Topics

NAME:
Self-explanatory.

Character Information
Jacob Jankowski

SEX:
Either male or female.

Male

SPECIES:
The species of your
character.
AGE:
The age of the
character. The
numerical age,
numerical age range or
an age range.
APPEARANCE:
Hair colour, eye colour,
height, weight,
clothing, etc.

Human

ALIGNMENT:
Good/Evil/Neutral/Unkn
own, etc.
OCCUPATION:
Your characters job.
EQUIPMENT:
List any equipment or
items that your
character has or uses.
PERSONALITY:
Describe the
personality of your
character; how they
think and act.

23/93.
(The book changes back
and forth from Jacob at
age 23 and at age 93).
Jacob is tall, red haired
and young. His clothing
includes a tuxedo and his
working clothes (shirt and
pants).
Jacob is a good character.
Veterinarian at the
Benzini Brothers Circus
Jacob has a gold pocket
watch that belonged to
his father.
At age 23 Jacob is smart,
skilled, hopeful and
caring. He is largely
protective and is a great
friend.

HISTORY/ABOUT
Tell events of the
characters past and
other information about
them.

ROLE IN TEXT:
Explain why the
character is present in
the story.

Jacob was raised by both

of his parents, who in the
beginning of the novel,
die in a car crash. At this
point Jacob is studying his
final year of veterinarian
school and doesn't
complete his final exams.
Distraught and broke,
Jacob jumps abroad the
Benzini Brothers circus
where his adventure
begins.
Jacob also played football
and helped his father at
his veterinarian hospital.
Jacob Janowski is the main
character in Water for
Elephants and it is told
from his perspective. He
is 93 years of age and
living in a nursing home
when a circus comes to
town. This causes him to
relive his past circus life
where he began and
worked at Benzini
Brothers circus. The story
switches back and forth
between Jacob at 93 and
his memories at age 23.
At 23, Jacobs life
completely changes when
his parents die and he
jumps aboard the circus
train. Jacob is present in
the novel because he is

the main character and

because he was once a
part of a circus during the
1930s.

Topics
NAME:
Self-explanatory.

Character Information
Marlena Rosenbluth b.
LArche.

SEX:
Either male or female.

Female.

SPECIES:
The species of your
character.
AGE:
The age of the
character. The
numerical age,
numerical age range or
an age range.
APPEARANCE:
Hair colour, eye colour,
height, weight,
clothing, etc.

Human.

ALIGNMENT:
Good/Evil/Neutral/Unkn
own, etc.
OCCUPATION:
Your characters job.

She is aged in the range

of 20s-30s.

Marlena has/is:
- Pale skin
- Blue eyes
- Blonde/light brown
hair
- Freckles across her
nose
- Short in height.
Her clothing includes an
elegant satin dress and
her performance
costume; a pink sequined
outfit.
Marlena is a good
character.
Circus performer at the
Benzini Brothers circus.
She performs with 6 white
and 6 black Arabian
horses and eventually
with Rosie the elephant.

EQUIPMENT:
List any equipment or
items that your
character has or uses.

Equipment Marlena uses

includes her whip that she
uses during performances
and the headpiece she
sews for Rosie.
PERSONALITY:
Marlena is kind, sweet,
Describe the
loving and bubbly. She
personality of your
has a bright and positive
character; how they
personality however she
think and act.
is cautious and protective
as well.
HISTORY/ABOUT
Marlena is married to
Tell events of the
August Rosenbluth. They
characters past and
were married when she
other information about was seventeen years old
them.
after the circus came to
her town. Marlena is
Catholic and her family
disowned her when she
married August due to his
religion.
ROLE IN TEXT:
Marlenas role in the text
Explain why the
is to help Jacob fit in and
character is present in
find his way around the
the story.
circus. She also teaches
him to be cautious of
August. Marlena knows
how to deal with Augusts
problem and can help him
control it. Marlena is in
this text as she is an
important part of the
circus acts and is also
incredibly important in
Jacobs life.

Topics
NAME:
Self explanatory.

Character Information
August Rosenbluth.

SEX:
Either male or female.

Male.

SPECIES:
The species of your
character.
AGE:
The age of the
character. The
numerical age,
numerical age range or
an age range.
APPEARANCE:
Hair colour, eye colour,
height, weight,
clothing, etc.

Human.

ALIGNMENT:
Good/Evil/Neutral/Unkn
own, etc.
OCCUPATION:
Your characters job.

EQUIPMENT:
List any equipment or
items that your
character has or uses.

He is aged in the 30s-40s

range.

August is reasonably tall,

has dark hair, a chiseled
face and a small
moustache. His clothing
includes a tuxedo,
performance suit with a
top hat and everyday
working clothes.
August isnt evil but he is
a bad, unfriendly
character.
August is the Equestrian
Director and
Superintendent of
Animals at the Benzini
Brothers circus.
August regularly smokes
cigars and also uses a bull
hook to attempt to control
and harm Rosie.

PERSONALITY:
Describe the
personality of your
character; how they
think and act.

August has paranoid

schizophrenia, which
causes him to have
random angry outburst,
and mood swings.
He is mischievous, short
tempered and gets
jealous easily.
HISTORY/ABOUT
August has been with the
Tell events of the
circus for a long time. He
characters past and
is married to Marlena and
other information about has been since she was
them.
seventeen. He loves her
greatly and would do
anything to keep her.
When he gets angry or is
in a bad mood he will take
it out on anyone who
crosses his path including
animals.
ROLE IN TEXT:
Augusts role in the text is
Explain why the
as Jacobs boss and a
character is present in
difficult character that
the story.
Jacob must deal with.
August is one of the more
important people in the
circus and his role is to
make sure all animals are
controlled and kept well.

Topics
NAME:
Self explanatory.

Character Information
Rosie

SEX:
Either male or female.

Female

SPECIES:
The species of your
character.
AGE:
The age of the
character. The
numerical age,
numerical age range or
an age range.
APPEARANCE:
Hair colour, eye colour,
height, weight,
clothing, etc.

Elephant

ALIGNMENT:
Good/Evil/Neutral/Unkn
own, etc.
OCCUPATION:
Your characters job.

Unknown age. Possibly

middle aged.

Rosie is/has:
- Approximately 10
feet tall at her
shoulder.
- Cracked, mottled
grey skin.
- Smooth ears.
- Amber coloured eyes.
- Long eyelashes.
- A long trunk.
Rosie also has a pink
sequined headpiece made
by Marlena that she wears
during her performances.
Good however she is
rather cheeky.
Rosie is a performance
elephant that belongs to
the Benzini Brothers
circus.

EQUIPMENT:
List any equipment or
items that your
character has or uses.
PERSONALITY:
Describe the
personality of your
character; how they
think and act.
HISTORY/ABOUT
Tell events of the
characters past and
other information about
them.

ROLE IN TEXT:
Explain why the
character is present in
the story.

People use a bull hook in

attempt to control Rosie.
Rosie is sweet, cheeky,
intelligent and protective.
She likes to entertain
crowds and loves all
different sorts of food.
Before Rosie belonged to
the Benzini Brothers she
was a part of the Fox
Brothers circus. The Fox
Brothers bought her from
a city after the Polish
elephant tramp/man that
owned her died. When the
Benzini Brothers bought
her they were told she
was incredibly dumb and
useless. However, Rosie
only understood and
obeyed Polish so she was
unable to be controlled by
speaking English. This is
why she was thought to
be dumb, as the Fox
Brothers had no idea
about the language
barrier.
Rosie loves lemonade and
alcohol, especially gin and
ginger ale.
Rosies role in the text is
the next biggest act for
the circus. She brings
excitement and hope to

the circus and all of its

workers. She helps the
circus continue and also
becomes a good friend of
Jacobs. Jacob loves her
and she protects him and
Marlena.

Topics
NAME:
Self explanatory.

Character Information
Walter aka Kinko.

SEX:
Either male or female.

Male.

SPECIES:
The species of your
character.
AGE:
The age of the
character. The
numerical age,
numerical age range or
an age range.
APPEARANCE:
Hair colour, eye colour,
height, weight,
clothing, etc.

Human.

ALIGNMENT:
Good/Evil/Neutral/Unkn
own, etc.
OCCUPATION:
Your characters job.
EQUIPMENT:
List any equipment or
items that your
character has or uses.
PERSONALITY:
Describe the
personality of your
character; how they
think and act.

Young, around Jacobs

age.

Walter is short in size as

he has dwarfism. He also
has red hair that sticks up
and many freckles on his
arms, legs and face.
Walter is a good
character.
He is a performer at the
Benzini Brothers circus.
He performs as a clown.
Walter has many books in
the bunker that he sleeps
in. He also has a Jack
Russell terrier named
Queenie.
When Jacob first meets
Walter he is rude, nasty
and grumpy. After getting
to know each other a bit
more he becomes a good
friend, reliable and even

reasonably kind.
HISTORY/ABOUT
Tell events of the
characters past and
other information about
them.

ROLE IN TEXT:
Explain why the
character is present in
the story.

Walters history is
unknown. He has been on
the circus for a long time
as he was not cut out for
the farming work that his
family did due to his small
size.
Walter has his dog
Queenie and likes to read.
He has a collection of
books that travels with
him on the train.
Walters role in the novel
is to be a friend and a
sense of support to Jacob.
He helps him out and lets
him know when he is
doing the wrong thing. He
is the person that Jacob
bunks with and learns to
accept him.