1. The plot in Water for Elephants is very unusual. The main character, Jacob Jankowski, is the narrator. He becomes an orphan with nothing to his name when his parents are killed in a car crash. He runs away and joins a circus where he meets Marlena. Because he is almost a certified vet he becomes the vet for the show. Marlena's husband August is abusive and not a very good person so her and Jacob run away together, but are found by August and she is brought back to the circus. Jacob goes back to get her when the cats escape and everything goes chaotic. In the end Marlena and Jacob get married and have five kids.
2.The theme of the novel is to follow your gut instinct to happiness. Jacob does this when he jumps on the train and goes after Marlena and many smaller times throughout the story.
3. The Author has two different tones, one is cranky when the book is from the poin of view of the older jacob. "So what's on the menu tonight?' I grumble" and he goes on to complain about the food. Also when a nurse kindly asks what she can get for his he replies, "How about some real food?" The author also uses a rebelious tone for younger jacob. "Finished already?' he says, reaching for it. I hear papers rustling as i head for the door. 'Wait!' he calls after me. 'You haven't even started!'" and Jacob walks out of his final exams.
4. Very descriptive, "He is a hulking brute with a thick black beard. His clothes are filthy, and the brim of his hat looks like someone has taken a bite out of it."
Foreshadowing, the prologue is part of a chapter from much later in the book and in it Jacob is very worried about Marlena, setting it up for there to be something between them.
Alliteration, "You done jumped the Flying Squadron of the Benzini Brothers Morst Spectacular Show on Earth" the name is repeated alot, also is the fact that they arent supposed to like their competeters shows.
Hyperbole
Metaphore
