February 27, 2013
12-12:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 325-337

The show is over and even though he liked it Jacob says its nothing compared to ringling or the benzini brothers because for a show like that you need a train. He goes back to Charlie's trailer and tells him everything from Marlena to the red lighting to the stampede and to Rosie killing August. He never even told Marlena that. He feels better after telling someone because he's kept it inside for a long time. He tells more about his history and how he had 3 kids while working at ringling but they left because Marlena didn't want to be on the road anymore. It turns out Jacob got his veterinary lisence and became the veterinary at a zoo in Chicago due to his degree and years of experience and his elephant. They got a house not too secluded but big enough that they could keep the horses and bobo. He remembers his kids as babies and taking care of them and how they got into trouble along with bobo who got arrested once and then they went to college and now he's alone. Charlie is very interested in the story. The cops knock on the door and ask Charlie if he has seen an elderly man because the man was suppose to be in an old folks home. Charlie lies to the cop saying he hasn't seen anyone of that discription but when the cops asks about Jacob Charlie says its his dad who can't talk because he had a stroke. It turns out Jacob was 93 and he realizes he has nothing to loose and is going to run away with the circus since he doesn't need any medicine and can take care of himself mostly and he can sell tickets and will send postcards to his family even though he still loves them and they love him Jacob understands that they have thier own families now and he is no longer a large part in their lives so he has nothing to hold him back. Charlie agrees and it turns out that the circus is Jacob's home.

I like the quote "With a secret like that, at some point the secret itself becomes irrelevant. The fact that you kept it does not." Because it's true. After you keep something for so long it doesn't matter what it was but the fact that you kept it a secret for so long. It makes people hesitant and puts some doubt of trust in the relationship. I admire Jacob for working hard and changing his life when he didn't like it instead of just complaining. Although some parts were weird I think the book was pretty good in general.

I read now because I really wanted to finish the book and see how it ended and it was good and I read well.

February 26, 2013
4-4:25
Water for Elephants
Pages: 313-325

After the stampede the workers try to gather all the animals. Uncle al disappears and the cops show up. The animals get rounded up and the towns people feel better now. But the kitchen runs out of food and soon another circus (the Nesci Brothers Circus) comes to take all their things. Jacob is worried about Marlena and money and stuff so he calls dean Wilkins and tells him everything and the dean says Jacob can come back and write the exams. When Jacob goes back to the lot he sees the sheriff trying to see Rosie and gets mad and says that she is dumb and doesn't do anything. The Nesci elephant man comes out and gets frustrated when he can't get Rosie to do anything so Jacob gets to keep Rosie. While he is trying to decide to how tell Marlena about this, she runs off to the menagerie where they are trying to sell her horses but she stops them and gets them back. Jacob calls the dean again for help but he doesn't have any ideas of what to do. She tells Jacob and he acts like its all good and tells her about Rosie and Marlena understands. Jacob is freaking out now because he has to take care of a pregnant woman, a dog, 11 horses and an elephant and he's homeless and jobless. They're planning on getting married as soon as possible and Marlena suggests they go to join ringling. Marlena goes to make the call while some workers take apart a tent. However, in one of the tents uncle Al's dead body is found as he committed suicide. Marlena and Jacob also take bobo with them. Back to the present, Jacob is upset about missing the circus especially because it was his oldest son Simon who was born in a circus and spent the first 7 years of his life on one. He was born with red hair which Jacob really liked. He is sick and tired of waiting in the lobby alone so he get his Walter and goes across the streetto the circus undetected. The ticket master is some punk kid who tries to stop Jacob but the manager comes and gets Jacob a ringside seat. The manager knows about the stampede and is very excited when he hears that Jacob lived through it and invites Jacob to have a drink with him after the show whic Jacob agrees to and he is very happy.

I think it was incredibly stupid of Jacob and Marlena to take the animals. Yes they're special to them and what not but they're going to have a kid and that kid should be their number one priority and the most important thing in their lives. I like how Jacob finally got to the circus. It shows how persistence and taking matters into your own hands really gets things done.

I read well and I am near the end of the book.

February 25, 2013
7-7:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 302-312

8 other men went missing along with Camel and Walter so it's evident that Blackie and the rest of his team split up and went to different parts of the train. While looking for Marlena, Jacob runs into uncle al who looks surprised but after a few seconds smiles coldly and then continues on his way. He found Marlena but August is with her so he makes no advances. August grabs her wrist but she pulls away and spills her coffee so August gets up and the bench falls backwards. As soon as he's gone, Jacob goes over to Marlena to see if she's alright. She's fine and they make plans to leave. She asks about Camel and Walter and he tells her they'll see if they can find anything out. She tells him she needs a few hours so she can get into august's room because there is money in there and it's half hers. Uncle al sees Jacob and gets Earl to escort him out of the eating area but Jacob makes Marlena promise to not go get it and so she tells him where the money is and he will get it himself when it is safe. Jacob spends the rest of the day sneaking around. There's no matinee performance so the show does an unscheduled parade instead. He sees August in the tent hitting Rosie and gettin her to move. He looks for Marlena but can't find her. Grady comes and tells Jacob to come with him because its safer on the midway and they have to talk. They get some food and Grady tells him how some guys who got red lighted caught up to the train. It turns out that Camel's head hit the rocks and he died instantly and Walters legs got messed up really bad and they had to leave him and they don't think he made the night. Grady says that the guys are going to try to take uncle al down and that it will give Jacob a chance to leave. Grady tells Jacob to eat because it might be a while before he sees food again. Then all of a sudden it's back to the prologue and the animals are loose and running amuck. He runs over to the tent to look for Marlena. He's very worried and after some frantic searching he finds her. August and Rosie are with and Rosie is holding her stake which she pulled out. Rosie takes the stake and drives it down on top of August's head killing him. Marlena sees and is horrified and Jacob goes to consol her while Rosie stands on top of them sheltering them and guaranteeing they won't get trampled. Soon, the whole tent is cleared out except for the lion which went back to its cage. Marlena is freaked out and the lot is nearly empty with just people and animals running farther and farther away around the perimeter of the lot.

It turns out elephants don't forget and Rosie got he revenge. It was only a matter of time. It's nice that Grady told Jacob about the whole sabotoge because it gave him a chance to escape. Also, he did it because Jacob was nice to camel showing that being nice really does pay off.

I read well because the book is getting clearer now and making sense and getting exciting.

February 24, 2013
9-9:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 290-301

Jacob wakes up and feels horrible. Camel and Walter were very concerned about him. Jacob remember Marlena and tries to get up but Walter stops him because he had a concussion and now his pupils are different sizes. Walter gets him to drink some sarsaparilla which they manage to have even though the cops took the rest. He is very worried about Marlena but can't form sentences too well and is concerned about leaving. Walter says that in 3 days they will off load camel and can be on their way. However Jacob tells him that she's preganant and Walter tells him that's just all the more reason to be careful and not do anything stupid and they just need to get out of there alive. Camel is still worried his family won't take him back but Walter tries to reassure him. After they both fell asleep Jacob gets up and tries walking. He does fine so he walks over to the trunk and and takes the knife. He starts walking over on top of the train cars but when he sees a huge rocky river bank, he decides to embark the rest of the journey to car 48 from the inside of the cars. When he reaches it, he very carefully opens the door and sees much to his relief August is sleeping alone in his bed. He thinks about how he is going to kill him by sticking the knife in his neck. Whoever, he can't do it and so he leaves the knife on Marlena's pillow and leaves. With his adrenalin gone, he begins to feel retched again and is struggling to jump from car to car as he has gone back up ontop again. When he finally reaches the stock car, the doors are all open even though he closed them and he sees Walter and Camel are not there and realizes that they got red lighted. He feels so guilty for leaving them without a knife and is hoping that they're ok even though he knows they probably aren't. As soon as the train comes to a stop, Jacob goes over Earl and starts yelling at him for throwing them off the train. However, Earl knows nothing and is very upset at hearing this proving his innocence. Earl tells him that he should leave right away since they were obviously looking for him. Jacob says he can't leave and Earl tells him that he will be safe on the lot during the day and if he has to go back on the train at night, he should move around and hide and not go back to the stock car where his room was. Earl tells him he will try to catch up to him later and the rest of the worker guys are very concerned.

Jacob got super lucky. Doing something really stupid saved his life. I think it's wrong that they took Walter just because they couldn't find Jacob. I'm glad he didn't kill August though. Even though August shouldn't be anywhere on that train, it's not for us to decide who lives and who dies. But why would he leave the knife there I don't understand.

I read well because the book is getting intense now.

February 23, 2013
3-3:30
Water for Elephants
Pages: 276-289

Marlena realizes she's been so stupid and Jacob says no it's just hard to think a person would do something so bad. They go back to the lot separately and Jacob goes back to his room. He tells Walter everything that happened with uncle al and Walter is mad and wants to know what's going to happen to him. Jacob says he can come with them but Walter is skeptical and is worried because people are starving. Jacob goes back to his job until he is called to uncle Al's office. Uncle al asks how progress is for getting Marlena and August back together and Jacob says its good and uncle al is happy but surprised and asks Jacob how he's going to do it and Jacob says August has to stay away from her so she will miss him and want to go back on her own and how it has to be no pressure and all her own idea and stuff like that. Uncle al buys it and they drink a brandy. For the show, Marlena covers her eye with makeup but they don't do the elephant show which makes a lot of people mad but the bouncers take care of it before it gets too out of hand. August isn't seen except during meals when he sits at Earl's table but he is soon moved to uncle Al's car because all he does it stare at Marlena who sits with Jacob. However, August is becoming very creepy and obsessed because he sneaks glances at her and pins her to the floor trying to put the ring back on her finger. Jacob tells uncle al that that just ruined everything and August disappears for 3 days and uncle al is furious. Jacob and Marlena continue to do bad things wherever and whenever they can. Jacob has a nightmare of Queenie being attacked by badgers and he saves her and they try to go back into the train but its blocked by alligators and the badgers come up from the swamp and block the other side. The train is raided for the first time and everyone is sad because all the alcohol is dumped onto the ground and they are run out of town. The next stop, Rosie doesn't perform and the people get really mad and want refunds and the police come and uncle al is surrounded and has no choice but to refund and is run out of town. The next day is payday but the workers and performers don't get paid only the bosses do. Walter is mad because he had to get paid so he has money after they drop off Camel and Jacob runs away. Jacob realizes he needs to figure something out. He goes to the cookhouse for dinner and Marlena is there. He asks her what's wrong and she says she thinks she's pregnant. Earl comes to get Jacob and brings him to uncle Al's car and uncle al is mad about how long it's taking Marlena to go back to August  and tells Jacob that he's going to do it his way from now on. Earl then escorts Jacob outside and he's worried and Earl apologizes. Diamond joe tells Jacob to leave because August is coming and he's mad today. Jacob leaves but talks to Marlena first because she is going to perform and he's worried about her but she says she'll be fine. He stays under the bleachers to watch the show but there is another guy there who is looking up a woman's skirt and Jacob is so angry at that, he takes the guy and drags him out. Then, Rosie charges at the exit where Jacob is and Jacob jumps out of the way. The crowd thinks its part of the show but it's not. August hits Rosie many times and grabs Marlena who kicks and hits him to let her go but it's no use. Jacob tries to help but blackie grabs a hold of him and something hits Jacobs head very hard and he is knocked out.

I think it's interesting how the performers are getting a taste of what it's like to not get paid. And it's interesting what Jacob said about the alcohol. He is how status had nothing to do with it because all the people had their alcohol taken away and they were all upset when it was gone. I figured Marlena would get knocked up because they keep doing bad things which I think is wrong.

I read well

February 22, 2013
8-8:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 265-275

Uncle al talks to Jacob and tries to get him to get Marlena and August back together because the circus needs them together and happy so that they can function. Jacob is shocked and appalled because August hit her and uncle al explains that it's because August is a paranoid schizophrenic but he still wants Jacob to put them back together. Jacob is about to leave and even willin to quit but uncle al threatens to red light Walter and Camel because he knows about Camel somehow.
Uncle al explains how they're a family and sometimes an individual has to make a sacrifice for the good of the others. Jacob is so mad but says he understands and goes to the menagerie to cut Rosie's nails. While he's doing this, August comes in and acts like it was nothing and wants to be friends again. Jacob continues with his work even though August asked him where Marlena was and when he doesn't get a response he threatens to go to every hotel until he finds her and then he flicks his cigarette into Rosie's mouth and leaves. Jacob is freaking out because Marlena is in the second hotel and he goes to check on her as soon as he can escape undetected. He goes to the hotel and demands to see Marlena even though the clerk, a new one, says she is not there and threatens to call the police and acts as though Jacob has been there before. Jacob pays him no mind and goes up the stairs and bangs on the door and the clerk grabs a hold of him but Marlena comes out an tells the clerk that he is he friend. It turns out August was there before and Marlena explained to the clerk about the situation and he told August that she wasn't there and he believed him. The clerk was confused because he thought they looked similar. He goes into her room and they begin to talk. She tells him how she realized August was schizophrenic 3 weeks after they got married and called her parents to come back home but her dad said she was dead to him the day she eloped. She tells him stories of August having a guy help him feed the lions and the lion ate his arm and the guy died of blood loss. And he gave her the horses because the previous owner, a woman, jumped off the train after joining August for an evening in his stateroom. She begs him to stay with her and after persisting he gives in and stays and they do bad things. She tells him of her grief and how horrible the past was and how he changed everything. When she's done he talks about his past then they sleep then they do gross things again. Marlena realizes the time and jumps up to get ready for her performance. He tells her he loves her and she says he loves her too but she's married and he says they can fix that and they will have to run away but not until Providence because of Camel and the whole red lighting business. She says its only talk but he tells her that its happened before and she is shocked. Apparently Camel was supposed to be among one of the 12 men who were red lighted that one night.

I'm shocked at what they did together because I think it's only for after you're married and want children. I think it's wrong because Marlena is married and these two really need to keep their desires under control. However it's really sad that Marlena has had to deal with August for 4 years and I think her family needs to get over this. Yea she messed up but she's still their family and they should love her no matter what. Families are supposed to help each other and forgive not be mean and cut each other off.

I read well because the book got interesting but then it got weird so it went from well to not so well.

February 21, 2013
7-7:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 254-264

It's back to the present and Jacob wakes up from his nap and realizes that he will be going to the circus soon. Rosemary helps him get ready and he goes to wait in the lobby with the rest of the residents. However, one resident is confused and thinks Jacob is her dead husband and she starts grabbing his arm and saying things. Jacob yells for a nurse who comes and helps by separating them but the confused woman is upset. Jacob thinks there should be a separate wing for people like that lady who is clearly out of her mind. Then he thinks that he would probably end up in it if there was one due to certain events. He thinks that what happened this morning with the whole forgetting thing was caused by the new drug he was given and was going to ask rosemary but changed his mind because he wanted to hold on to his little pocket of happiness. Many of the people are starting to leave because they're families are coming and Jacob is alone and worried about missing the show and is going to get mad at whoever comes. Rosemary asks him about it and she goes and makes some calls. She comes back sad and tells him that his son Simon can't make it because something came up. She would have taken him but she has to work. Jacob is so upset he he starts crying and rosemary gives him tissues and he is so greatful and how he wouldn't know what to do without her. However, she tells him how she is going to move in with her mother in law because she's not doing so good. Jacob is astounded to find this out because he thought she was just a girl but she is actually 47 years old and a grandmother. He says how she is so nice and her family is lucky and how his didn't offer to take him in. He says he knows it isn't easy and thinks about how unfair it all is. He stays in the lobby all upset and alone. Back to the past, Marlena has disappeared and Jacob wakes up. He sees her going into August's car  to get her stuff with Earl who holds August back. He begs and pleads with her saying she's his goddess and it will never happen again and all these things then he grabs her hand and tries to put the ring back on but earl gets him off and she walks away and he screams clearly angry. She gives her suitcase to Jacob and he follows after her. Jacob is happy because August looks as bad as he does. The first hotel they come to does not allow Marlena a room even though there is an occupancy sign and Jacob doesn't like what he is implying and they leave just as they are being recognized as the amazing circus people. When the clerk hears this he is willing to offer them a room but its too late and they are out the door. They go to the next place and the clerk there is dying to know their story and everything and Jacob doesn't like him but they get a room for her anyways. He helps her up and gets her settled and then he leaves and she stays. He goes back to the circus and does his jobs in the menagerie. He is interrupted and told to go see uncle al so he stops his chores and goes to see him.

I think there is something psychologically wrong with August and he should go get his head checked or something. Again, Marlena is causing trouble because out of all the people she could have chose to help her move, she picks Jacob right in front of August too. August says something very interesting. While Marlena is walking away he screams "til death do us part". This got me thinking. Divorce is wrong and just a horrible thing that splits up families but what happens when your life is in danger or something. Yea you can get it annulled but what if the priest won't let you. Then what can you do.

I read alright.

February 20, 2013
5-5:40
Water for Elephants
Pages: 238-253

Jacob catches up with Marlena after she's finished her act and he tells her how amazing she was and August comes and tells her to get ready because she's going on again with the horses after Lottie. August goes back inside and Marlena asks Jacob to bring Rosie to her dressing tent and tells him to wear something nice and she touches his arm and August sees from afar and looks angry but disappears inside the big top. Grady and Bill help Jacob put Rosie in the tent and they ask about Camel and he tells them that he's the same and how Walter/Kinko gets him liquor. They're surprised because they thought Walter hated working men and Jacob stands up for Walter and says all the nice things Walter does for Camel including finding Camel's son. They're surprised at this and Grady tells Jacob how Camel was a gunner in the war and how the war which shell shocked a lot of guys. He gets Grady to watch Rosie while he goes to change and Grady is worried so Jacob smashes a watermelon as insurance and she immediately goes to eat it. He comes back and Marlena is dressed in the red dress with the diamond necklace and Rosie's head piece is on the chair and there is a table with food and other stuff.  She looks for something in a drawer which Jacob unscrews the champagne bottle. August walks in and they yell surprise and they laugh over spilling the champagne. August isn't amused and asks what this is and Marlena says its a surprise but August says no and goes crazy. He accuses Marlena of cheating on him with Jacob. Jacob takes Marlena's elbow and tells her that they should leave and August screams saying they don't even deny it and he takes the headress Marlena made for Rosie and rips it while calling her mean names. She screams and he stops and then after a moment of silence she asks if he's alright and he's unresponsive but then he violently pushes her to the floor and tries to rip the necklace from her neck but the clasp doesn't undo and he ends up dragging her by the neck while she screams. Jacob goes nuts and pushes August and they fight like crazy and Marlena screams for them to stop and they smash into the plates and the mirror and lots of things until they fall outside and there is a crowd gathered and Grady and Bill pull Jacob off of him. August looks like he's going to attack but stops himself and gets up calmly and Jacob screams at him calling him crazy. They along with Walter get Jacob to go back to his room even though he's scared August will kill Marlena.  They assure him that he won't and Earl goes inside the tent. In their room, Walter puts some moonshine on Jacob's face because its really bad and bloody and it stings like heck so Jacob drinks some to help numb the pain. Camel is confused about what happened so Jacob fills them in even though he says he doesn't know why. When Walter has finished cleaning Jacob, he closes the door and puts a piece of wood against it and holds a giant knife and sits and waits. There's some noise in the horse car but its just the workers and they shut the door and shortly after the train moves. Walter sighs relief and tells Jacob he is lucky. There's a noise and Walter gets the knife but its just Marlena and she is concerned about Jacob and she is leaving August and he hit her and now she has a black eye. They talk for a little bit and he doesn't let her climb back on the roof of the train so she falls asleep on his shoulder in the horse car but Jacob can't sleep.

I think Jacob is stupid. He knows August is a psycho so why would he agree to this. And Marlena is stupid too. She knows better than anyone how messed up August is and you don't surprise messed up people. It was wrong of her to put Jacob in that situation. But she probably wasn't thinking about that because woman are stupid when it comes to love and she was just thinking about being nice which is nice but still she should have known better. It's nice though that he stood up for her but you shouldn't intervene between a man and his wife. They need to work it out themselves.

I read well because I finished the chapter because it got interested.

February 19, 2013
4-4:40
Water for Elephants
Pages: 220-237

Marlena tells Jacob her history and how she got on the show. She tells him how she was 17 and a bunch of bachelors were coming to her house for dinner and she didn't want that. Her family took her to the circus where she met August who is 12 years older than her and he was charming and stuff and she met him at an art gallery where he proposed. The circus was desperate to leave so she went home and thought of it and then 4 days later packed her suitcase. When she's done crying she tells him to leave and he says he wants to see her all the time and she says she's married so he kisses her on the forehead and leaves. The other men are talking about what August did to Rosie and how he had to be dragged out by Earl. Walter and Jacob are mad about what happened and are hostile in their room and Camel doesn't know what's going on or why they're mad. Jacob leaves to get Camel food and when he comes back Walter is gone. He comes back with two bottles of whiskey that he got because a friend of his from the pie car owed him a favor. Both Walter and Camel chug a significant amount but Jacob asks if he can take the rest of the liquor to his friend. They think its for a girl and it is but not a human one. He wants to take it to Rosie to make it up to her. A lot of people are having parties in their tents, there is even one in August and Marlena's tent and this is significant because he wasn't invited. Greg, the guy from the cabbage patch is alone in the menagerie pointing zinc ointment on Rosie. He is giving commands to Rosie in polish and she understands. Jacob is so happy he kisses Greg who is confused. Jacob gives Greg the whiskey to give to Rosie and then runs off. For the next ten days, August, Marlena, Rosie and Jacob train alone all day in the menagerie working on Marlena and Rosie's act while Jacob teaches August polish. August is back to being nice and charming to everyone and everyone is starting to get happy because his optimism is contagious. Jacob is skeptical of this and still sees August as a bad guy even though Rosie starts to show affection for him. Jacob then realizes that he might just hate August because he's in love with Marlena. Jacob goes to confession and tell the priest everything and starts crying and the priest tells him it's ok and tells him to pray the rosary and stop thinking of Marlena. He doesn't have a rosary however and asks for one but Walter doesn't have one and Camel just has a green elk tooth necklace. They no longer tell stories. Instead Walter reads Shakespeare and Camel gets drunk. Jacob goes to Marlena's dressing tent because August summoned him. August apologizes for his behaviour the past couple of days and makes a big speech on how the circus was doing bad and they had to let some men go because they couldn't afford it (the men got red lighted). But he says its ok now and how Jacob saved the show. He gives Jacob and Marlena, who is also there, gifts. Marlena gets a diamond necklace and is worried because they can't afford it and Jacob gets a gold pocket watch because August knows he used his to pay for the doctor. Marlena shows them the headress she made for Rosie. Because of the posters, the circus is packed and the shows go on without a hitch. Marlena and Rosie's show goes especially well as Jacob snuck in to see it. The whole crowd goes crazy and starts throwing money to the centre where uncle al is and he is very happy.

I think we can learn a lot from Rosie. Even though August abused her really bad and was so mean to her she still forgave him. Either that or she's smart enough to realize that he is the one who is giving her food and drink that she wants. Also, Jacob needs to let this go with marlena. Yes he loves her but he shouldn't show it. It's not right. He should at least pretend to be nice towards August because he's his boss. But it's not good to pretend with people. So I guess what he's doing is fine.

I read well because I read the whole chapter.

February 18, 2013
10-10:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 210-219

Marlena wakes up Jacob and he scrambles out the door before she can see Camel. She has Queenie and Walter is so happy to see her. Apparently she was on the side of the train and August picked her up because Marlena told him to. Camel starts thinking that maybe August does have a heart after all but Walter says no and calls August a racist name and Jacob gets really mad but Walter says he doesn't hate August because he's Jewish, he hates him because he's crazy and Camel and Jacob agree. Uncle al is very mad because someone has stolen the lemonade and uncle al said he would dock the pay of the working men. To replace the lemonade they make another batch by filtering water from the animal troughs with a pair of hose and put pieces of plastic lemon slices in the jug. However, the lemonade goes missing again the next stop, they mix up some more in the same way but this time uncle al takes two quarters from each of the men. Before the show, uncle al rushes into Marlena's dressing tent and she is upset about this but he doesn't care. He tells at August saying it was the elephant who stole the lemonade and August gets the hook and goes to hit the elephant. Marlena tries to stop him and so does Jacob but he stops when she starts to cry and he comforts her. Back to the present Jacob was telling rosemary about Rosie the elephant and other things he cannot remember and he is very distraught and upset that he is beginning to loose his mind. He thought it was beginning because he can't always remember the people who come and visit him and he's not sure who they are. But in his defence there are his grand kids and great grand kids he doesn't remember too well and they always come at different times and sometimes it will be months before he sees them again.

I like how Jacob stands up for people and how he says that everyone picks on each other. I don't understand either. People nowadays are always making fun of other people and taking cheap shots and it isn't right but there's not many people like Jacob who will stand up and get mad like that.

I read not so well because it was in class.

February 17, 2013
11-11:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 196-209

Camel isn't doing too well but Jacob and Walter do their best to help him and let him sleep on the cot and stuff but they still give him alcohol but the real stuff this time. Marlena has still not left her room and Jacob continues to think of thier last conversation. Walter is able to contact Camel's son and his son has agreed to meet them in Providence. In one of the stops, Lucinda drops dead and uncle al arranges a funeral for her. He turns it into a huge spectacle by placing her body in thehippopotamus car and having it be drawn by 24 black horses and there is a huge procession of the members of the Benzini Brothers show where there are women dressed in black and weeping and men crying and grieving but it's all for show because uncle al promised $3 and a bottle of Canadian whiskey to the person who put on the best show.  They make their way back to the circus and a lot of the cows has followed them. When they get back to the tents, uncle al makes a speech about how they should cancel the show out of respect for Lucinda but the show must go on and she wanted that and it was her last wish and blah blah blah. So many people showed up that the workers had to lay straw out on the  sides so everybody could sit. Jacob is working in the menagerie when Marlena comes in with her pink sequins and takes the horses out for her show. Jacob is determined to see it and sneaks to go see it. He sees it and thinks its magnificent and like nothing he's ever seen befor and has dreams of Marlena and admits that he will never think of the horses the same way again because they are like an extension of Marlena. The next day, August and Marlena are at their usual table for the first time since Marlena's accident. Jacob goes to sit with them and they start talking and he tellsMarlena how he saw the show for the first time and he's never seen anything like it before. August asks him how this is possible since it was her act that made Jacob want to work here. Jacob says that he lied and has never seen the Benzini Brothers show before and says he had never even heard of it and says that ringling their greatest competition was great. Everyone is looking at Jacob and August is too bad Jacob is ready for a fight but August just bursts out laughing and says that he has misjudged Jacob and everybody else turns back to their food with looks of apprehension. With Lucinda dead, then show is short on freaks. Uncle al and August look one diligently but have no luck since they are either happy where they are or have heard of uncle Al's reputation. Uncle al gets so desperate he asks a lady in the audience who turns out to be the wife of the police superintendent. Uncle al gets a black eye and they start taking everything down immediately. The crowd looks very angry and has rifles and baseball bats and Walter is searching frantically for Queenie. The train is starting to leave and the angry crowd is approaching so Jacob picks up Walter and throws him into the car and then jumps in after him. Walter is very upset and says how his mother sold him to the circus when he was 14 because he was not cut out for farm work and how his dog was all he had. Out of spite he tells at Camel saying that how he walked out on his son is bad too and camel is sad because he didn't realize he told them about his son and camel thinks his son wants nothing to do with him and they spend the rest of the night crying.

I think it's very nice how Jacob and Walter are helping camel. Jacob is helping him because camel helped him get a job when he first got on the train and Walter is doing it out of respect for Jacob and out of respect for camel because camel is older than him. Also, it's horrible that Walter's mom sold him just because he was a a little person. I understand she probably needed money but still that is her son.

I read alright but was interrupted a bit.

February 16, 2013
11-11:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 184-195

Walter says that there is nothing you can do for jake leg and Jacob realizes that he could have gotten this too because he remembers his first night when Camel offered Jacob a bottle of alcohol. The next day Walter and Jacob line up to get paid. When the first few worker men leave with nothing Walter explains that sometimes uncle al only pays the workers at the end of the season because he doesn't have the money and no one does anything because other wise they'll get thrown off the train. Whoever, the performers and bosses always get paid. Jacob is not on the paying list and he is furious. Later on he remembers a sign he saw in Chicago that said "don't have any money what have you got we'll take anything" and he walks to August's room. He asks for a doctor and marlena is a little embarrassed and August is hostile but pretends like everything is fine. August thinks its for a "personal problem" but he says its for a friend and marlena tells him that a doctor is coming to see her and she will tell the doctor to see Jacob when he comes. In line for breakfast Jacob hears some guys talking about how a few men have gone missing and Jacob is worried that Camel has been red lighted (thrown off the train). However when he gets to the cart, he finds camel hidden. When the doctor is finished with Marlena, he goes with Jacob who pays the doctor with his father's pocket watch. The doctor goes to the room to see camel and says that camel has jake leg from drinking Jamaican ginger extract. He blames it on camel for drinking because he shouldn't because of prohibition and is very snotty towards him which Jacob gets mad at. The doctor says how it won't go away and leaves and cleans his hands as if he were in a very dirty place. Jacob goes back to his room and asks Walter if its alright if Camel stay with them and they are going to try to find Camel's family (his son in particular) because they can't hide him forever. Walter agrees and so they sneak camel into their room just before Marlena comes and asks Jacob to meet her in her room. Jacob agrees and is glad to see that she is doing better and is not limping. She asks how he is soon thinking the doctor was for him and he explains it was not and she thinks it was for Barbara but he says it was not and she talks about the time when he kissed her and said it would be much easier if he did not want to kiss her and se admits that what she is feeling is wrong and she hasn't stopped thinking of him and she then asks him to leave which he does reluctantly.

I can't believe they would just throw people off the trains. Do these people have no conscious? But I guess when a man is so desperate for money and hungry he will do whatever he needs to do to feed his family and himself so I can't blame them but still it is wrong because tere are some rich people who have a lot and if they just share equally there wouldn't be any problems. Also, I hate how the doctor was treating Camel. He is a person too. If he is treating marlena better just because she has more money he has no business being a doctor. A doctor should put the health of a person above all else despite who the person is, their social status or how much money they have in their pockets.

I finished the chapter and therefore have has a successful reading session.

February 15, 2013
6-6:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 173-183

Jacob wakes up in the present again and has been drifting in and out of sleep often. A nurse dropping a tray of food is what woke him up. He tries to walk to the window but a nurse stops him and wheel him there. The nurse is not going to give Jacob his walker but rosemary over hears and tells the nurse to give him his walker. Jacob looks down at the circus and sees how some things have changed and are different from when he worked at the circus but then he sees other things that are the same and realizes that some things never change, rubes are still rubes and you can still tell the performers from the workers. It's time for lunch soon and rosemary takes Jacob to sit with Mr. McGuinty even though Jacob doesn't want to because he's a liar but rosemary says that it's just because he's old and he believes its true. Nevertheless Jacob sits with his friends and behaves himself and rosemary appreciates it and he admits that it's better than sitting alone. Then it goes back to the past and Jacob not seen marlena for 6 days and August no longer comes to the cook house for dinner anymore so Jacob sits alone. Rosie gets transported in the hippo wagon and she starts following August and he stops beating her but he still keeps the stick in her leg. Rosie still takes candy that is fed to her. Jacob is worried about Marlena and hopes to see her. He and Walter are reading when Earl comes and asks Jacob to help Camel because he's not feeling well. Jacob suggests they get a doctor but because they have no money and Camel isn't important enough to have uncle al get a doctor. Earl says that Jacob is close enough to a doctor and they go to see Camel who is in the dark cart. Camel is laying down and he can't walk so well and can't feel various parts of his body. The train starts moving and Jacob says he will ride in the cart with Camel but Earl says no becuase Jacob or the roustabout guys will get in trouble and thrown off the train so they jump out and go back to their assigned quarters but not before promising to see Camel at the next stop. When he comes back Walter asks Jacob what's wrong and Jacob gives him a description. Walter tells Jacob it could be from some alcohol that wasn't made correctly because there was an article about it in the newspaper and other people have similar symptoms and it ends in paralization.

I liked a lot of quotes in this book. "When will people learn that just because you can make something doesn't mean you should?" I liked that one because its so true. People can make so many things that are not useful or serve a purpose yet we still make more and we are left with so much stuff we don't even know what to do with it all. We can do without a lot of things and some of the things we make are leading to our ultimate demise. They make us lazy and we lose our ability to do things. "When you're lying, you're lying." Is another quote I liked because even if someone is confused or senile, a lie is a lie no matter what. Even though it may be excused or not on purpose it's still a lie and should not be called by another other name. Humans tend to do that a lot to make themselves look less bad and to prove they are good and right and not doing something wrong but it would be like calling a dog a cat. Cats and dogs are not the same just like a truth and a lie are not the same. And even if we do call a cat a dog or a lie a truth it won't make it true. Finally it's really wrong how only some people get medical care while other don't.

I read alright today because I got through 10 pages.

February 14, 2013
10-10:25
Water for Elephants
Pages: 160-172

Jacob goes to the menagerie and takes care of the animals and helps them feel better and then goes and does the regular jobs of a menagerie man like cleaning the cages and feeding them and stuff like that. One of the other menagerie men warns the other guys to stay away from August who is mad because uncle al wants the elephant in the parade and hurt camel and also beat up some guy for looking at Marlena. It's also revealed that uncle al only wants the elephant so that he can be like ringling. August hits Rosie the elephant until she goes to her spot. Lots of people are gathering to see the parade and they all surround Rosie. She takes good that they feed her and plays with the people proving she is intelligent. This caused a problem because uncle al saw how much people like Rosie and he told August to get Marlena to do an act with her in the grand spec. August is furious about this but he has to listen to uncle al because he's the boss. The show starts off with some difficulties and Rosie is not cooperating and August hits her a lot but the crowd thinks its part of the show until Rosie runs off and Marlena grabs onto a pole to avoid getting knocked off. The crowd is worried now but Marlena swings on the bar and does an impressive dismount and saves the show. However, she did not land well and is hurt. Jacob and August take her to Barbara's tent where Barbara takes care of her and Jacob goes to get ice. He's stopped by uncle al who tells Jacob that Rosie is in someone's garden and he tells him to get her out before the cops are called. Jacob goes and tries to coax her out of the garden but has no luck until two guys come and help. One of the men goes inside to talk to the lady about paying for the damage and stuff while the other guy is a polish man who gets Rosie out of the garden by giving her some ginger ale and gin. Jacob starts talking to this guy and tries to tell him to come and work for August as the man who takes care of the elephants but the guy refuses because he does not want to work for August and he just likes big animals. The gin works and they are able to get Rosie all the way back to tent where she belongs. With Rosie back in the menagerie, Jacob goes back to Barbara's tent to check on Marlena but she's not there and Barbara tells him they went back to the train to wait for the doctor. As Jacob leaves Barbara's tent, he runs right into August who is mad beyond belief and is going to go and teach Rosie a lesson. Jacob tries to talk him out of it by saying the show is still going on but August just says that the band will drown out the noise. He goes back to his room and Walter comes in and asks Jacob what happened and Jacob fills him in. Jacob is so overwhelmed that he stays in his room throughout dinner and thinks about how he hates August, loves Marlena, cares about the animals especially Rosie and how he hates himself for not stopping August. Walter comes back from dinner and tells Jacob Marlena has bruised her heels and will be out for a couple of weeks but she'll be fine. Jacob admits to Walter that he hates August and Walters tells him that he does have some sense after all. Walter asks why Jacob spends all his time with him and when Jacob doesn't respond Walter takes it to mean that it's because of Marlena even though Jacob says its because he's his boss.

There's a lot of labelling in this book. For example, Barbara is known by very few by her name. She is mostly called the cooch girl and people don't tend to know that her name is Barbara. That's no very nice because she is more than a cooch girl and shouldn't be know by just that. However that's not how the world works. It's like when someone does something bad just once and they're known forever for that one thing. Even if they had done a million good things, they are remembered for that one bad thing. That's not fair or right but it's just the way it is.

I read well because I read in silence without disruptions and could concentrate and finished another chapter.

February 13, 2013
9-9:30
Water for Elephants
Pages: 142-159

The train is on it's way to Chicago and Jacob keeps thinking about past events and feels so much shame for what he did the night before while kinko tries to teach Queenie how to stand on her hind legs. Kinko and Jacob have a break through and it turns out kinko was the one who dressed him up as a clown. Kinko offers Jacob to read him books and is being nice to him and even lets Jacob call him Walter but Jacob responds coldly because he wants to quit. He looks out at the city where the St. Valentine's Day massacre took place and he smells death and feels like puking so he goes back inside with the animals and has an epiphany and realizes he loves the animals like how his father loved animals and he feels like he is their protector and that he can't abandon them. So, he gets up and how to check on a giraffe that is sick. He asks Otis to take over for him for a bit while he ventures off into the city and finds a church and has confession and he sees marlena there but doesn't say anything to her and gets out. He goes back to the circus and August is there with Rosie and he feels bad for Rosie and he realizes he doesn't like August but has to pretend to be nice otherwise he will be fired because August is his boss. August apologies and Jacob accepts it only because he doesn't want to tick off the boss. August says he will take him an marlena to a nice place but Jacob doesn't want to drink. August lets Jacob borrow one of his suits because Jacob is poorly dressed and so they set out. Marlena drinks and comes alive and her and August go dance and Jacob dumps his drink into a plant nearby. They come back and August goes to get him another one and when he leaves marlena grabs him and they go dance and August sees and looks angrily from afar. Someone screams raid and all the people scatter and Jacob and  marlena escape into an alley. Marlena goes a little hysterical and Jacob kissed her. She freaks out and takes off and he apologizes but she keeps going. He's walking around and sees the hardship of the depression and how bad it is effecting the people's and how the people are younger than him. He ends up back in the circus and sees the animals then goes to his room and thinks about what happened then falls asleep. Walter wakes up Jacob and then go down the the cook's tent. Marlena and August are sitting at their usually table all mad at each other and Walter gives him some advice and tells Jacob to go ad pretend like everything is fine because August is a crazy mad man so Jacob listens and goes back. August pretends like it's all good but there's clearly something bothering him. He talks about how he got back from the place and how marlena got back and says that he wouldn't know what he would do or be capable of if something happened to her and he said this while looking right at Jacob.

I can't believe he kissed marlena. He wants drunk so there's no excuse. It wrong because that is another mans wife even though that man is a psycho. However I like how Walter and Jacob have reconciled sort of and are now friends kind of. That should happen more in real life. Also, the depression was very bad and was so hard on the people. His account of the people sleeping with their shoes tied to their ankles and other things is very morbid.

I read well because I finished a chapter.

February 12, 2013
8-8:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 130-141

He wants to kiss Marlena but doesn't and they go to find August who is clearly choked. Uncle al spent $2000 on the elephant and hired people but didn't but any sleeping cars so there will be 64 working men sleeping under wagons on the flats and Jacob thinks this is stupid and suggests that the bunk cars get filled with whoever needs a bunk. August says you can't do this because you can't mix workers with performers and uses Jacob and kinko as an example. They all drink their whiskey and it hit Jacob kinda strong. Everyone else is partying and drinking crazy things and Jacob has one heck of a night but can only remember bits and pieces. Jacob wakes up in a clown tent with his face painted and only wearing a dress and he's in a trunk and kinko tells him August is looking for him. Jacob looses the will to work but kinko motivated him. August is trying to get the elephant into the cage but he has no luck and continues to hit the elephant until he gives Jacob a try because Pete asked him about feeding the cats. Jacob tries to be nice to her but she still doesn't move. August comes back and tells Jacob to go find Marlena and make sure she doesn't go behind the tent. Jacob goes to look behind the tent and sees Pete slitting the throats of horses. He goes to find Marlena and sees her in her room watching August brutally hit Rosie the elephant and she holds his hand and tries not to cry and Rosie runs into her cage.

The main conflict is that there is not enough room for everyone. I think they should put the performers all together and put them more condensed so there will be equal space for everyone. Also, August needs to relax and stop abusing the animals. This book is really showing the dark side to the circus.

I read well because I completed another chapter.

February 11, 2013
10:40-11
Water for Elephants
Pages: 122-130

Jacob is still concerned about the animals in the tent but decides its best not to infuriate uncle al and August so he goes to check on his animals. They're all overheating and there's a polar bear. He turns to leave and notices that the floors have been cleaned. Marlena and August are arguing very loudly in her dressing tent and Jacob starts yelling for August. He responds and Jacob pretends to need August and starts asking him questions about the cats. Uncle al is coming and August lets him come inside to get his first business lesson. Uncle al comes with an entourage. August asks what happened to Charles, the freak and only reason they came to the Fox Brothers circus. It turns out ringling had gotten there first and took him before anyone else. Despite this, uncle al is still excited because he has an elephant named Rosie. He pops out a bottle of champagne and pour it for all of them. Uncle al leaves and after a moment of silence, August drinks his champagne and leaves to check out the elephant. Jacob and marlena also drink their champagne and follow him. Jacob feels better when they get to the tent with the animals of the Fox Brothers is being taken care of with men giving the animals food and water and stuff. There is also a huge elephant. The man who used to take care of her isn't very nice and keeps saying how the elephant is dumber than a sack of hammers and he used a pointy stick to get her to move and he chews tobacco. August pretends that Jacob is the elephant man and the tobacco man tells them how all the good elephants are gone because its been 3 days and she's from a polish girl who owned her then died and the city gave the elephant to the circus. The elephant sprays the tobacco man with water from her trunk as he leaves. August leaves very angry probably to go find uncle al but marlena and Jacob stay. They try to hold out food for her and she takes some from him. In the distance outside, someone is playing the harmonica and marlena and Jacob start dancing until she realizes what's going on and she pulls away and suggests they go look for August.

The living environments for the animals was really bad and that's probably why we have so many animal cruelty laws and requirements for animals today. Also I think something is going to happen between marlena and Jacob and August.

I read well today and was able to finish the chapter.

February 10, 2013
6-6:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 113-121

Back to the past, the train has finally reached Joliet. Kinko still acts coldly towards him and the rest of the workmen aren't doing much because the Fox Brothers circus is up. Uncle Al goes to greet two suited men who pull up and talks to them. August comes and tells Jacob that the men are city officials. He invites Jacob to come into town for breakfast with him and Marlena because the food won't come until tomorrow. Marlena is still upset about her horse getting fed to the cats. He gets mad the waitress but she says she is going as fast as she can. August thinks women are moody and it must be a full moon. They go back to the circus and the cookhouse flag is up but they're only cooking fried dough. Uncle Al is interviewing all the people from the Fox brothers circus to see if there's anyone he wants to hire. After Uncle Al has hired a few oddities, the men start to take down the other people's tents. The city officials have not taken inventory yet in the Fox Brother's baggage stock so uncle Al takes a few of their horses. Jacob sees that some farmers have the same idea. Jacob gets permission to use some water from a hydrant to water the horses and August gets mad but leaves. Later, trucks with lots of good appear and the cook can start cooking real food. They also bring good and supplies for the animals. Jacob shares a moment with an orangutan. August invites Jacob for a drink but Jacob says he needs to check in the other animals first. August says no because uncle Al might get mad and Jacob thinks this is ridiculous as it is so hot and they need water but August gets really mad and has a moment. Jacob finally gives in and August leaves. This one guy from the other circus asks Marlena for food but August tells her to keep moving. She gets up from the table and gives some food to the guy and August gets really mad and everybody turns to stare at him but they all applaud Marlena for her actions and August leaves. Jacob notices the differences in climate and the surroundings and sees kinko's dog queenie taking little dumps. He walks over and investigates and tells kinko to get her some honey to fix it which he agrees to.

It's sad how cruelly they treat the animals just so they get can keep their jobs and not anger uncle al. It's not right that people get fired for doing the right thing or just because the boss doesn't like something. However that's just the way things were/are. They are improving but some places are still really bad.

I was slightly distracted with tempus and therefore did not read as well as I could.

February 9, 2013
8-8:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 105-112

Jacob wakes up in the present again to the nice nurse. He gets mad when she opens the blinds without asking because he thinks they think they know better than he does about what he wants. The nurse realizes this and tries to be nicer and asking him things and stuff instead of just doing them but he is sceptical of her genuineness. He eats his breakfast in his room because he doesn't want to smell the feces in the dining hall from the people getting changed. He remembers that today is the day he gets to go to the circus. He talks about how undignified it is to be old since people are always helping him to take showers and go to the washroom. He misses his wife and thinks of how if she were still alive he wouldn't be in this place. How his kid control his money and put him in the place after she died and he misses his house. He has 5 kids who have their own problems and he understands why they didn't offer to let him live with them. He only knows of a few of their problems but not all of them because they don't tell him stuff. He understands because they don't want to upset him like how a teenager distances themselves from their parents in preparation of leaving home. He's happy though because they kept their promise to visit him and every Sunday someone comes. But they only make small talk and stay until 5 when they leave. He thinks all his stories are outdated. The nurse comes back with his breakfast and she snuck some sugar and cream even though she's not suppose to. He doesn't eat though because he sees himself in the mirror and sees how old he looks and gets sad because he's not ready to be old. He's happy though because the sky looks the same.

The part about the undignified made me sad because a lot of elderly people probably feel this way and it isn't right for us to assume they need someone all the time and we should give them more dignity. Also, it made me sad about the visiting because it might make him feel unwanted and like a burden. He also made me scared to get old.

I read alright today because I read at my Nonna's house but I was able to finish a chapter.

February 8, 2013
6-6:30
Water for Elephants
Pages: 90-104

Jacob finds the train car, goes inside and marlena gets him a beer. She tells him they get all the booze from Canada and put in the the camel car when they cross the border because camels spit. They change into tuxedos and marlena puts on a red silk dress that August got as a perk from being the equestrian director. They have a lovely dinner with waiters. August gets drunk and tells the tale of how he found marlena and married her and got her into the circus and all that. However the night takes a turn for the worse when marlena and August are dancing and he gets quiet and grabs marlena by the chin for a while and then releases her and collapses on the bed. Marlena goes to take care of him and Jacob realizes he is also drunk. He ask marlena what happened and she explains that August is mercurial. She reminds Jacob that even though the lion was toothless it is four hundred pounds and has claws. She asks if he is polish because of his name and she says August is Jewish and marlena's family disowned her because they were Christian and she married a Jew. He asks why was invited and she said she wanted to make up for the lion incident. She tells him uncle al is happy he is on because secretly he is trying to be like ringling and having a vet makes him more like ringling. He wakes up and the train is stopped so he goes back to his room still fully dressed and recieves a lot of strange looks. When he opens the door, kinko was reading and gets mad and throws things at Jacob to get out. He leaves to help Otis get the meat for the cats. However, it is completely spoiled with flies and maggots and Jacob and Otis puke. They clean out the cage and air it out then go to check on the horses. Silver star is lying down with marlena beside him. She asks if he will get better and Jacob says no and she realizes they have to kill the horse and she freaks out and starts crying and Jacob tries to comfort her. She leaves and Jacob finds August to tell him the news and get a gun. August is mad but says he will tell uncle al and find marlena. He waits 15 minutes to give August some time to find the people. He then shoots the horse and it gets carried out by Otis, Peter and earl. Jacob is kind of sad and August goes to talk to him and tell him that he is not going to get thrown off the train. He also says how things and rules are different on the circus and everything is an illusion. Jacob remembers they still haven't fed the cats and August says its been taken care of.

I thought about the social aspects and how much nicer august's living quarters were in comparison to Jacob. Even though Jacob has Ivy League education and works hard, the performers are giving better rooms. Also, everything is an illusion at the circus but its our fault because we long to believe in impossible and strange things or need to see people worse off than us to make us feel better about ourselves. The circus offers this and that is why they did so well.

I read well today because I finished another chapter.

February 7, 2013
4-4:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 80-90

After getting water for the horses, Jacob uses the left over water to clean himself. August sees this and tells him to use the water they have stored in a tent. The buckets are labeled and August tells him to take the one named Walter. He is given a clean shirt and goes back to the rooms and looks at kinko's book. Kinko gets mad and learns that it was Jacob who had used his water (his real name being Walter) but only his friends call him Walter. While the train leaves angry people chase after it. Silver star isn't doing too well and is sitting in his stall. When he wakes up, they're stopped in the middle of no where. After getting some food, August gets Jacob to help him feed the cats. The food is disgusting and spoiled and Jacob says they can't feed them this but August said they had to. He tells Jacob to start at the lion cage. He waits for the lion to walk aways so he can open the door and chuck the food in. The lion chomps its jaws on his arm before he get the food out. Jacob freaks out but realizes he still has an arm which he does. He gets mad at August but he tells Jacob the lion is toothless hence he still has an arm and there was no blood. He leaves to get cleaned up and is warned by diamond joe that August is kind of weird and he should watch out for him. He thinks this whole thing with kinko was planned by August. After helping him, Jacob goes to the horse stable and sees marlena with the horse and they begin talking and she notices his arm and touches it and he pretends it doesn't hurt. She says she's staying with the horses until the next stop and Jacob worries about her even though she says she can climb over them. He and joe then go to load up the rest of the animals. Jacob goes back to his room and finds a pillow, a bedroll and a plaid blanket. He sees the note telling him to have dinner with mr and mrs august and kinko makes a comment.

I don't think it's right that these animals should suffer like this so that a few men can prosper financially. However, that's the way things are. It would have been worse for children or people who are being forced against their will and treated badly.

I read fairly well today because I finished the chapter.

February 6, 2013
5-5:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 70-80

It is back in the past and Jacob is back on the train with kinko the clown and the dog queenie. He gets of the train which is stopped and sees all the workers putting the tents up and the rest of the people getting off the train. He makes a connection that the farther back in the train you are, the better your quarters are. He and kinko are the closest humans to the engine while uncle al has the cart right in front of the caboose. He meets August who introduces him to marlena who looks an awful lot like Catherine and she recognizes him from their small encounter under the tent yesterday which Jacob denies. He inspects the horse that is having problems and realizes that the horse is floundering which is really bad and can't be fixed. Uncle al comes at this moment and asks Jacob about the horse's condition. This is bad because this horse in particular, silver star, is a liberty horse and they are difficult to get. Uncle al is mad when he realizes that the horse can't perform anymore and starts yelling at everyone and tells Jacob he will be paid $9 a week to fix the horse and be under August's command but will be fired if he looses the horse. He also announces that they will be packing up and moving out despite just arriving. The townspeople watching get mad because they circus was supposed to stay for 2 days. They go to eat breakfast where they hear a bunch of rumors. One aerialist named Lottie sees marlena and starts talking to her and Jacob learns the history of Alan J. Bunkel (uncle al) and his circus. In 1929 he got a sleeping car and two flats from the benzini brothers who couldn't afford it anymore. This became his lifestyle. He would venture around when he heard a circus was failing and took the stuff they didn't want. He was especially interested in natural freaks. This is why they are leaving now. The fox brothers circus had just collapsed and uncle al wants to get a natural freak before anyone else can. It's a three say journey to the town so they stalk up on supplies.

I like the part where Jacob realizes there is a hierarchy. Uncle al at the top and he is at the bottom. The hierarchy rank is determined by the position on the train. The performers and guys in charge are given better rooms while the workers are given rooms that are not so good and are closer to the train engine. This is similar to real life where certain individuals are given better treatment that others.

I read well because it was quiet.

February 5, 2013
11-11:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 64-70

Jacob wakes from his dream and is back in the present again. He is unsure of how much time he has missed but a nurse reminds him of the circus and he realizes he hasn't missed a day. He reflects on how he hates trying to convince people that he hasn't lost his marbles he just has more things to keep track of than most people. He has the nurse place him in front of the window so he can see the grand spectacle and all the people in the park. He remembers how horrible it was to work on the circus when the weather was foul and he sees how much better the conditions are for the workers and performers. He also remembers marlena when he sees a bunch of horses. He sees his friends being taken with their families to see the circus and when they come back he criticizes how cotton candy comes in a bag instead of beig freshly spun like when he was working. At dinner he is still bitter towards McGuinty and refuses to sit with him and sits at a table alone. He sees the dinner and is so overcome with anger he asks a nurse for real food and pushes his tray off the table after making a very convincing argument. The nurses however don't take so kindly to this and call a doctor. The doctor talks to Jacob for a bit and thinks he has depression that is manifesting itself in anger. Jacob overhears this and yells that he is old not deaf. Later, he is given a new pill for depression but refuses to take it and throws it on the floor because he is not depressed. However, he is forced to take the pill and is also given an injection which he thinks is unfair because he took the pill. He becomes sedated and falls asleep but not before making a mental note to be anger tomorrow in the morning.

I like how he contradicts the nurses. They say he is a resident but they refer to the people as patients and Jacob points this out to them much to their dismay. I like how he stands up for himself and isn't afraid to say things the way they are even if it could be bad for him. It's a clear display of how badly elderly people are being treated and they have no dignity and are shown little respect which isn't right.

I read well today because I was in class and the class was silent.

February 4, 2013
3:50-4:30
Water for Elephants
Pages: 49-63

Jacob is guarding the door where the dancer is entertaining men for $2 and has made a buck. It's almost 10 and some of the smaller tents are being taken down but the big top still stands. He catches up with camel who tells Jacob to go back to his life but Jacob says he doesn't have one to go back to. Filled with compassion, camel tries to talk to the boss, uncle al who is the ringmaster, in an attempt to get Jacob a job. Uncle Al doesn't listen as camel gets really mad. Determined to help Jacob, camel goes in a tent for an hour, gets smashed and arranges for a guy named earl to take care of Jacob. Earl puts camel on the train and takes Jacob to an overcrowded sleeping car where the guy let him sleep if Jacob gave him the buck. There is a voice over the train speaking in polish and one guy gets irratated. The next day Jacob meets uncle al and August. He tells them how he was studying to be a vet and gets a spot on the train in a room with a clown and a dog because the horses he saw yesterday and not doing so well according to marlena (the girl in the sequins). August leads him to the room where he will be staying and Jacob sleeps on the floor.

One part in particular that stood out to me was when he guy on the train was speaking polish. Another man yelled saying that he should speak English and called him a racist name and said how all these people are "fresh off the boat". It reminded me of how difficult it was for the early immigrants to come to the country.

This chapter was a little long but I got through if regardless and my reading was well.

February 3, 2013
1-1:30
Water for Elephants
Pages: 31-48

Jacob wakes up just as the train is about to stop. The other men in the cart leave but camel stays to help Jacob out. He tells him that crazy joe might give him a job but is unaware of why they call him crazy joe although camel says that he went to jail for a while. They find crazy joe who gives him a job because of camel and Jacob starts to work with Charlie by shovelling horse feces out of the cart. It is clear that he Jacob doesn't not fit in and that he will have to learn how to handle himself. While shovelling he starts talking to Charlie, the other guy working for crazy joe and finds some things out. Then, they are told the food tent is up and leave to go get something to eat. While eating camel explains some basic things to Jacob and how they can't sit at the tables because the performers (kinkers) sit there and they can't call the kinkers to their faces and such things. After eating, Jacob goes to meet Cecil who is the ringmaster. The workers are finished setting up and people begin to come. Jacob sees a girl who looks extremely like Catherine but he's not sure if its her and she seems to recognize him too. One man gets angry and demands to have his money back and attempts to hit Cecil but Jacob stops him. Cecil is impressed and has Jacob work as a bouncer in the tent where a woman is stripping. It's very secret, costs 50 cents and Jacob has to keep people from getting rowdy and people from looking on the outside. Jacob admits it is the first time he's ever seen a naked woman and doesn't think he will ever be the same.

I liked the part where camel is talking about kinkers and Jacob asked why he can't just call the performers all the time since he isn't allowed to call them kinkers to their face and camel responds by saying there's them and there's us and you're us. It wasn't a straight answer but it's just the way it is. Like in life there are some things that are the way they are even though they don't make sense.

I read alright considering the time. I chose to read at this time as an insurance and peace of mind that I completed the reading or today just in case something pops up during the day.

February 2, 2013
10:30-11
Water for Elephants
Pages: 14-30

Jacob is in class sitting next to catherine one of only four women in the class of '31. He admits to being a virgin but this chick is teasing him. He's been in school for 6 long years and in 10 days is going to go to Norwich to join his father's veterinary practice. In the middle of the lesson he is called out by the dean and is informed his parents have died in a car accident. They need Jacob to positively identify the bodies. They drive to the coroner and after seeing his prarents' bloodied and dead bodies, he vomits and takes the two mile walk home. He sees a new sign above the entrance that says "E. Jankowski and Son Doctors of Veterinary Medicine" and sees his parents things and is sad. All his relatives are in Poland so neighbours and people of the church come to take care of him. Two days after burying his parents he goes to the esquire to talk about the estate. He is told that his father has been taking payments in the form of vegetables and other goods for nearly two years because the community has been hit very hard. He is also told that he lost everything because his parents took out a mortgage on their home and practice to pay for his tuition and everything goes to the bank. The esquire is being a jerk so Jacob leaves before he hits him and decides to go back to school since his room and board is paid for until the end of the year which is in 6 days. He's missed the entire week of review lectures and everyone is willing to help him but he is unable to focus and keeps thinking of his parents death and how an old guy from their town forgot what side of the road he was suppose to drive on and hit the gas instead of the break and his parents went over the guardrail to avoid hitting the truck. It's possible the truck driver was drunk because Jacob recalls one Easter when he showed up to church without trousers. He's sitting in the exam room but is unable focus and does not start the exam. He gets up gasping for breath and flings the exam at the proctor's desk and begins to walk until he ends up somewhere in the middle of the forest beside train tracks. It's night and he hears coyotes and then a train and decides to jump on. He does so but is met with some other men one of whom tries to throw his off the train but Jacob is saved by one of the men. This man informs Jacob that he is on a circus train and that he should sleep but not near the door because sometimes they take the turns sharply.

I wished Jacob had gone back to school and did well and succeeded and stuff but then the story would be boring. I also like when Jacob tries to know how to determine where you are from. If it is determined by the place from where you are leaving or the place where you have your roots.  I have also wondered this.

I read well today despite the fact that I was thinking about tempus.

February 1, 2013
10:30-11
Water for Elephants
Pages: 1-13

The book starts off with a prologue that is the memory of when a man worked in a circus and something goes horribly wrong and all the animals escape and start running amuck and the man tries desperately to find a girl and an elephant. He finds the girl however she picks up an iron stake and hits a guy in the back of the head inevitably killing him. The man reveals that although his has happened long ago it still haunts him and he has never told anyone. After this, the book redirects to the present where the same man is in an old folks home and is 91 or 93. He forgets and explains how the aging process begins when you hesitate to remember your age during your 30s and it turns into you forgetting words, forgetting what you went upstairs to get, getting your children's names confused, forgetting the day and finally forgetting what year it is. He isn't satisfied with his life in the home and wants real food as he still has all his own teeth. Some people gather to look out the window and he goes to see what they're all staring at. The circus is in town and it gives his heart a lurch. At supper, the other people are talking about the circus and one guy claims to have used to give water to the elephants. The man, Jacob, says that this guy is lying and they get into an argument where the impersonater falls and Jacob is sent to his room to finish his dinner there. The nurse however, gives him some of her food and he is happy. It is also revealed that he is being tormented by ghosts of his past.

I was not expecting the narrator to be elderly or that he would have witnessed a murder. Also, I predict that the next chapter will go further into his past.

I read well today because I have been waiting a while to read this book and was excited to start it which motivated me to read better than I would have.