The characters of Water for Elephants inhabit the dazzling yet brutal world of a 1930s traveling circus, each striving for survival and a sense of belonging. From the lost and searching to the charismatic and cruel, their interactions drive the novel's central conflicts, exploring themes of love, compassion versus cruelty, and the stark contrast between illusion and reality.
Main Characters
Jacob Jankowski
Jacob is the protagonist and narrator, recounting his experiences as a young man with the Benzini Brothers circus from his perspective as a ninety-something-year-old man in a nursing home. Intelligent, compassionate, and principled, young Jacob is initially naive but quickly learns about the harsh realities of circus life. His forbidden love for Marlena is the central relationship of the novel, and he forms a deep, protective bond with the elephant Rosie. As an old man, Jacob is cantankerous and proud, fighting against the loss of dignity that comes with aging.
Marlena Rosenbluth
Marlena is the beautiful and talented star performer of the circus and the object of Jacob's affection. Graceful, kind, and resilient, she has a deep love and intuitive connection with her animals, especially her horses and Rosie. Though she appears poised and confident in the ring, she is trapped in a complex and abusive marriage to August, finding solace in her work with the animals. Her relationship with Jacob evolves from a secret friendship into a profound, life-altering love, forcing her to confront her fears and make a desperate choice between survival and love.
August Rosenbluth
As the equestrian director and Marlena's husband, August is the primary antagonist, a man of immense power and charisma within the circus. However, this charm masks a violent, paranoid, and cruel nature. He is possessively in love with his wife, but this love manifests as control and brutal abuse. His paranoia and jealousy escalate as Jacob and Marlena grow closer, leading to increasingly brutal acts that culminate in the story's violent climax.
Uncle Al
As the owner of the Benzini Brothers circus, Uncle Al is a secondary antagonist, a ruthless businessman who prioritizes profit above all else, including the well-being of his workers and animals. Greedy, manipulative, and callous, he is a master of illusion, not just in the ring but in his business practices, cutting corners and exploiting his workers. He views his performers and workers as disposable commodities, creating an atmosphere of desperation and resentment that ultimately leads to the show's catastrophic downfall.
Supporting Characters
Rosie
Rosie is the fifty-three-year-old elephant purchased by Uncle Al to be the circus's salvation, acting as a mirror for the characters' capacity for cruelty or compassion. Initially thought to be stupid, Jacob discovers she only understands Polish. She forms an immediate and powerful bond with Jacob and Marlena, who treat her with kindness, while she is the primary victim of August's brutal training methods.
Camel
Camel is a kind, arthritic old circus worker who is the first person to befriend Jacob on the train, representing the forgotten and disposable members of the circus underclass. He is physically crippled and relies on alcohol and "jake" to cope with his pain, serving as Jacob's initial guide to the harsh realities of circus life. After drinking a contaminated batch of jake, he develops "jake leg," a form of paralysis, highlighting the extreme cruelty of the circus world.
Walter (Kinko)
A dwarf who performs as a clown, Walter (known professionally as Kinko) is Jacob's unwilling bunkmate and eventual loyal friend. Prickly and cynical on the surface, he is ultimately loyal, intelligent, and resourceful. He forms a grudging but deep friendship with Jacob, becoming a co-conspirator in protecting Camel.
Barbara
Barbara is the star of the "cooch" (striptease) tent, presented as a hardened professional but showing moments of kindness and camaraderie, particularly toward Marlena after her injury. She is a part of the performers' social circle and offers Jacob his first, albeit disastrous, sexual encounter.
Minor Characters
- Blackie: A brutal and feared circus worker whose primary job is to enforce Uncle Al's rules, most notably by "redlighting" men who have become a liability.
- Earl: A massive, tattooed man who works as security for Uncle Al, showing a surprising capacity for kindness, especially toward Camel.
- Grady: A working man who befriends Jacob and warns him of the impending disaster, revealing that the disgruntled workers plan to take down the circus.
- Rosemary: A compassionate and perceptive nurse at the nursing home where the elderly Jacob lives, treating him with dignity and respect.
- Joseph McGuinty: A fellow resident at Jacob's nursing home whose false claim of having "carried water for the elephants" infuriates Jacob and serves as the catalyst for him to begin recounting his past.
Character Relationships
The relationships in the novel are a complex web of love, loyalty, abuse, and exploitation.
- The Love Triangle:
- August (Husband) ⟷ Marlena (Wife): An abusive, controlling, and volatile relationship.
- Marlena (Lover) ⟷ Jacob (Lover): A forbidden, passionate, and compassionate relationship.
- August (Rival) ⟷ Jacob (Rival): An antagonistic relationship fueled by jealousy and conflicting moral codes.
- Friendships and Alliances:
- Jacob ⟷ Camel & Walter (Kinko): A bond of outsiders who form a makeshift family to protect one another from the brutality of their world.
- Jacob & Marlena ⟷ Rosie: A shared bond of compassion and understanding, standing in stark contrast to August's cruelty.
- Hierarchy and Power:
- Uncle Al (Owner) → August (Boss) → Jacob (Valued Worker) → Walter (Performer) → Camel (Working Man): A rigid hierarchy where those at the top exploit those at the bottom, wielding power through money, intimidation, and violence.