Water for Elephants, Week 5, Post A

VOCAB

Vehemently (209)- passionately, forcefully

Gregarious (221)- friendly

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

“Marlena sashays to the center ring and they follow, high-kicking, prancing clouds of black and white” (201). This is an example of figurative language because the horses appearance appeals to the sense of sight and the corresponding loud noises of the horses entering appeals to the sense of sound.

“The roustabouts, once roused, run around like headless chickens” (205). This is a simile because it uses the word “like” to compare the roustabouts frantically running around preparing for the circus to headless chickens.

“She holds it by its edges, giving it a little shake so that it sparkles, throwing a thousand points of light” (233). This is personification because the author is giving the human characteristic of throwing to an inhuman object, the shining costume.

QUOTE

“It’s Walter who insists he take the cot, and in turn I insist that Walter take the bedroll. And so I am back to sleeping on the horse blanket in the corner” (197). It is evident that Jacob and Walter’s relationship is developing into a friendship in the way they insist the other one should have the better bed.

THEME

A theme in this novel is to fight and stand up for what one wants in life, otherwise one might not get it. Jacob is extremely upset at the way August treats Marlena and engages him in a fight (though this is probably not the best way to sort out one’s problems).