some members of the circus party, whose disposition is as crueler as that of the circus animals. Yet he smells his chances of getting employed with the circus company. Chapter 3: Once off the train, Jacob reaches a big ground and excited to see imposing horses. They are the pride of the circus. Jacob gets the employment and he has to clean the train car. Next, he takes a look at all the animals at the menagerie. Destiny works in his favor, Cecil, the top performer in the circus is fascinated about his physical prowess, and he gets the job to control the audience while the sexy Cecil and Barbara are performing. Barbara exposes her breasts and the animal tendencies of the audience are detailed. Chapter 4: Jacob’s next job is to guard the premises, while Barbara, the prostitute, is busy with her clients. With this incident, the author depicts the highest form of animal tendency in human beings and how they lose all ethical/moral values. Jacob gets introduced to many people of the circus team, and it is quite interesting for them to know that he was a vet student. Chapter 5: The author takes the story back to the nursing home. With the thought of circus hovering in his mind, Jacob recalls his past adventurous association with that profession, and becomes frustrated with his present plight. He cries silently. The memory of circus and his association with the animals overwhelms him and he does not take food that day. He remains frustrated. Chapter 6: Jacob is back on the train. He is introduced to Marlena, and he is asked to look at Silver Star, the horse. His vet knowledge is helpful and he gives the opinionated statement that the horse is in bad shape and the feet of the horse are in serious trouble. Jacob’s professional approach needs to be appreciated in this context. To secure his shaky position in the circus establishment, he need not have given his true opinion about the sickness of Silver Star, and could have said something to please everybody. He did not do that and acted like a professional vet. That he wanted to save Silver Star from the agony indicates his true love for the animals. Chapter 7: The health of Silver Star deteriorates and the expert advice of vet Jacob prevails. The poor horse is killed and the procedure of death is conducted by Jacob with all the respect and consideration. Whereas this act shows Jacob’s kindness to animals, a devastating decision is taken by the concerned authorities managing the circus administration to use Silver Stars body to feed other animals in the menagerie. This is an act of incredible cruelty and disrespect to the body of the animal that faithfully served to bring profits to the circus company. Chapter 8: Jacob is in the nursing home being challenged by his aging body and is in a mood of depression. He remembers his association with his family and kids. Right now he wants to be alone. Rosemary, the sincere nurse, gives him the happy (in fact it is torments his inner world) news that he will be seeing the circus later that day. Jacob retires to his room and views from the window the arena of the circus. Recollection of the past is an invigorating experience for him. Chapter 9: This chapter contains three interesting observations about the behavior about the animals. One, Jacob’s remarkable encounter with an orangutan and he is able to communicate with it. Second, Jacob is barred from checking the health status of other animals from the circus. This shows the abysmal depths to which humanity has reached when business interests and profiteering are the issues. Third, the addition of an elephant, though it is untrained for performance in the circus. The caretaker informs that he uses a tortuous tool called a bull hook to make her obey the commands. This is the worst form of cruelty to animals. Chapter 10: Two specific issues of cruelty on animals are mentioned in this chapter, relating to the slaughter of a group of horses and to make Rosie (the elephant) move on to the compartment of the train by beating her. Antagonism takes over sanity in treating the animals. Chapter 11: Jacob is in the train and the next stop is Chicago. Jacob is extremely worried that they have to pass through a stretch of slaughterhouses and he decides to visit the animals on the train and be in their company. He sincerely cares for the health of the animals and decides to pull on with the circus company as long as the animals need care. That is his style of paying tribute to the memory of his father and his profound love for the welfare of the animals. Chapter 12: Al is bent upon extracting performances from Rosie, and to secure his interests he is ready to torture the animal. In the performance, August makes Rosie obey by hurting her. The performance or Marlena with the elephant leaves her badly injured. August is bent upon punishing Rosie. This is the barometer as for poor and cruel mentality of human beings in their disposition towards the animals. Chapter 13: Jacob is back in the nursing home. He looks out of the window at the circus. He again remembers his good old days and compares the present acts of circus with the ones he used to know. Chapter 14: August continues to be brutal to Rosie. He does know the correct procedures to train her. The company’s finances are in doldrums and the maintenance cost of Rosie is cited as one of the reasons for the budget to go haywire. Animal take the blame once again! Chapter 15: Lucinda, the fat lady of the circus dies. Al converts her funeral to boost his marketing tactic, and the next performance draws a huge audience. All human values are relegated to the background and it is profit first for businessmen like Al. Rosie is blamed for the vanishing stock of lemonades and is punished. Chapter 16: Jacob is in the nursing home again. He is fast losing his mental balance and remains forgetful. He is unable to identify even his family members. He is like a small child which is totally dependent on his caretaker. Chapter 17: Jacob hears Marlena’s story as to how she had joined circus against her will. She was tricked into marrying August. Jacob comes to know that August has beaten Rosie brutally. This recurring punishment to Rosie is pointer to the fact as to how cruel the human beings are to the animals, to accomplish their selfish goals. Chapter 18: In this chapter the discussion is about more than friendly relations between Jacob and Marlena. A graphic description is given as to what happens to men and women when they adopt animal tendencies. They forsake the path of ethical principles and their thought process and relationship turns sex-oriented. Chapter 19: Jacob is in the nursing home again. He is ready to go to the circus. His family members are to take him to the circus, but they do not turn up. He has been waiting for that one bright moment to reach the circus tent and now he is totally depressed. Chapter 20: The mean mentality of August to torture the poor elephant Rosie once again comes to highlight when he throws his cigarette at Rosie and burns her. His cruel disposition to Marlena produces the expected results. She desires to come out of the trap of August and Jacob has sex with her and undoubtedly they are in love with each other. Chapter 21: The circus is in pretty bad shape. Rosie cannot perform well and runs out of the tent. August beats her again and Marlena tries to protect Rosie, August grabs her. Jacob tries to intervene but a man assigned to take care of him and he is beaten over the head and loses consciousness. Chapter 22: Marlena’s pregnancy is the thorny issue for Jacob now. He is in pretty had shape after the savage beating. He has plans to murder August but is not brave enough to do it, but destiny plays its part. Circus animals run amok and they trample August. Probably Rosie must have done it. Jacob succeeds in getting Marlena. Chapter 23: This is an important chapter from the point of view of human beings committed to the protection of animals and who do not use them for the sake of aggrandisement of wealth. Al’s circus is in total disarray, as he is murdered monstrously. Other circus owners come to pick the animals. Jacob is not sure about his future course of action and call up Cornell’s vet school and wants to complete his degree. He saves Rosie from the crazy circus people, and Marlena succeeds in defending her eleven beautiful horses. They intend to join the best circus at Cornell, the Ringing Brothers. Jacob and Marlena get married and this animal-friendly couple adopts a chimp, Bobo. Notwithstanding their precarious financial position, Jacob and Marlena decide to save as many animals as they can show their hearty love for the animals. Chapter 24: Jacob is back in the nursing home. Simon, his son from Marlena was to take him to the circus. Jacob succeeds in reaching the circus arena by himself. Though denied admission initially, when Jacob reveals about his circus connections the man is greatly impressed and expresses his desire to meet him later. His name is Charlie. Chapter 25: Jacob tells his life story to Charlie. He finally decides that he wants to stay with the circus. Charlie agrees and Jacob is happy again. Conclusion This Planet Earth has two other kingdoms apart from that of humankind. They are plant kingdom and animal kingdom. Humankind is already paying the price for being ruthless against plant and animal kingdom and now often receives punishment in the form of Tsunamis, hurricanes, heavy snowfalls and rains, melting snow-reservoirs, flashfloods etc. One may ask what this has got to do with cruelty to animals. In Nature, from the spiritual point of view everything stands connected and cruelty and injustice to once section, is bound to have repercussions on the perpetrator of the crimes. The fate of Al and August is the firsthand example as to how the law of retribution works and everyone has to pay for the evil deeds. Love for the animals is the force that propels noble actions in Water for Elephants. People who love animals have a streak of divinity within them. Animals too love the people who tend and take care of them. Work Cited Gruen, Sara. Water for Elephants: Algonquin Books: North Carolina; 2007; Print. Read More