Dear Delilah,
I liked the story because it seemed very realistic. However, there was one thing I didn’t understand. Why did the man take off with the elephant at the end? It seemed like he was making the point, throughout the story, that he didn’t like animals, but then he left his wife for an elephant. I guess the point could have been how much he disliked his wife. What do you think?
I also wondered why the author chose to have the song “Bring in the Clowns” on during the final showdown between the man and his wife. How do clowns relate? Can you see any connection?
The character I liked the most in this story was actually the elephant. Maybe it was the fact that she never talked, but she seemed so nice. She was always spraying people who were hot with water, and taking peanuts from the kids without biting off their fingers. I can understand why someone would want to spend his life with an elephant as nice as she.
By the way, don’t you think Jennifer is a genius? Some mornings I wake up and can’t believe how incredibly lucky I am to be in her presence. I kind of worship her, if you want to know the truth.
Bubba
Dear Bubba,
It’s interesting to me that you found this story realistic, considering a man wants to marry an elephant. How is that realistic? I did think the arguing between the man and his wife seemed real. It reminded me of my parents, which made it hard for me to read.
Rather than showing how bad the wife was, I took the point of the man running away with the elephant at the end to show how much progress he made. Before that time, he was always complaining, but at the end, he seemed to realize how important it is to find beauty in those around you, even if they’re elephants.
My thought on the “Bring in the Clowns” song was that it was supposed to foreshadow the man leaving with the elephant – you know, since there are elephants in the circus? I just took it as a clue of what was to come.
I agree with you that the elephant seemed pretty nice, but it’s hard to compare niceness in elephants and people, since it’s so much easier to be an elephant. I mean, you don’t have to worry about getting along with people; you just walk around holding on to the tail of the elephant in front of you (though that could surely have some bad sides, as well).
I do think Jennifer is a genius. It is hard for me to decide, though, whether I most admire her intelligence or her beauty. I only hope that, when I grow up, I can be half the amazing person that she is. We are lucky, indeed, to exist in her glow.
Delilah
