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Symbolism In Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants

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A symbolic meaning refers to expressing or representing an idea without using words, and the overall appearance of an elephant through the story does just that. In Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, the correlation between both Jacob and the elephant gives the novel from beginning to end a deep sense of symbolism. As the book progresses both characters adapt to their new life, at first the circus seems like a exciting place, but there is hard work that has to be accomplished. “The story is bold; the life of the circus thrills and scares you. It may seem all sequins and charm on the top but underneath there is something darker…” explained in an article by “The Guardian”. With the elephant being a sense of naivety in the beginning and then a progressive change of becoming strong, Jacob can be compared to this symbol.
In the beginning of the novel, the elephant symbolizes Jacob’s life and not fitting in at the circus. During the start of their new lives both the elephant and Jacob struggle with finding a place to fit in. “ ‘Who sits on the other side? Performers?’ Camel shoots me a look. ‘Good God, kid. Just keep your trap shut till you learn …show more content…

Throughout Sara Gruen’s novel Water for Elephants both Rosie and Jacob are seen as outsiders, only at the end do they represent independence and being powerful. From both characters being quiet and navie about their feelings, the elephant can definitely symbolize Jacob. For when they both start their life at the circus everything is a difficult task to try to belong somewhere. They are then silenced by the head of the carnival, and just try to blend in with the bustling circus life. With Jacob hesitating to kill the man he hates and Rosie instead carrying out the dead, can show the symbiotic relationship between them. The whole book creates an obvious relationship between Jacob and Rosie that changes from beginning to

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