Uncle Al Character Analysis

Character Overview

Uncle Al, whose real name is Alan J. Bunkel, is the ruthless owner and ringmaster of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, and one of Water for Elephants' primary antagonists. To the public, he projects the image of a charismatic showman, but behind the scenes, he is a greedy and manipulative businessman who embodies the harsh realities of survival during the Great Depression. His relentless ambition to elevate his circus leads him to exploit his employees and animals without remorse.

Physical Appearance

Jacob Jankowski first encounters Uncle Al in his full ringmaster regalia, a performance of authority:

"He has ringmaster written all over him, from the scarlet coat and white jodhpurs to the top hat and waxed curled moustache. He strides across the lot like the leader of a marching band, ample belly thrust forward and issuing orders in a booming voice."

His "ample belly" hints at a man who prospers while his workers starve, and his grand attire is a facade, masking the grim reality of life in his circus.

Personality & Traits

Uncle Al is a complex mix of ambition, cruelty, and showmanship. He is driven by a desire for status and control, willing to exploit anyone to achieve his goals.

Opportunistic: Al is a master of capitalizing on misfortune. He built his circus by scavenging the remains of failed shows during the Depression. He acquired the Benzini Brothers name and train cars for next to nothing after the original show went bankrupt.
Ruthless: He views his workers as disposable commodities, withholding pay, providing meager food, and "redlighting" anyone who becomes a liability by throwing them from a moving train. This practice, which ultimately costs Camel his life, highlights his cruelty.
Manipulative Showman: He can be charming and jovial when dealing with city officials or whipping up a crowd. His elaborate, tear-filled funeral procession for the Lovely Lucinda turns a loss into a sold-out show by playing on the emotions of the townspeople, highlighting the theme of Illusion vs. Reality.
Status-Obsessed: Al's driving ambition is to be seen as a legitimate circus owner like John Ringling. He hires Jacob primarily because having a "Cornell-educated veterinarian" adds prestige, and he sinks the circus into debt to purchase Rosie the elephant, a key status symbol.
Volatile: Beneath the showman's facade is a man with a violent and unpredictable temper. When Jacob first mentions that the circus doesn't have an elephant, Al explodes in a fit of rage, smashing his brandy snifter under his foot.

Character Journey

Uncle Al remains a static character throughout the novel, his motivations of greed, status, and control never wavering. As the circus's financial situation worsens, his methods become more desperate and his cruelty more pronounced, escalating from withholding pay to ordering the redlighting of multiple men. His refusal to change ultimately leads to his demise, murdered by the very men he exploited, a fitting end that underscores the consequences of his tyranny.

Key Relationships

August Rosenbluth: Al and August have a symbiotic but contentious relationship. Al depends on August's talent as an equestrian director but is wary of his instability. He enables August's behavior when it suits him but is quick to assert his authority, seeing August as a tool to further his ambitions.

Jacob Jankowski: Al initially dismisses Jacob as a "college boy" but hires him to bolster the circus's image. He views Jacob as a pawn, first to care for the animals and later to manipulate Marlena Rosenbluth. In their final confrontation, Al threatens Jacob's friends to force him into compliance, revealing his manipulative nature.

Marlena Rosenbluth: He values Marlena as his star performer and a beautiful centerpiece for the show. He can be superficially kind to her, but his primary concern is her value as an asset. He is willing to force her back into an abusive marriage with August simply because it is better for "business," demonstrating a complete lack of genuine concern for her well-being.

The Working Men: Al holds his laborers in utter contempt, underpaying, starving, and discarding them without a second thought. This relationship, built entirely on exploitation and fear, is his ultimate undoing, as the rebellion of the redlighted men leads to the stampede and his own violent death.

Defining Moments

The Brandy Snifter Incident: After Jacob mentions the Ringling circus's elephants, Al explodes in a violent rage, smashing his glass. This reveals his deep-seated insecurity and violent temper, triggered by the reminder of his show's deficiencies.
Lucinda's Funeral: Al stages a grand funeral procession through town, complete with a tearful speech, masterfully turning the tragedy into a marketing ploy and resulting in a sold-out show. This scene is the pinnacle of his manipulative showmanship.
The Purchase of Rosie: Driven by his desire to compete with Ringling, Al spends a fortune on Rosie, an elephant who turns out to be seemingly untrainable. This reckless financial decision puts immense strain on the circus and leads to increased pressure and cruelty toward his workers.
Threatening Jacob: Al leverages his knowledge of Jacob hiding Camel and Walter to blackmail him into manipulating Marlena, making it clear that he will sacrifice anyone for the "good of the rest of us," cementing his role as a ruthless tyrant.
His Death: During the chaos of the stampede, Uncle Al is found murdered, his neck garroted. His death is an act of vengeance by the workers he abused, a direct and final consequence of his reign of terror.

Essential Quotes

"The show is a well-oiled machine, and only the toughest make it. But then you wouldn't know anything about tough, would you, Mr. College Boy?"

This quote encapsulates Al's dismissive attitude toward Jacob and his belief in the brutal Darwinism of the circus world. He sees Jacob as soft and naive, unfit for the harsh realities of his show.

"We are in the big leagues now. A show to be reckoned with."

— After purchasing Rosie

This quote reveals Al's driving ambition to elevate his circus to the level of Ringling Brothers. He sees Rosie as a status symbol that will legitimize his show, even if it means plunging the circus into debt.

"Because, after all, as our dearest Lucinda knew only too well ... the show must go on!"

— During his manipulative funeral speech for the fat lady

This quote exemplifies Al's manipulative showmanship and his willingness to exploit tragedy for profit. He uses Lucinda's death to stir up emotions and sell tickets, demonstrating his complete lack of empathy.

"The people on this show are my family. I care deeply about each and every one of them. But what I understand and you apparently do not as yet is that sometimes an individual has to make a sacrifice for the good of the rest of us. Do we understand each other?"

— Threatening Jacob to force his cooperation

This quote reveals the twisted logic that Al uses to justify his cruelty. He claims to care about his "family" but is willing to sacrifice individuals for the perceived greater good of the show, highlighting his ruthlessness.

Uncle Al