The difference between Water for Elephant's novel and film

Although the book tell the same story with its movie, but they have different emphases. Sara Gruen describe lots of performers in the circus which seemed like luxuriant from outside but the true things are ridiculous. In my opinion, the novel describe social condition at that period, but the movie focus on a relationship between Mariena and Jacob.

In the book,Readers are presented with the day of circus disaster, and Jacob Jankousky admitted he kept the secret of a number for 70 years. Alternating between the nursing home and his memories from 1931, the old Jankowski reveals how he became involved with the menagerie of the Benzini Brothers most spectacular show on earth. In contrast,the first minute of the movie is slow, as an elderly man stares at a circus ticket pooth in the rain. Going inside the manager's office, he begins reminiscing about his experiences at an infamous circus during the time when this was the preferred type of entertainment. Maybe in order to young viewers, The voice change to the younger Jacob. And many of the supporting character present in the book might blend into one in the film version. Jacob retains his standing as a just and compassionate companion.

When I read the novel, I feel Jacob and Mariena Have a romantic love. But when I saw the movie, maybe because the age difference between two author's I feel their voice and their face are the same as I imagined. The second is in the novel Sara Gruen did not write many violence on animals. In the other hand, the movie shows a lot of animal violence and it fails to evoke the audience's sympathy for Jacob.