This worksheet includes interesting facts about elephants. Water for elephants is a historical novel by sara gruen, written as part of national novel writing month. Its from this nursing home that jacob tells his story, like he is looking back at all the adventures at the circus. In water for elephants, jacob jankowski recalls the great benzini brothers circus disaster. The setting of the story changes throughout the book. Water for elephants book club discussion questions and. The author, sara gruen allows readers to read the book from two perspectives, one from young jacob and the other from older presentday jacob. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. There is so much to love about sara gruens water for elephants, from the lush and magical setting of a 1930s circus, to the sweeping. I understand that the elephants are brutally beaten.
Inside youll find 30 daily lessons, 20 fun activities, 180 multiple choice questions, 60 short essay questions, 20 essay questions, quizzeshomework assignments, tests, and more. The story is told as a series of memories by jacob jankowski, a 93yearold man who lives in a nursing home. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse diamond award for most popular book. I didnt really feel the love between the characters because they were so two dimensional. Water for elephants memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion.
Water for elephants life lessons from movies and literature. An elephants trunk has over forty thousand muscles and tendons. How do the chapters about the older jacob enrich the story about jacobs adventure with the circus. In one plot, jacob is a young guy just starting out in the world. The title, water for elephants, is almost a little inside joke with the reader once weve finished the book, that is. Use these book club discussion questions on water for elephants to lead your book clubs conversation on the story. In what ways and to what extent do the words pathetic grandeur describe the world that gruen creates in her novel. Some say dont judge a book by its cover and others say dont judge a film by the book. Water for elephants by sara gruen is a must read a story about a 90yearold man remembering his days with a circus during the great depression. Her works have been translated into fortythree languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This book was influenced by very important literary movements, such as romanticism, realism, regionalism, and naturalism. Water for elephants water for elephants is a romantic period drama that takes place in the depression era with a struggling circus full of misfits as its background.
Setting the setting of the novel has a great impact in the plot and development of the story itself. Young jacob is able to do whatever his heart desires including, jumping on moving trains and fighting for the women he loves. Students read the text and then answer the study questions. Death of parentsthe death of jacobs parents was the first main event that happened in the book. Free quiz characters objectsplaces themes style quotes topics for discussion.
I watched the filmmovie titled water for elephants before reading the book. Water for elephants is the new york times bestselling debut novel. Vocabulary from water for elephants flashcards quizlet. Winner of the 2007 bookbrowse award for most popular book. Take our free water for elephants quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about water for elephants by sara gruen.
If you say that you carried water for elephants, i am. The grand rapids press you need this elephant in your life. In fact it was because of watching the movie that i was induced to read the book. Water for elephants is a story about an elderly man, jacob, who recalls an adventure in his younger years.
The water for elephants community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. The story in this novel is told as a series of memories by a ninetythree year old man called jacob jankowski. Jacob, the books narrator and protagonist, worked as a vet and trainer of sorts at a circus. The water for elephants lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Water for elephants is a book that can be read and reread, recommended and handed off between friends. Water for elephants by sara gruen, 9781565125605, available at book. Water for elephants questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on water for elephants. Water for elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring reese witherspoon, rob pattinson, and christoph waltz. I know i shouldnt do this, but somehow i cant help myself.
There are hints of the effect of the great depression on people in the cities the circus visits, thus expanding the setting to capture the history around the characters. I hate being so enamored with a book and then a crappy movie version comes along and tarnishes it. A meticulously researched, fastpaced, engaging and ultimately very satisfying novel set mostly ina depression era travelling circus. Water for elephants book discussion questions water for elephants moves between a story about a circus and a story about an old man in a nursing home. Water for elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring reese witherspoon, rob pattinson, and.
Water for elephants by sara gruen book club discussion. Your story took me to place i could only dream of going. The distinguished setting of the novel is a circus. Water for elephants when the group arrives in joliet, what surprise do they receive. The last notes of water for elephants linger long after the book ends. When jacob jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a secondrate circus struggling to. Its one of the few books that everyone has come back to me saying, water for elephants was so good.
The book, water for elephants, starts off in the present day, in a nursing home where the main character, jacob jankowski, lives. The trunk is a combination of the nose and the upper lip. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of water for elephants by sara gruen. I decided to not watch the movie when i heard it was coming out simply because i didnt want to possibly ruin the experience id had with the book if the movie wasnt uptopar. I have to admit, when our book club picked this book, i thought it was going to be long and tedious. So i purchased the book and slowly began retreating. Read water for elephants absolutely for free at readanybook. The novel also takes place during the 1930s, so the circus provides life and entertainment for those coming from near and far. Water for elephants is one of my most favorite books.
Jacob jankowski jacob jankowski is the narrator of the novel, and senior in college whose ready to explore the world and find where he belongs. Trust us, water for elephants is going to be one of the surprise hits of 2011. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. T time with elephants by guy belleranti three interesting things about an elephant begin with the letter t trunk, tusk and teeth. In fact it was because of watching the movie that i was induced to. Water for elephants, published in 2006, is sara gruens third book and her most. Sara gruens very readable novel is a story of impossible love set in the circus world during the 1930s and is set to be made into a blockbuster film starring robert pattinson and reese witherspoon. The truth is, it is summer and i am desperate for a distraction away from my recent obsession with greys anatomy reruns fueled by netflixs instant queue. Sara gruen uses her talent as a writer to bring that world alive for the reader. Order our water for elephants study guide buy the water for. Books, stories, and novels like water for elephants by sara gruen. Life lesson one of the characters in this movie is rosie the elephant and no one saw her potential except jacob jankowski robert pattinson. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
Complete the elephant fact card below by colouring the picture and choosing three fascinati ng facts. Water for elephants has two plots going on, both starring the same main character, jacob. But it also teaches us that this lesson shouldnt be abandoned in old age. Elephants read the questions and answers about elephants from a nature website. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of riding lessons. Water for elephants questions and answers the question and answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Robert olen butler so much more than a tale about a circus, water for elephants is a compelling journey not only under the big top, but into the protagonists heart. An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of starcrossed lovers, set in the circus world circa. The alternating glamour and squalor of the circus world gruen expertly conjures may truly be one of the greatest shows. It is a book i have recommended to everyone who has asked me what book i would recommend. Having strong reading comprehension skills will also help in other subjects. Start studying vocabulary from water for elephants. I fell in love with the picture you chose for your book the first time i saw it.
Read online water for elephants by sara gruen for free. Elephants is it true that elephants never forget anything. Discussion of themes and motifs in sara gruens water for elephants. Because the police escorted jacob out of the testing room he was never able to finish his schooling at. They can find food and water during times of drought. There is so much to love about sara gruens water for elephants, from the lush and magical setting of a 1930s circus, to the sweeping forbidden romance, to the heartbreaking recollections of narrator jacob jankowski but besides offering a sweepyouoffyourfeet reading experience and a highlyanticipated movie adaptation late this month, there are plenty of opportunities to study the.