Water for Elephants is similar to... The 400 Blows!

First, in both pieces of literature the main characters must accept that their parents are lost, and learn to deal with this loss. Antoine’s parents are irresponsible, and they don’t trust him, or care about him. He takes care of his own life, and becomes an independent young man. Jacob Jankowski literally loses his parents, a car accident snatching them from his life. After his death, he falls into a state of confusion and silent depression. He sees a train, and “snaps out of a stupor…there is no home to go back to” (Gruen 24), so he decides to hitch a ride. Jacob chooses this way to fend for himself in the world, leaving behind anything familiar to him.

Also in both works, lost youth leads to wisdom. In The 400 Blows, Antoine learns the consequences of stealing and living a life of crime. By the end of the film, Antoine is older, and changes his ways, even returning a stolen typewriter, and owning up to his actions, realizing their impacts. Water for Elephants shows gaining maturity with age on a much larger scale. The book changes viewpoints from Jacob at age 21, to Jacob at 93. In both works, both characters learn about maturing with age, but they learn different lessons. While Antoine’s life improved with age, Jacob’s life declined since age thirty. Jacob claims that “age is a terrible thief. Just as you’re getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back” (Gruen 12). Unfortunately, Jacob learns too late in life the value of youth and good health.