The Circus
The characters in Water for Elephants are members of a circus: specifically, The Benzini Brothers' Most Spectacular Show on Earth. So what does that mean? Most likely, when we hear the word "circus...
Elephants
Ever heard the phrase, "He's got a memory like an elephant?" Turns out that's not just a colloquial way of speaking. Elephants are some of the smartest animals on earth, and they "have excellent me...
Food
Food is important to Jacob in both strands of this story. When he's young and has little money, he's desperate for decent food. Don't forget, this is during the Depression, when lots of people didn...