Quarter 2 OR Week 6 Post B

Relationships are in important aspect of life and definitely so in Water for Elephants. Jacob, the main character, meets many people throughout the novel and the relationships he develops with them shape both him and his new acquaintance. Relationships can also shape the lives of the people in addition to their personalities. For example, Jacob's positive relationship with Camel saved him from getting redlighted (thrown off the train), and because Camel helped Jacob when he was in need, Jacob was the one to get Camel a doctor when he wasn't feeling too well. There are many relationships in this story that help change the life of Jacob.

The first would be between old Jacob and a nurse named Rosemary. Jacob, at the age of 90 or 93, is at a nursing home where he feels malcontent and unappreciated. The rest of the nurses and doctors treat him like a cranky old man, but Rosemary treats him like an actual person. This positive relationship that develops keeps Jacob from going over the edge. By knowing someone actually wants him around, Jacob is able to maintain a little more sanity than what he may have had before. This quote said by Jacob shows how unusual it is for him to feel like an actual person: "I'm so used to being scolded and herded and managed and handled that I'm no longer sure how to react when someone treats me like a real person" (176). It gives us insight on why Jacob must be so grumpy all the time, or may seem unpleasant, but now we know the truth. There just aren't many people who treat him like a real person, which is probably true for many of the elderly. But with Rosemary, Jacob is able to make progress and feel and act like a real person again.

This relationship is shared between younger Jacob and Walter (or Kinko the clown). Walter is definitely a friend to Jacob, despite his original dislike of him. Unlike the other circus performers, Walter treats Jacob equally even though he is a working man. Both men are outcasts because Jacob is a worker on the verge of being treated like a performer and Walter is a performer on the verge of being treated like a worker. They find comfort within each other and they look out for each other. When sometimes it feels like no one is being friendly to Jacob, he always has Walter. Workers are worked like animals in the circus and it must be nice for Jacob to have a real friend who isn't either a) jealous of his status within the performers, b) resenting him for his ability or c) looking down at him.

The last point deals with the relationship between Jacob and August. August is the equestrian director of the circus and must think Jacob has a lower rank than he does. But sometimes, Jacob is more logical and knows how to handle things better than August, which ticks him off. It's a complicated relationship. At times, August is kind to Jacob, treating him like an equal and a friend. But other times, Jacob is the source of release for August's anger. It's unwise to upset or undermine August. You never know where you'll find yourself in the morning. Although August may seem like a friend, he is really just Jacob's boss.

Lastly, there is the relationship between Jacob and Marlena. Marlena is August's wife which means she has spent quite a bit of time with Jacob (he gets invited to outings). But regardless of Marlena being married, Jacob still has feelings for her and manages to kiss her too. Of course it would be easier of Marlena didn't like Jacob back but even she admits that she has some feelings for him. "I hardly know what to think anymore. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you" (195). This makes their relationship a lot more complicated than it has to be. If they ignore their feelings, it is likely that they will drift away from each other. But if they act on them, then August might just end of murdering both of them.

These four examples display how relationships can change someone and the life they will lead. This can be applied in real life as well. It's wise to carefully choose the people that you allow to affect your life because sometimes the friends we have end up shaping who we are, in spite of what we actually want to be.