Hey Everyone...
The second book I read over my holiday was Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. It is now also a film, starring Robert Pattinson, but I have never watched it. Water for Elephants is the story of a circus in America during the 1920s approximately. The protagonist, Jacob Jankowski loses his parents in a motorcycle accident and jumps onto a circus train travelling across the country, where he is recruited by the circus 'Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth' as a vet. During this time, the 1920s, America had Prohibition. The Prohibition Amendment and the Volstead Act of 1919 and 1920 meant that the consumption, production and selling of alcohol was illegal across America. Because people still wanted to drink alcohol, they produced their own alcohol (moonshine) or smuggled it in from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. Brewing your own alcohol was very dangerous, as I am sure you can imagine, and, although during the period of Prohibition, there was a decrease in the number of deaths on the road from drunk driving, doctors reported an increase in cases of blindness and poisoning due to the consumption of moonshine.
What I liked about the book
This book is really easy to read and the plot is really easy to follow. It does not take a lot of effort to read. The book is also really accurate to the time and does not beat around the bush about the effects of Prohibition, of the illegal practices that started to become normal practice and the tragedy of the Jamaica ginger paralysis, which came from drinking poisoned alcohol. And I learnt a lot about the practices of circuses and the cruelty with which they treated their animals. It was really eye-opening.
This book is really easy to read and the plot is really easy to follow. It does not take a lot of effort to read. The book is also really accurate to the time and does not beat around the bush about the effects of Prohibition, of the illegal practices that started to become normal practice and the tragedy of the Jamaica ginger paralysis, which came from drinking poisoned alcohol. And I learnt a lot about the practices of circuses and the cruelty with which they treated their animals. It was really eye-opening.
Issues discussed in the book
Obviously, circus life plays a huge part in this book. Sara Gruen did extensive research into the life of the circus in America during the 1920s. I don't know whether you have seen or read the Elephant Man. A slightly different time period but the cruelty inflicted upon the 'Elephant Man' because he was what they called a 'freak' was horrendous. I don't know whether 'redlighting' was a common procedure in many circuses, but in the Benzini Brothers, if you weren't performing properly, or there was something wrong with you, they pushed you off the moving train. I think that it is incredible that people believe that they are justified in doing things to others. This for me applies to so many different areas in life, from the heinous deeds of terrorists, where they think that they are justified in killing thousands of innocent people to the smallest things, when the smallest person in the class is picked on, for example. I don't know whether this is my religious inclinations shining through (;/ Whoops) but it really is interesting. What is the thought process that allows you to do that? I don't understand it.
Similarly, in Water for Elephants, many of the animals are treated terribly. I don't know a lot about circuses now but, you know, during that time, they used every animal as a money-making machine and every person as well. The elephant in the book is called Rosie and there is a 'problem' with her that, at the beginning, is not understood by most of the circus staff. Due to this problem, she would not perform well at the shows. And when that happened, they just beat her and beat her. At the back of the book, Sara Gruen spoke about two circus elephants, Old Mom and Topsy. If you want to know more about them, look them up. Their stories are heart-breaking. :(
Now, in a lot of these reviews, the issues discussed directly affect human life. This review is slightly different, in that it affects animal life. To me, using animals as entertainment is a cruel process. There are many ways that you can entertain yourself; animals don't need to be used. That is why I so strongly disagree with bullfighting and using animals in circuses. Unless an animal was made to do something, I disagree with making it do it.
Obviously, circus life plays a huge part in this book. Sara Gruen did extensive research into the life of the circus in America during the 1920s. I don't know whether you have seen or read the Elephant Man. A slightly different time period but the cruelty inflicted upon the 'Elephant Man' because he was what they called a 'freak' was horrendous. I don't know whether 'redlighting' was a common procedure in many circuses, but in the Benzini Brothers, if you weren't performing properly, or there was something wrong with you, they pushed you off the moving train. I think that it is incredible that people believe that they are justified in doing things to others. This for me applies to so many different areas in life, from the heinous deeds of terrorists, where they think that they are justified in killing thousands of innocent people to the smallest things, when the smallest person in the class is picked on, for example. I don't know whether this is my religious inclinations shining through (;/ Whoops) but it really is interesting. What is the thought process that allows you to do that? I don't understand it.
Similarly, in Water for Elephants, many of the animals are treated terribly. I don't know a lot about circuses now but, you know, during that time, they used every animal as a money-making machine and every person as well. The elephant in the book is called Rosie and there is a 'problem' with her that, at the beginning, is not understood by most of the circus staff. Due to this problem, she would not perform well at the shows. And when that happened, they just beat her and beat her. At the back of the book, Sara Gruen spoke about two circus elephants, Old Mom and Topsy. If you want to know more about them, look them up. Their stories are heart-breaking. :(
Now, in a lot of these reviews, the issues discussed directly affect human life. This review is slightly different, in that it affects animal life. To me, using animals as entertainment is a cruel process. There are many ways that you can entertain yourself; animals don't need to be used. That is why I so strongly disagree with bullfighting and using animals in circuses. Unless an animal was made to do something, I disagree with making it do it.
Recommendations
The Dancing Bear by Michael Morpurgo - If you have read my review on Before I Die (here) and my holiday reading recommendations, then you will have seen this. If not, this is the story of a bear cub adopted by an orphan. They become very close until a film crew comes to the village and wants a dancing bear for the film that they are making. It is a very short book and very easy to read. (I know some of the books I recommend can be quite daunting) However, it completely discusses the issues that are brought up in Water for Elephants and I think that it is an amazing book. Michael Morpurgo is an author who has written some of my favourite books of all time. If I could have half the career in writing fiction that he has had, I would be extremely honoured.
Wonder by E.J. Palacio- This book is sort of a modern day version of the Elephant Man. It is the story of a boy who is severely physically disabled but lives the normal life of a teenager. It shows how cruel children can be towards one another and how unaccepting people are of each other, when others look a little different. You know that phrase, Don't judge a book by its cover. On the back of this book, it says, Don't judge a boy by his face.' And it shows that we all do, judge by physical appearance when it doesn't matter at all. I really recommend this book.
BUY WATER FOR ELEPHANTS ON AMAZON
BUY THE DANCING BEAR ON AMAZON
BUY WONDER ON AMAZON
The Dancing Bear by Michael Morpurgo - If you have read my review on Before I Die (here) and my holiday reading recommendations, then you will have seen this. If not, this is the story of a bear cub adopted by an orphan. They become very close until a film crew comes to the village and wants a dancing bear for the film that they are making. It is a very short book and very easy to read. (I know some of the books I recommend can be quite daunting) However, it completely discusses the issues that are brought up in Water for Elephants and I think that it is an amazing book. Michael Morpurgo is an author who has written some of my favourite books of all time. If I could have half the career in writing fiction that he has had, I would be extremely honoured.
Wonder by E.J. Palacio- This book is sort of a modern day version of the Elephant Man. It is the story of a boy who is severely physically disabled but lives the normal life of a teenager. It shows how cruel children can be towards one another and how unaccepting people are of each other, when others look a little different. You know that phrase, Don't judge a book by its cover. On the back of this book, it says, Don't judge a boy by his face.' And it shows that we all do, judge by physical appearance when it doesn't matter at all. I really recommend this book.
BUY WATER FOR ELEPHANTS ON AMAZON
BUY THE DANCING BEAR ON AMAZON
BUY WONDER ON AMAZON
Well, that is it for this blog post. I hope that you enjoyed it.
Clare
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