Jacob Jankowski tells his story through his eyes as an older adult in the book Water for Elephants. Jacob went through a very difficult time in his life in a matter of months, which changed his life in many ways. Jacob loses his parents after finishing college, and because of this, he stumbles upon a circus while jumping on a train. Jacob's life went from completely perfect to upside down in the span of 24 hours. Jacob is given the position of circus veterinarian, but must work hard to earn it. During his stay at the circus, Jacob is pushed around, mocked, but above all, he falls in love. Marlena becomes Jacob's focus for the duration of his stay at the circus, however, Marlena is married to August, a man who is the head of the circus. Jacob and Marlena, however, share a common interest, Rosie. Rosie is the adorable elephant mentioned throughout the book who is very loyal to Jacob and Marlena. Needless to say, Jacob experienced many ups and downs throughout his life, and his children should take the time to listen to his advice and learn the importance of a life....