Love and Happiness in Elephants by Sarah Gruen and The Book of Negroes

Happiness is essential for one to be sane. Love leads to happiness and this is shown in the novels Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen and The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. Characters in both novels try to find happiness through love, but it ultimately leads to despair because of the death or loss of a loved one. Happiness is fulfilled through the form of love. To begin with, Jacob has respect and love for his parents that have been there every step of his life. The Dean of the University calls Jacob into his office and Jacob fears â€Å"Dear Lord- if I get expelled now, my father will kill me. (Gruen 6)† Jacob fears that if he gets expelled from the university, that his father had put much hard work to bring Jacob there, then his father will be dissatisfied with him. Jacob’s fear of dishearten his family is a symbol that he loves his family tremendously. This also represents that his happiness is a link to the happiness of his parents and that their disappointment of him is also a disappointment of himself. Secondly, Marlene loves her husband August greatly, thus bringing her happiness. Jacob asks Marlene how is August like and Marlene replies â€Å"He’s capable of being the most charming man on earth. (95)† Marlene’s family, who are Roman Catholic, has banished her because she marries August, who is Jewish. To Marlene, the love of her family is crucial to her, but now that they create a hole of anguish inside of her, therefore she fills this hole by loving and greatly admiring August. Like the Book of Negroes, Happiness comes through the form of love and this perfectly exemplified in the how Jacob loves his parents because he fears them and Marlene loves August after her family exiles her. Afterward, Aminata falls in love with C... ...annot meet his beloved, Aminata falls into a trance of depression. Finally, Aminata’s master sells her darling child. Aminata tells her master to bring her child back and he replies â€Å"Too late. He’s sold. Only got me five pounds†¦he’ll grow and his new master a fine profit one day. (184)† After, Chekura visits become scarce; Aminata relies on her child for the meager happiness she can get. However, this changes after her master steals and sells her child, and this is like him stealing Aminata happiness and selling it away. Though happiness is vital to life and it comes in the form of love, it does not always mean that misery will not follow it. This is shown when Jacob loves his parents, but his parents die, Marlene loves August, but he hits her. Also when Aminata falls in love with Chekura, but they are separated and when Aminata’s master sells Aminata’s child.