The Role Of Jacob In Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants

In many forms of literature developed throughout time, characters appear in many shapes and forms. Characters such as the hero, anti-hero, villain, and victim play an integral role in terms of the plot, and the expression of the author’s ideas. However, the hero is arguably the most significant character in any novel, as the hero is the protector/enforcer of what is good and just. Despite this, the hero is not immaculate, as his/her decisions can often times reveal flaws. In Sarah Gruen’s ‘Water For Elephants’, this is no different. Therefore, in Sara Gruen’s ‘Water For Elephants’, Jacob’s decisions and their consequences reveal the fact that Jacob is a flawed hero. This is seen in the fact that his decisions reveal his protectiveness, bravery,

The first way Jacob’s decisions reveal his bravery is seen in his decision to oppose the high command of the circus in the name of justice. This is seen when he directly opposes Uncle Al’s demand to have Jacob to convince Marlena remarry August, despite August’s abusive nature towards Marlena. This is when he says to Uncle Al, “I’m not going to sit here and listen to you tell me [that] it’s okay for August to hit her” (266). The significance of this opposition is that Jacob knows that he is putting himself in danger by opposing Uncle Al, and since he braves this danger in the name of what is just, it reveals his bravery. Also, since Jacob in this case is the purveyor of justice (an attribute of heroism), it confirms his status as a hero. The second more subtle example of Jacob’s bravery is seen when in his older age, he expresses outrage over the treatment of himself and his peers at the hands of the nursing home. This is seen when he decided to bravely oppose the quality of food served to himself and his peers, where a specific example is when he addresses his peers regarding the food they are eating, as he asks: “doesn’t anyone else here want real food? Surely you can’t be happy with...this…pap?” (68). The significance of Jacob’s announcement is that it reveals his bravery, as he is not afraid to be the only individual in the home to address the quality of the food. And since this bravery is in

This is also the case for Jacob, as despite his protectiveness and bravery, he has an Achilles heel. This is of course his selfishness. Firstly, Jacob’s decisions are intrinsically motivated, which means that they often fail to comprehend potential consequences, and this can have disastrous effects on other people. An example where Jacob’s selfish decisions results in a catastrophic outcome is when he takes Walter’s knife with the intent of killing August, as he “[creeps] across the top of the stock can on [his] hand and knees, with Walter’s knife clenched between [his] teeth” (194). The catastrophe in this decision is that it indirectly resulted in Walter and Camel’s redlighting, as it left Walter defenseless against Blackie. Also, the fact that Jacob took the knife without reflecting on the potential effects on Walter reveals his selfishness, and ultimately his major flaw. The second way Jacob is selfish is seen in the fact that in his older years, he isolates himself from those that care for him. This is evident in his purposeful isolation from his family, as “he doesn’t know what’s going on in their lives” (109). This willful blindness of his family’s affairs proves his selfishness, as anyone who disregards their family in the name of isolation is partaking in a selfish act. Also, since this a part of selfishness, it helps confirm Jacob’s major flaw. In conclusion, Jacob’s selfishness in