Water For Elephants By Sara Gruen: Character Analysis

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“August strikes her with the bull hook. This sends her flying through the back end of the big top,” (Gruen #) The quote in the story Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, portrays how an elephant, named Rosie, gets abused by the ringmaster of the circus, August. This story is in the point of view of one of the workers in the circus, Jacob, who sees the aggressive side of the ring master. August does not trust people easily which causes him to act out. He takes his anger out on the animals as well as his wife, Marlena. August’s behavior displayed throughout the novel is abusive, cruel and aggressive. August proves to be abusive towards Rosie throughout the novel. For example, he is always beating Rosie, in a very harsh matter, when she does not follow directions. “’Move!’ he screams, waving the bull hook around her face. She swings her trunk and blinks. ‘I said move!’ He steps behind her and thwacks her in the back of the leg. …show more content…

For instance, he knowingly causes pain and distress towards Rosie. "August smacks her from behind, and Rosie hurries a few steps forward. When August catches up, he whacks her again, this time hard enough that she raises her trunk, bellows, and scampers sideways. August lets loose a long string of curses and runs up beside her, swinging the bull hook and driving the pick end into her shoulder. Rosie whimpers and this time doesn’t move an inch. Even from this distance, we can see that she's trembling" (140-141). Jacob observes how August is extremely harmful to Rosie. So, in effect, throughout the novel she is petrified of him and she is in distress. When the story states, "she raises her trunk, bellows, and scampers sideways" and "Rosie whimpers and this time doesn’t move an inch." The text is trying to show the pain and anxiety she has developed because of what August does to her. August's cruelty makes him ruthless and causes Rosie to suffer because of

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