Water for Elephants

The book Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, is told through two perspectives. The book is told in the perspective of the protagonist Jacob Jankowski; however, the book flashes back and forth from young Jacob and old Jacob. My favorite character is old Jacob Jankowski. He is stuck living in a nursing home and he is extremely bitter about it. In his 90s, he cannot really do much but he still knows how to make people laugh. Old Jacob fights for respect and is kind of crabby. Although some people might find it annoying, I see older Jacob as someone who doesn't want to give up yet. Across the nursing home where old Jacob lives, there was a circus set up. One of the other elder men in the nursing home bragged to the women that he used to work in the circus; he bragged that he used to carry water for the elephants. Old Jacob, who actually did work in the circus, called out the other elder man and fought that you cannot carry that much water for elephants because it is too heavy. Jacob wasn't afraid to prove someone wrong and he kept fighting for the truth. You also often find him reminiscing on his younger years. I relate to old Jacob because I too find myself feeling nostalgic and dreaming about things in the past.