Outside Reading 5 Post B

Dear Jacob,

I'm very happy to hear that you figured out how to talk to Rosie, your elephant. I would've never had guessed that elephants could understand Polish. I also think its funny that Rosie likes alcohol. Doesn't she get drunk? Anyway, i'm sorry that Marlena and you haven't talked lately and that you don't like august anymore. I wouldn't hes a terrible guy. I'm mad that unlce Al still hasnt paid you even after everything you've done for the circus. You made the Rosie act and you're getting no credit for it. And you sure as hell won't get paid if Al finds out about you hiding camel away in your room. You're a good friend to take him in and not have him get red lighted. I wouldn't want that old guy staying with me. All he does is drink moonshine and that jake crap. But he is a nice man. You're starting to become a good role model to me. What you do and have done is a thing to look up to besides you dropping out of Cornell. Keep working hard, your're almost to Providence where you can drop off Camel. Don't give up on Marlena, she'll be yours one day soon.
-Colin Moynihan

Outside Reading 5 Post A

fathom- to measure the depth of by means of a sounding line; sound.(156)
vociferous- crying out noisily; clamorous.(163)

"Because if i though she was in any danger at all, there's no knowing what i might do."(159)
This quote is important to me because there was an event in this chapter where August took Marlena and Jacob out to this secret dancing club and the cops showed up. August of course ditched out right away and Jacob and Marlena ran for it on their own. THey went into an ally where Jacob tried to kiss Marlena and she did but then thought she shouldn't so she left jacob and the next day, which is when the quote takes place August seems like he knows something about it so i just thought it was a very important quote to the plot.

Outside Reading 4 Post B

Dear Jacob,

First off, I would like to tell you how interesting of a character you are. I love the fact that you put lots of feelings into everything. You're alos a one of a kind guy. I can't tell you how amazed I am sometimes the way you handle things. With this whole August and Marlena thing, i feel you've handled it very weel. I really want you to get Marlena because i know you feel shes just the greatest thing. I also don't like August because of how he treats Marlena, is mean to ytou now and then, and has that problem of his where he can be cool one minute and scary the next. I think you should just ditch the circuz for a number of reasons. 1. You have never been payed yet because Uncle Al is cheating you out of your money. 2. It's a dirty place, you sleep on a crappy cot in the room where the horses are kept. 3. You could still be a vet without being the circus and be with the animals you love. 4. I feel like your wasting your life away dreaming about Marlena and just working your butt off for nothing. Anyway, I hope you get a pay check soon and i hope you work things out with August and Marlena.
-Colin Moynihan

Outside Reading 4 Post A

inert- having no inherent power of action, motion, or resistance.(137)
stoic- of or pertaining to the school of philosophy founded by Zeno, who taught that people should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submit without complaint to unavoidable necessity.(120)

"Its eyes are open wide. A lake of dark blood spreads from its neck."(140) This quote is referring to the part in the book when they have to kill another one of Marlena's show horses. A man slit the throat of the gray horse and Jacob saw it because he was making sure that Marlena didn't see it. I like this quote because i like the way the author describes it with the lake of blood and how it really makes you have a bad feeling for the poor horse.

Outside Reading 3 Post A

carrion- rottenness; anything vile. (77)

cooch- a sinuous, quasi-Oriental dance performed by a woman and characterized chiefly by suggestive gyrating and shaking of the body. (100)

"A few dozen angry men chase us for awhile, swinging pitchforks and baseball bats, although it's mostly for the benefit of the tale they'll get to tell at dinner tonight."(82) Jacob is telling how angry mobs are chasing after the circus train because Uncle Al, the "leader', or owner of the circus is packing up and leaving early. He still has a lot of shows to do in that town but he wants to leave to find himself an extraordinary person. Uncle Al likes strange people. He likes having a bearded lady, big men, small men. Just weird people. So he's going to ask this man who just left another circus tour to join his circus. The man has two heads and is supposed to make a lot of money.

Outside Reading 3 Post B

Right now Jacob is in alot of heat. He just was named the new vet of the circus and just diagnosed the star horse, Silver Star, with a terrible leg problem. The horse can't perfrom according to Jacob and it's so severe that the horse might not be able to ever perform. Uncle Al has made a deal with him though. He will be paid 9 bucks a day but if the horse shall not make it, then he is going to be fired. So Jacob is very stressed over this matter. But it turns out that the girl who runs the horses, Marlena, is very beautiful and everyone likes her. You can really tell that Jacob is falling for her, the way he describes her and how he loves to talk about her. So that helps him out in a way with his problems because now he has a girl who he likes. As an added perk, he has been placed in the "nice" dinning room with all the performers. The food is better and he gets to sit with Marlena. So overall, I would say things are pretty good for Jacob right now. Especially with his new wages.