The Importance of A Dystopian Hero in Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants

International Journal of English Language
and Translation Studies

[ISSN: 2308-5460]
Vol-01, Issue-02
[July-September, 2013]
Editor-in-Chief
Mustafa Mubarak Pathan
Department of English Language & Translation Studies
The Faculty of Arts, the University of Sebha
Sebha, Libya
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International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies ISSN: 2308-5460

Table of Contents
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Title of the Paper / Name of the Author(s)/ Country

Editorial
A Socio-linguistic Perspective to the Language Change of Television News
Broadcasting in Iran
- Shahla Simin, Hosna Kasma ee, Atiye Ezzati, Freshteh Teimouri &
Arineh Minasian, Iran
EFL Learners Difficult Role Transition from Secondary School to University:
From the P erspective and Perceptions of EFL Teachers of TBLT in Western
China
- Feng Teng, China
English Language Teaching and Learning during Holiday Camps: A Case Study
from Malaysia
- Dr. Ria Hanewald, Malaysia
English Metafunction Analysis in Chemistry Text: Characterization of Scientific
Text
- Ahma d Amin Dalimunte, M.Hum, Indonesia
Investigating the Difficulties Faced in Understanding, and Strategies Used in
Processing, English Idioms by the Libyan Students
- Noura Winis Ibrahim Saleh & Dr. Moha mmed Hassan Zakaria ,
Malaysia
MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning): A Paradise for English Language
Learners
- Dr. Suneetha Yedla, India
Metaphors about EFL Teachers' Roles: A Case of Iranian Non-English-Major
Students
- Mohsen Akbari, Iran
Mother Tongue Influence : A Thorn in the Flesh of Technocrats in the Global
Market
- Dr. S. Mohan, India
Teaching Creative Thinking Skills
- Dr. Nagamurali Eragamreddy, Libya
The Importance of a Dystopia n Hero in Sara Gruens Water for Elephants
Bassmah Bassam Khaled AlTaher, Jordan
The Leverage of a Proposed Post Process Writing Approach Program on
Developing the EFL Al-Azhar Secondary Students' Writing Skills
- Ismail Ibrahim Elshirbini Abdel-Fattah El-Ashri, Egypt
The Translator's Agency and the Ideological Manipulation in Translation: the
Case of Political Texts in Translation Classrooms in Iran
- Katayoon Afzali , Iran
The Use of Photo-Elicitation Interview in Sociolinguistics: The Case Study of
Awareness about the Use of Borrowings in Tlemcen Speech Community Algeria
- Mrs. Rahmoun-Mrabet Razzia, Alger ia
Uncertainty and Uncertainty Management: the Metacognitive State of ProblemSolving of Professional (experienced) Translators and Students of Translation
Studies
- Zahra Amirian & Moha mad J. Baghiat, Iran
Using Native Language in ESL Classroom
- Dr. Isa SPAHIU, Macedonia
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162-175
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The Importance of a Dystopian Hero in Sara Gruens Water for Elephants

Bassmah Bassam Khaled AlTaher
German-Jordanian Universit y, Jordan
Abstract
Humanit y has always wanted to find peace, order, and just ice in a perfect world. Yet, this
lo nging manifested in literary works, has been touched by the dark side o f realit y,
transforming Utopia into Dystopia; a world of conflict and chaos. Sara Gruen (1969)
captivates this undeniable realit y in her novel Water for Elephants (2006) and shows that the
so called ideal societ y can still have a tragic flaw. This study intends to prove the existence o f
a Dystopian world in Sara Gruens novel Water for Elephants, and how it is shaped wit hin a
miniature societ y of a circus. In the life of this circus, the elements of Dystopia come together
to portray the degenerat ion of societ y during the Great Depression of (1929 1941) in the
United States of America; creat ing a world everyone thought at the very beginning was
Utopia. Therefore, this study unravels the layers of perfect ion and shows the flaws of this so
called perfect man-made world (the circus) by using the theoretical approach of the term
Dystopia and applying it to the novel, one finds that the events that lead to the heros
abandonment of everyt hing because of the Great Depressio n in America, ends wit h the heros
triumph over shackled circumstances in which he is played as a pawn. This feature of ending
oppression and fight ing for his and his societ ys freedo m is a major qualit y o f a Dystopian
Hero; in contrast, a Utopian Protagonist stands aside, simply being object ive in societ y as he
studies the perfect laws and nature of such a perfect world.
Keywords: Utopia, Dystopia, Circus, Great Depression, Dystopian Hero
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1. Introduction
The United States of America endured a decade of hardship and adversit y during the
Great Depression (1929 1941). Ten years of prosperit y during the 1920s was celebrated by
various financial leaders throughout the country, and a lot of those people believed that it was
the dawn o f a new age in which good profit and mo ney were duplicated easily with
flourishing businesses and successful deals. Yet this era of hope did not last long; when the
Wall Street stock market crashed in October 1929, it shocked many wealt hy stockholders
with its severe losses. This caused a lot of suffering at all levels throughout the nat ion as the
American cit izens struggled to cope in perishable circumstances; many people were out of
work, jobs were scarce, and so the good times of the 1920s were replaced wit h the bread
lines, soup kitchens, and the wandering ho meless. The administration of President Herbert
Hoover took unprecedented actions to relieve the crises, but nothing seemed to work (Ayers,
2009, p.624). As a result of this situation, the economic crises spread worldwide creat ing
poverty, unemplo yment, deflat ion, and plunging farm inco mes. The depressio n as known,
started in the United States of America wit h the fall o f stock market prices, and soon after, it
affected stock markets globally. Thus, the American Dream o f gaining wealt h and power in a
minimum amount of time became the American Night mare for the residents of the United
States of America. The hungry nation drifted apart, and it was basically a survival for the
fittest. Many writers and idealists tried to create an ideal utopia in order to escape the bitter
realit y and find so me peace once again. Some even searched for it, claiming that they had the
roadmap to heaven, for life forced men, wo men, and children to dream for a better place
(Ayers, 2009, p.624). However, not all societies that are perceived as perfect are Utopia, but
in fact, the subtle beginning o f a Dystopia. Simply because all attempts to perfect those
worlds are made o f power, manipulat ion, and injustice (Hermansson, 2011).
A happy land without history where all the citizens are all mentally and morally in tune
brings about the failure o f Utopia, simply because man by nature is selfish and greedy. A
counter-point in literature known as Dystopia is thus created, because every man strives for
individualit y and unique power of his own; this element could be a major role in transforming
what was known as Utopia, into Dystopia. Briefly, Utopia is defined as a certain societ y that
ho lds idealist ic values in all parts of the way o f living; such is legislat ion, housing, educat ion,
and economy. As for Dystopia, it is similar to the Utopian world, but differs in the aspect of
government and hierarchy as classicis m and inequalit y leads always to its failure (Wells,
2011). With this Dystopian notion, Sara Gruen (1969) takes advantage o f this dystopia and
manifests it ideo logy in a microcosmic world of her own known as the Benzini Brothers Most
Spectacular Show on Earth.
The word Dystopia was first used by John Stuart Mill in 1868, an English Philosopher,
polit ical econo mist, and liberal thinker, when Mill denounced the governments Irish land
policy. Mill strongly objected on a parliamentary dispute about Ireland in which the
conservative governments proposal to build a Protestant Church, and keep the Catholic one
in order to please all sides. Thus, Mill (1868) makes his famous statement about this matter:
I may be permitted, as one who, in co mmo n with many of my betters, have been subjected to
the charge o f being Utopian, to congratulate the Government on having jo ined that goodly
company. It is perhaps, too complimentary to call them Utopians, they ought rather to be
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called dys-topians, or cacotopians. What is commonly called Utopian is so mething too good
to be practicable; but what they appear to favor is too bad to be practicable. (p.1517)
Fro m this meaning, one can allude to how it funct ions as an ideo logy applied to a certain
communit y. A co mmunit y that coexists with mankind in utter perfect ion is basically a drea m
world, what Mill alludes here is that with the existence of a Catho lic Church and a Protestant
one, the civil war will never cease. Harmo ny will coexist wit h the two fait hs as proven
already in history of the endless battles in England between the Protestants and the Catholics
to make a dominant religio n in the country. Catho licism ruled England, Ireland, and Scotland
for thousands of years, and was basically the main religio n throughout Europe. In the 1500s,
Catholics began to question the power of the pope, who led the Roman Catholic Church
(Bant ing, 2002, p.8). The question lies whether Ireland is any different? Between 1534 and
1537, King Henry VIII tried to force Ro man Catholics in Ireland to give up their religio n and
fo llo w Protestantism (Bant ing, 2002, p.8) One may allude that life does not function the
way people want it to be, for power corrupt, classicism, and mankinds selfishness would
bring about the downfall o f an attempt to perfect societ y.
The Canadian-American writer, Sara Gruen (1969), manifests Dystopia in various
aspects of her novel Water for Elephants (2006). The story revo lves around the protagonist,
Jacob Jankowski, whose penniless and ho meless situat ion led him to jo in the circus as a
veterinarian. His boss, known as August, is violent and everyone fears him wit h great
caution, even his young, beaut iful wife Marlena is frightened of his madness at times. Jacob
soon finds himself attracted, and then falls in lo ve with Marlena. However, when unraveling
the novel, many parts reflect the elements that create a Dystopian world, especially in it s
settings, characters, and main events. The characters and events of the novel go beyo nd the
mere readers perspect ive of a t ypical lo ve story developing in a magical place of the circus
into a visual drama of lively characters and impulsive behavior. In order to prove that a
Dystopia truly exists in the world o f the novel, the original at mosphere and how the
characters react to such an extraordinary place is analyzed through theoretical basis in detail
in this paper.
2. Review of the Related Literature
This study is co mpletely original. What has been dealt wit h, whether in the form o f books,
articles, and the like, is the cont inuous analysis and explanation of the growing concept of
Dystopia in literature. In dealing with Dystopia, most crit ics attempt to define the term and
give its historical origin, while explaining its functio nalit y. Michael D. Gorden, Helen Tilley,
and Gyan Prakash (2010) state that
Dystopia, utopias twentieth-century doppelganger, also has difficult y
escaping its literary fetters. Much like Utopia, dystopia has found fruit fu l
ground to blosso m in t he copious expanses o f science fiction, but it has also
flourished in po lit ical fict ion (and especially in ant i-Soviet fict ion), as
demonstrated by the ease wit h which the term is applied to George Orwells
1984, Evgenii Zamiat ins We, and Aldus Huxleys Brave New
WorldDystopiais a utopia gone wrong, or a utopia that funct ions only for
a particular segment of societ y. (p.1)
This definit io n simply defines the term Dystopia and does not tackle its various forms. A
Dystopian world can not only be seen in science fiction or polit ical fict ion, it can also be seen
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in a simple co mmunit y that strives for perfect ion. This small society can be a normal family
or a nation, as long as there is a group of people who need to escape their realit y and search
for a better place, this new societ y that they have jo ined is their new ho me in the shape o f
Dystopia. Other critics perceive Dystopia as critical Dystopia. Alexander Hall (2009)
explains that:
non-existent societ y described in considerable detail and normally lo cated in
time and space that the author intended a contemporaneous reader to view as
worse than contemporary societ ythe crit ical dys topia, according to Moylan,
carries out an intertextual intervention that denies the negat ion of the crit ica l
utopian mo ment. (p.2)
A twenty-first century reader can only imagine a contemporary Dystopia that exists in the
far future, yet that is not always true. A twenty-first century reader can look back in time wit h
non use o f science fict ion and simply look at a simple historical fict ion and discover a
Dystopian world embedded within. Its form may not seem so obvious at first, but its function
and shape is actually a mo ld of Dystopia in its subtlest way.
However, when looking at the novel on it s own, many crit ics wrote posit ive reviews on the
novel in co mmo n perspect ives. The New York Times journalist, Elizabeth Judd (2011) noted
that Water for Elephants
Circuses showcase human beings at their silliest and mo st sublime, and many
unlikely lit erary figures have been drawn to their glitzy pageantry, soaring
pretensions and metaphorical potential Unsurprisingly, writers seem
liberated by imagining a spectacle where no comparison ever seems inflated,
no development impossible. For better and for worse, Gruen has fallen under
the spell. Wit h a showman's expert timing, she saves a terrific revelat ion for
the final pages, transforming a glimpse o f Americana into an enchant ing
escapist fairy tale. (p.1)
Water for Elephants is not only an escapist novel in which characters escape their
unpleasant life into a better one, but also a novel that fits into the Dystopian genre; a genre in
the sense that the atmosphere, characters, and plot make up Dystopia. What can be seen by
these vivid characters and lively animals in the circus is the fict it ious development of a
societ y lo nging to be perfect through illusio n and misconcept ion. Hence, a Dystopian societ y
comes to life. In this study, this miniature society is dealt wit h through analysis o f the
Dystopian Hero, Jacob Jankowski, and through the conflict between social classes of the
novel; the performers and the workers. The novels ending proves even further this
hypothesis of relating the circus to Dystopia, for every imperfect and unbalanced societ y lays
its downfall. The outbreak of the revo lut ion at the end o f the story, and how it brought about
the downfall of the circus proves the very existence of Dystopia.
The Great Depressio n (1929 1941) caused a lot of suffering throughout America in the
aftermath of the Crash o f the stock market in 1929. Even though the American administration
tried to relieve the crises, there was widespread agony across the land, turning the American
dream into an American night mare. As a consequence of this, many writers wrote about it as
a fall fro m Utopia. Thus, fict ion witnessed the advent of a new genre known as Dystopia.
The idea of Utopia first became known in English Literature through Sir Tho mas Mores
Utopia (1516), a fict ional novel that deals with polit ical issues, where he is able to draw a
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perfect world wit h an ideal co mmunit y. The name Utopia is a co mpound Greek word
meaning literally no place or nowhere, (More, 1999, p.15) yet, the English ho mophone
euotpia derived fro m the Greek words and that mean good place, can imply a
who le different meaning to a godforsaken place. A person who first hears of utopia will get
the impressio n that it is an unattainable state because it is no where to be found, but when that
person understands the English meaning o f it which means a good place, then that person
would assume it is possible in existence. Wit h this ambiguous termino logy, More adapts
many literary and philosophical ideas fro m various sources to create perfection on an island
in the At lant ic ocean. The po lit ical hierarchy o f Mores novel is then based on recognized
merit and effort; the people of Utopia, the Syphogrants and Tranibores are elected annually,
and the princes, or first leaders, chosen fro m among those who are thought most meet and
expedient, serve for life unless put down for suspicio n o f t yranny (More, 1999, p.5)
Debate on public affairs, like the issue of crime and punishment, prevails amo ng the Utopians
in order to conduct their public issues by using democrat ic forms. The protagonist, Raphael,
tries to learn Utopias laws, behavior, and manners in the story, an outsider visit ing Utopia.
This hero sits quiet ly, listening and observing the Utopian life and dares not alter anything
because o f its perfect ion. Hence, there is no ownership o f a certain land or property, doors are
unlocked, and everyone works in taking care o f the land plant ing crops. Equalit y dominates
the island of 54 cit ies. This is relevant in terms of ident ifying Utopias counterpart, Dystopia,
and so it would beco me easier to dist inguish between the both when the Dystopian circus is
introduced.
However, the idea o f Utopia seemed too perfect to be true. Power or the need o f power
can always corrupt a man; moreover, as a human being, man is limited in various ways in
which help should be provided, and of course when one lacks practicalit y, then a ruler would
face higher risks by lo sing moral judgment. Man can try to idealize his world, but in the end,
it would fall apart. The old Utopias ignored that reproductive co mpet it ion amo ng
individualit ies which is the substance o f life, and dealt essentially wit h its incidentals
(Wells, 1908, p.82). A happy land wit hout history where all the cit izens are all mentally and
morally in tune, yet this so called harmo ny never seems to last, and inevitably bring about the
failure o f Utopia. This created a counter-point in literature known as Dystopia. As human
beings, every man strives for individualit y and unique power; this generates greed and
selfishness, and as a result Utopia is transformed into Dystopia.
The word Dystopia is originally a Greek word meaning bad or ill; (Gottlieb, 2001, p.5)
fro m this meaning, one can allude to how it functions as an ideo logy applied to a certain
communit y. Dystopia is usually associated with science fiction; a future of advanced
techno logy brings about the fall o f man kind. For example, the famous Ho llywood movie In
Time is set in the far future where time is o f the essence; people have t imers on their arms to
count how much t ime they have left; once it hits zero, the person dies suddenly. However, in
order to comprehend the actual sense of this ideology, various aspects should be explained.
First of all, for a themat ically more neutral definit io n of this bad place,dystopia [is
looked] as a social structure that is worse than the present social system (Gottlieb, 2001,
p.5). Dystopias rules force oppressio n over a societ y. Moreover, it portrays a repressive
societ y that fears change, techno logy, or the unexplainable. This societ y always tends to fear
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its great fall, hence individualit y is a given right to the ones in power, like the government,
and alienat ion is bound to its people. According to Niclass Hermansson (2011), the irony of
its pretentious democrat ic ways is found in the character of an acco mplished and a co mpetent
person who is suppressed or stigmat ized, considering him to be above others; intellectuals,
scho lars, and scient ists are thus considered to be a threat. In addit ion, the dystopian world
finds itself iso lated fro m nature; the people are alienated fro m all that is green, making a
person confide to darkness and indoor life in most of his or her life. However, so me
Dystopian societies are founded in t he natural world. The main focus is go ing to be on the
Dystopian Hero and how the at mosphere helped transform the weak, scared child, into a
strong fighter.
Generally, the background o f the story that depicts a Dystopian world takes place after a
crisis; for example, war, famine, or revolut ion in order to create a new government delegated
by the charismat ic people o f the remaining society. Usually t he people in power are shallo w
and fo llo w their own pleasures. Some are even brutal and cruel. Unlike utopia where the
rulers are just and caring for the well-being and comfort of their cit izens, the Dystopian rulers
are oppressors and dictators, using flawed laws that cause corruption in the societ y
(Hermansson, 2011, p.1). Because of this corruption, there is black marketing and bad goods
are sold. This often creates a revo lt from a group of oppressed people that spreads through the
who le co mmunit y and brings down the corrupted government. Mainly, the revo lt begins wit h
the protagonist, a Dystopian character who has lived the unjust cruelt y for years, and can no
lo nger stand the injust ice inflicted upon lower class people. Conflict is basically the main
issue in bringing about the first steps of change [towards a positive change]; the protagonist
usually trusts a group of people who m wit hho ld powerful posit ions in the government, but
later on back stabs the hero in the end (Hermansson, 2011, p.1) Thus, Dystopian literature
attains a climax o f revolut ion at all times, aspiring tragedy. However, the ending always takes
the Dystopian Heros favor and a new life is produced before the hero. Whether this new life
is good or bad one, it is so mething else than the life the hero had, usually, an indicat ion at the
end shows that the hero, who is finally freed from all authoritative constraints, is happy for
being finally able to create decisio ns o f ones own. Destroying Dystopia could eit her be
possible or impossible, in so me novels and short stories, and even science fict ion, the
Dystopian world is usually shaken up by the rise of the people and so metimes, they lo se their
case when opposing the powerful and corrupted rulers. The escape o f the protagonist is also a
sign o f triumph; in a sense this person is able to run away fro m an oppressive life and finally
live a normal life wit h a rather balanced power and rights divis io n. As a result, Dystopia is
but a mortal trial to establish an immortal state that rulers think is the best for their people,
but the means in which they conduct their state is unjust and wrong, and so Dystopia must be
destroyed at the end.
3. Research Methodology
This study is analyt ical in the sense of analyzing events and characters to elaborate how the
Dystopian world came to be. In short character development analysis and plot analysis are
used throughout the who le process. Moreover, the study is theoretical by applying the
attributes of Dystopia as a genre. The historical background of the Great Depression is used
in order to portray the becoming of Dystopia in the circus during the mid 1930s. Sarah Gruen
(1969) uses The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth as her refuge for her main
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hero, Jacob Jankawski, and who m the paper refers to as the Dystopian Hero. Moreover,
attributes of the genre, Dystopia, like the use of an actual historical calamit y to push people to
create a Dystopian societ y, the idea o f having a tragic hero who revo lts against a tyrant, are
applied to the novel in order to show how the Benzini Brothers Circus is a miniature society
of a corrupted hierarchy, disguised as a sanctuary for all those who are lost in the Depressio n.
By do ing so, the study adds to the definit io n o f Dystopia that it does not have to be set in the
far future in the world of science fict ion, but it can actually exist in a historical fict ion, and
take the same shape as it would in a world full o f robots or aliens.
4. The Importance of a Dystopian Hero in Sara Gruens Water for Elephants
Water for Elephants is set in two realms, a nursing ho me in the present times, and a circus
in the past. In order to justify how Dystopia came to being, a real life crisis should be
presented in the background. In the case of Water for Elephants, the crisis is related to the
Great Depression o f the 1930s in the United States of America. It is formally known that the
Great Depression expanded throughout the world. Amo ng those countries was Po land, fro m
which our main hero of the novel, Jacob Jankowski, co mes fro m. At the beginning o f the
novel, Jankowski is seen as an o ld man who is confused whether if he is ninet y or ninet ythree-years o ld, and would reminisce about the circus. He remembers the 1930s in Ithaca,
New York at Cornell Universit y, where he is in his final semester studying to be a
Veterinarian. Gruen subt ly pro jects the background informat ion of her novel in the first
chapter, hint ing the origin o f the Jankowski family. Zbigniew Landau and Jerzy
Tomaszewski state that the Great Depressio n brought a sudden fall in marriage-and birthrates, the result o f co mmo n pauperisat ion and anxiet y about setting up a family or having
more children (Landau, 1985, p.86) made various couples decide to bear only a child or two.
This reflected in the Jankowskies having an only child, Jacob. The Great Depressio n in
Poland also explains why so many Po les immigrated to America and to other countries before
the Depressio n, and why the number o f immigrants decreased after it. Many even returned to
Poland because they had lost their jo bs or couldnt find any. A characterist ic feature of
economic depressio n was that migratory movements diminished, especially those of people
seeking work abroadBetween 1930 and 1935 emigration fro m Poland totalled [sic] 448,000
people, whereas in the previous six years more than 900,000 Poles had emigrated. (Landau,
1985, p.86) Gruen uses this information and chooses to place the Jankowskies veterinarian
business in Ithaca to bankruptcy, and in order for Jacobs father to pay off Jacobs tuit ion fees
at Cornell Universit y, he had to mortgage the house. The Depressio n caused more misery for
the Jankowskies, as it forced many people to pay for veterinarian services with other things
than cash. This is all revealed to Jankowski, a young man in his twent ies, when he is
summo ned to the offices of Edmund Hyde, Esquire:
Apparent ly my father has been taking payment in the form o f beans and eggs
for nearly two years
Beans and eggs? My vo ice cracks in disbelief. Beans and eggs?
And chickens. And other goods.
I dont understand.
The co mmunit ys been hit right hard, and your father was trying to help
out. Couldnt stand by and watch animals suffer (Gruen, 2011, p.25).
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In this dialogue we discover how the situat ion was so difficult for Jacobs father to obtain
mo ney, and as a man of morals, he o ffered his services in exchange for things rather than
mo ney. Gruen delves further in showing how the Depressio n spread throughout Jankowskis
colleagues at universit y:
I even remember the ones who had to drop out after the Crash: Henry
Winchester, whose father stepped off the ledge of the Board of Trade Building
in Chicago. Alistair Barnes, whose father shot himself in the head. Reginald
Monty, who tried unsuccessfully to live in a car when his family could no
lo nger pay for his room and board. Bucky Hayes, whose unemplo yed father
simply wandered off (Gruen, 2011, p.29).
People had lost literally everything; their ho me, their property, and even their family. This
brought about the sense of loss in people and a need to belong so mewhere that is safe and
sustainable. Wit h the likes of so many lo st people during the Depressio n, the creat ion o f a
Dystopia is inevitable. Many people searched for a new hope, Jankowski searched for a
reason to live after the death o f his parents and the loss o f everyt hing he ever owned. He has
no one to turn too, and wit h only a few surviving relat ives in Po land, he finds himself
wandering aimlessly on train tracks. He loses all sense o f purpose and leaps into the nearest
train. Thus, Jankowski finds himself o n board a train o f the Benzini Brothers Most
Spectacular Show on Earth. A circus train, with a who le new way o f life beat ing inside of it
as one iso lated communit y, it heads towards various cit ies and towns in order to make a
decent living. In this environment, Dystopia is created, as it promises many others like
Jankowski for a warm meal and a place to stay. Shelter o ffered in a magical world creates a
feeling o f hope within its members, despite the fact that it is a miniature of the actual realit y;
it is able to proceed with promises and dreams for its residents, creating a false Utopia.
There are several elements in the life o f the circus that make up the Dystopian world;
therefore, each aspect of the circus is analyzed, such as classicis m, government, and the
workers. In the journey o f the main hero, who will be later on ident ified as the Dystopian
Hero, Jankowski is soon able to find so me work by helping out in various tasks around the
circus, and he is pleased to do something for the menagerie. At first when he watches the first
show, he is dazzled by it:
The big top still stands, glowing like a ghost ly coliseum and pulsing wit h the
sound of the band. I stare at it, entranced by the sound o f the audiences
reactions. They laugh, clap, and whist le. Sometimes theres a co llect ive intake
of breath or patter of nervous shrieks (Gruen, 2011, p.62).
Jankawski is greatly attracted by this world because it offered him a home again. It is also
a place o f wonder and illusion, which made him fo rget the troubles he was go ing through. He
later learns of the hidden segregat ion and corruption behind the smiles o f the performers and
workers. He finds out that the people who work at the circus are divided into two classes: The
working class, the workers, and the ruling class, the performers. Obviously, the working class
has lesser privileges, perks, and even space to bunk in the train. The segregat ion can be seen
even when they all gather for their meals at the cookhouse:
The sidewalls o f the cookhouse have been raised to allow for a draft, but it
divided down the center by a curtain. The tables on the side are graced wit h
red and white checked tablecloths, silverware, and vases of flo wers. This
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seems wildly out of sync with the line o f filthy men snaking behind the steam
tablesThe tables in the other half are set end to end, their bare wood graced
only wit h salt and pepper shakers. No flowers here (Gruen, 2011, p.43-44)
At the beginning, Jankowski is treated as a plain worker. A kind o ld man named Camel,
allows him to stay on the train and finds him so me work. This creates an opportunit y for him
to meet with Uncle Al. Uncle Al and August Rosenbluth are two powerful ringleaders. After
hearing that he was studying at Cornell Universit y as a Veterinarian, they appo int him as the
circus veterinarian:
So you missed the exams. Big deal.
It is a big deal.
No it isnt. Its just a piece of paper, and nobody here gives a damn about
that. Youre on a show now. The rules are different. (Gruen, 2011, p.130)
In this dialogue, August Rosenbluth (one of the ringleaders) and Jankawski are discussing
the importance of educat ion. Rosenbluth believes that in the life o f the circus, a degree does
not matter at all, what matters most is a mans contribut ion to his work. This brings about the
sense o f securit y for Jankowski, and so he simply does what he is ordered to do, and mingles
with the rest of the workers and so me of the performers. At first he shares quarters with
Camel in a cold corner of the train, next to piles of hey. Later on, when Rosenbluth takes
interest in him, he upgrades his sleeping quarters and bunks him wit h a well-known
performer, a dwarf called Walter, known as Kinko in the realm of the circus. Gruen portrays
segregation o f each class by pro ject ing the litt le matters like places to sit in the Cook House,
or where to sleep in certain quarters. The performers are treated with delicate care and
attention, whereas the workers are treated with indifference and demeaning ways:
Performers emerge fro m sleepers closer to the back of the train and of
obviously better qualit y. Theres a clear hierarchy: the closer to the back, the
more impressive the quarters. Uncle Al himself climbs fro m a car right in front
of the caboose. I cant help but notice that Kinko and I are the human
occupants closest to the engine (Gruen, 2011, p.90)
This shows the performers advantage over the workers:
The odor of unwashed bodies and clothes is overwhelming. The bunks,
stacked three high, hold at least one and so met imes two men, as do the spaces
beneath them. The fellow wedged in the floor space across me punches a thin
grey blanket, trying in vain to form a pillow (Gruen, 2011, p.68).
In retrospect, this reveals the crit ical po int of Dystopia; segregat ion. Moreover, the
workers come together and speak in a vernacular language which dist inguishes them fro m the
sophist icated performers; codes are used to refer to the upper class are used in order to protect
themselves. Jankowski, tries to mingle wit h the working class, and finds it important to learn
their vernacular to be accepted as one of them. Mocked and scorned, Camel is the only
person who helps and teaches Jankowski their vernacular. Amo ng the words he teaches are
kinkers, which is code for performers, the First of May, which means welco me the new
worker, and Hey Rube, which means a fight between the performers and the workers. Yet,
Jankowski can not truly mingle wit h the workers because of his personal social status as
being part of the educated rank, he is then taken under Rosenbluths wing and assigned to
take care of a horse named Silver Star, the shows leading act. Silver Star is deeply infected
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between the hoof and the co ffin bone, forcing Jankowski to put him down. This incident
brings him clo ser to Marlena LArche, Rosenbluths wife. He finds himself attracted to her
simplicit y and kind hearted soul towards people and animals, despite her high status as the
number one performer. Consequently, a Dystopian Hero emerges; Jankowski is seen to fit the
profile o f being one. A modern Dystopian Hero is more likely to be also known as a
Vonnegut hero; a term referring to Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922 2007), a Twent ieth century
American Writer, who wrote several dystopian novels. Major themes in his novels are related
to alienat ion and class segregat ion. Thus, Jankawski is a hero who actually sees the injust ices
of the ruling class and wills for a change or destruction of the system. Robinson Wells, the
author of the upco ming YA Dystopian novel Varient, defines the Dystopian Hero as the lens
through which we see that setting. Whether the protagonist init ially understands the societal
problemsor doesntthe readers still learn through the main character. (Wells, 2011, p.1)
As Jankowski delves further into this wonderland, he starts to see realit y; workers working as
slaves under harsh circumstances, animals are forced into tight and small co mpartments, and
performers act out their allegiance to the ringleader, but are true hypocrites in every sense o f
the word. This contradicts the illusio n o f bedazzlement and fair treatment to all; Rosenbluth
clarifies this point in his conversat ion wit h Jankowski:
No. Its nowhere near. Its probably not even the fift ieth most spectacular
show on earth. We ho ld maybe a third o f the capacit y Ringling does. You
already know that Marlenas not Romania royalt y. And Lucinda? Nowehere
near eight hundred and eight y-five pounds. Four hundred, tops. And do you
really think Frank Otto got tattooed by angry headhunters in Borneo? Hell no.
He used to be a stake driver on the Flying Squadron. He worked on that ink
for nine years. And you want to know what Uncle Al did when the hippo died?
He swapped out her water for formaldehyde and kept on showing her. For two
weeks we traveled wit h a pickled hippo. The who le things illusio n, Jacob, and
theres nothing wrong with that. Its what people want fro m us. Its what they
expect (Gruen, 2011, p.131).
The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth is a Dystopia o f illusio n. It also
creates iso lat ion for the workers, making them feel that they have to work twice as hard in
order to get a decent pay. Uncle Al would even feed them less just like the animals to achieve
his goals:
Where to? I ask.
Into town, for breakfast, he says. Doubt theres any food here. Probably
wont be unt il tomorrow.
Jesus really?
Well, well try, but we hardly gave the advance man t ime to get here, did
we?
What about them?
Who?
I point at the defunct circus.
Them? When they get hungry enough theyll mope off. Best thing for
everyo ne, really.
And our guys?
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Oh, them. Theyll survive unt il so mething shows up. Dont you worry. Al
wont let them die. (Gruen, 2011, p.145 - 146).
The irony in Rosenbluths behavior in being close to Jankowski, and acting as a friend
rather than a foe turns into a warning sign for Jankowski. The more Jankowski learns about
the true character of Rosenbluth, the more he discovers the demented ways Rosenbluth is
capable o f do ing in order to enforce power. Jankowski is trying to comprehend everyt hing
that is go ing on around him, and studies Rosenbluths character carefully, especially after
Rosenbluth tries to kill him for giving orders in his place. Rosenbluth forces Jankowski to
feed a lio n called Rex, and ends up bit ing Jankowskis arm instead. Jankowski was lucky
enough that Rex has no teeth, and only gave him surface wounds. Moreover, Jankowski
notices the way Rosenbluth treats his wife Marlena. At times he would treat her in refined
gent leman-like manners, at other times he would turn aggressive and lose control. Upon
seeing this, Jankowski could actually understand Marlenas unhappiness wit h her husband,
and feels the obligat ion to protect her. He, on the one hand, realizes the circumstances he is
in, but still has no strength to leave or change it, thinking that the world beyo nd the circus has
been swallowed who le by the Depressio n. There will no longer be a ho me wait ing for him,
nor a veterinarian pract ice to go back to. This brings about the feeling of being trapped. The
protagonist is learning more about the problems of their situat ionboth physically and
socially. Their physical iso lat ion co mes in the form o f constant surveillance and inabilit y to
speak freely or act freely (Wells, 2011, p.1). This is why Jankowski finds it hard to project
his own thoughts when Rosenbluths eyes are sharply set on him and Marlena.
Dystopian protagonists are often ideo logical than pract ical, and are willing to take huge
risks to do the right thing for him or his people. Wells states that all Dystopian characters are
basically rebels when they decide to take an action, whether it is to attempt a revo lut ion, or
disseminate informat ion or simply escape, they understand that the consequences are very
dire (Wells, 2011, p.1). The image of a rebellious Jankowski appears when he faces a lifethreatening cho ice; to runaway wit h Marlena and the circus. Apparently, Rosenbluths fear o f
losing Marlena to another man makes him an obsessed, and is constant ly jealous o f
Jankowski. Through vio lent behavior, he then brings out his rage by accusing Marlena and
Jankowski falsely of having an affair. This act brings out his paranoid schizophrenic side and
ends up fight ing and hitt ing them both on false grounds. The realizat ion of direct harm co mes
as Dystopias climax:
The first time it happened wed only been married three weeks, and it scared
me to death. He beat one of the menagerie workers so badly he lost an eye. I
saw him do it. I called my parents and asked if I could co me ho me, but they
wouldnt even speak to me. It was bad enough that Id married a Jew, but now
I wanted a divorce as well? My father made mother tell me that in his eyes I
had died the day I elopedThree weeks later, another menagerie man lost his
arm while helping August feed the cats. He died of blood loss before anyo ne
could find out the details. Later in the season I found out that the only reason
August had a string o f libert y horses to give me was that the previous trainer
another woman jumped from the moving train after jo ining August for an
evening in his stateroom. There have been other incidents, too, although this is
the first time hes turned on me (Gruen, 2011, 338 339).
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Marlena explains her fear of Resenbluth to Jankowski in tears and sorrow. She realizes
that Rosenbluth is not the man she thought he was, and has been trying to escape her
marriage ever since. Wit h this revelat ion, they both plan their escape, but they are deeply
invo lved and know too much about the ringleaders corrupted ways, especially Rosenbluths.
This triggers certain chain react ions that happen immediately right after their knowledge of
the truth. Dystopia soon tumbles towards its downfall.
The fo llowing events twists into chaos; Jankowski could not leave Camel alo ne after
being paralyzed fro m drinking too much; he has to ensure that Camel reaches the town
Providence safely to deliver him to his son. Marlena falls in lo ve wit h Jankowski during these
rigid t imes, and decides to run away wit h him and start a new life away fro m the circus.
Walter helps Jankowski, Camel, and Marlena to run away once they hit Providence.
Rosenbluth is lost without Marlena, who no longer sleeps wit h him in the same car, and
mo ves up to the Virgin Car with the other women. Uncle Al is furious by the show not being
able to go on without Marlena or Rosenbluth performing their best act. At first, Jankowski
tries to soften Uncle Al by making him think that Marlena is just angry wit h Rosenbluth and
will go back to him, and all she needs is a bit of time to come around. This is, however, part
of the plan to stall t ime and reach Providence with Marlena out of harms way. Jankowskis
huge risk is to free her fro m the clutches o f Uncle Al and his men, as well as Rosenbluths,
and ensure Camels safet y. Furthermore, find a new place to settle down with Marlena in
world swallowed by the great Depressio n. What brings about the downfall o f Dystopia is
when Rosenbluth sends out his men to kill Jankowski and get rid o f Walter and Camel by
red-light ing (circus term for throwing people off a moving train) them. Jankowski is able to
get away, but Walter and Camel could not:
They got tossed over the trestle, all o f them. Camels head hit the rocks. He
died right away. Walters legs were smashed up bad. They had to leave him.
He swallo ws and adds, They dont reckon he lasted the night (Gruen, 2011,
p. 383) .
The injust ice could not be tolerated anymore by the working class, especially when many
of their friends were tossed out of the train alive like ragged do lls. Because o f Jankowskis
strength to stand against Rosenbluth, and protect Marlena, he actually sent a subliminal
message to his fellow mates that injust ice must pay its toll. Hence, a revo lt began between the
workers who were thrown out. They opened the cages of the menagerie during one of its
performances and ruined the who le show. Jankowski on the other hand was consumed wit h
the fact of rescuing Marlena fro m the stampede and more likely fro m Rosenbluth. It turns out
that Rosie, the elephant, has a vendeta of her own on Rosenbluth. Rosenbluth hit her real hard
with a hook without mercy, and now amidst the stampede of running people and loose
animals, Rosie did the unthinkable:
Rosie stretches out her trunk, reaching for so methingRosie has pulled her
stake from the ground. She ho lds it loosely, rest ing its end on the hard dirt.
The chain is st ill attached to her foot. She looks at me wit h bemused eyes.
Then her gaze shifts to the back o f Augusts bare headShe lifts the stake as
though it weighs nothing and splits his head in a single clean movement
ponk like a cracking hardbo iled egg. She continues to hold the stake unt il he
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topples forward, and then she slides it almost lazily back into the earth (Gruen,
2011, p.386-387).
Rosenbluth lies dead on the floor, and the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on
Earth comes to its end. Alt hough Rosie has taken matters into her own hands, she would
never have done it without the love and affect ion fro m Jankowski and Marlena throughout
the training sessio ns and constant performances. Jankowskis care and good treatment
towards Rosie made it impossible for the elephant to live any lo nger with Rosenbluths
cruelt y.
In the end, Dystopia seizes to exist, the illusio n is broken, and realit y is back to its true
form. Jankowski, a hero of all means, has tested his moral co mpass and self worth, and
discovers the bond he feels wit h the animals alo ng with Marlena. His ideas and co mpassio n
stirred the wounds o f the ones who faced injust ice and managed to stand up for themselves.
Jankowski ma y have started out fight ing for his true love, but ended up lighting the path for
others to find their way to freedo m, just ice, and realit y. By this, Dystopia in the circus is
foreover ruined, and it takes a Dystopian Hero to accomplish such a task.
5. Conclusion
Water for Elephants has truly captured the Dystopian world by creat ing a circus, and
bringing into light imperfect ions of human nature to prove that Utopia is just a segment of
ones imaginat ion. Wit h the will o f a Dystopian Hero, the flaws o f Dystopia co me to light,
and the readers are invoked to think upon what might have happened if Jankowski did not
rebel against the social norm, and just simply accepted matters as they were; injust ice,
cruelt y, and a dysfunct ional societ y would truly prevail without a doubt. Therefore, it is vita l
to have a Dystopian Hero found in every Dystopia to bring about this worlds downfall.
About the Author:
Bassmah Bassam Khaled AlTaher is a Ph.D. student in English Literature at the Department
of English, School of Languages, the Universit y of Jordan. She current ly works as a lecturer
in English with the German-Jordanian Universit y in Amman, Jordan. Literature is her main
focus in the academic field; therefore, scho larly research and educat ion is an aim she seeks to
gain through teaching and research. The modern novel and cinematography are her main
interests in the areas of research as these genres contribute to the fields o f ident it y,
transculturation, neo-racism, feminis m, and the struggle between classes.
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Ottawa: McGill-Queens UP.
Gruen, Sara (2011). Water for Elephants. London: Two Roads.
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International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies ISSN: 2308-5460