Water for Elephants

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Reflect on the author’s choice to frame Jacob’s story as a retrospective. How does this approach relate to your own understanding of the power of memory and the passage of time?

2. Discuss the novel’s depiction of the relationships between animals and humans. Have you ever had a deep connection with an animal or a pet? How did your own experience affect your understanding of the animals portrayed in the story?

3. Consider the difficult decisions that Marlena is forced to make. Have you ever had to make a life-changing decision that required courage? What was the outcome of your decision?

4. What are your impressions of the circus’s evolution in the modern era? Compare Gruen’s novel to other works of art that are set in the circus, such as Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love, and Disney’s film, Dumbo. 

5. In the novel, the main characters find love in unexpected places. Have you ever found an unlikely friendship or an unusual place to call home? How did these experiences affect your outlook on the world?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Discuss the historical context of the Great Depression era. How does the intense economic hardship of this setting shape the characters' decisions and the novel’s overall tone?

2. How does the author’s portrayal of the hierarchy of circus performers and perceived “outsiders” critique the Great Depression era’s perspectives on exploitation? 

3. How accurately do Marlena’s experiences portray the societal expectations for women in the early 20th century? What parallels do you seen between her story and aspects of modern society?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel portray use the elder Jacob’s timeline to portray the themes of age and memory? What does Jacob’s narrative suggest about the reliability of memory?

2. Discuss the complexity of August’s character. Does his undiagnosed mental illness make him a more sympathetic figure? Why or why not?

3. What techniques does the author use to anthropomorphize Rosie? How does her presence in the novel inject an implicit critique on themes of power, control, and justice?

4. Analyze the younger Jacob’s character flaws, particularly his tendency towards inaction. What does his failed attempt to kill August reveal about his character?

5. What narrative techniques does the author use to juxtapose beauty and brutality? (For example, how is the circus portrayed as a place of both magic and cruelty?)

6. What is the symbolic significance of the train?

7. Discuss Jacob’s relationship with Walter and Camel. What important life lessons does he learn from them?