MovieChat Forums > Water for Elephants (2011) Discussion > Why did the Cornell people disrupt his e...

Why did the Cornell people disrupt his exam?

posted 13 years ago by jmhow
22 replies | jump to latest

When Jacob is about to take his final exam at Cornell, why did the dean take him out instead of waiting until he was finished with the exam? Not to be crude, but his parents would've been just as dead two hours later. He could've finished his requirements and gotten his diploma and eventually his license. He still wouldn't have had a house and might still have headed for Albany and had the same adventures, or he might not (and then there wouldn't have been a story to tell). In either case he might not have been so desperate. So why would they do that?

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[–] gottb4 13 years ago

I thought this was extremely unrealistic. I remember a story a professor told about 9/11 about a similar situation. Right before a student's doctoral review questionnaire, the three professors learned about the falling of the trade centers. They learned of these only 5 minutes before the time of the examination. The professors had a quick discussion on whether to tell the student, but decided it would be unfair to tell the student because it might severely influence her examination because she had family in New York. The exam began and she performed exceptionally. After the exam, she told the professors that she didn't want to scare them, but something had happened to the trade centers, but she hadn't wanted to worry them before the exam.

[–] Curzon_Street 13 years ago

Yeah, but this movie took place over 70 years earlier. People's attitudes have changed over the years. Anyway, it wouldn't have made a big difference. He was still totally alone, he had no other family, he was homeless, he couldn't have gone back home, he was grieving and hopeless, he would have left town in any case.

And he easily went back and got his degree, Ringling Bros. hired him, so it all worked out anyway.

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[–] yknott1234 13 years ago

If they didn't interrupt, there would be no story. The author wrote the story in such a way, so why question it? Why not ask, why did his parents have to die in the first place? He could have still joined the circus.

[–] jojo-acapulco 13 years ago

You're absolutely right. No decent professor would interrupt a final exam just prior to graduation, and we must assume that Cornell had competent faculty, even 'way back then.' Basing the movie on this unbelievable event turned the entire thing into a circus. But I can't believe that was intentional.

[–] Angel_Of_My_Heart 12 years ago

If it was me I would want to know immediately, family trumps everything even final exams, you can always go back and finish your exams at a later date which is what he did!!

[–] kyotousa 12 years ago

They are not even on their last breath, it's a DOA case. Pretty dumb

[–] debiler 11 years ago

Am I the only one who would want to know right away if my parents were killed in an accident? I can't believe what I'm reading here. Those are some warped priorities. From a logical standpoint, of course - they'd be just as dead two hours later. But from a personal perspective, I couldn't deal with the fact that I took my exam while the bodies of my folks were getting cold.

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[–] CurzonStreet 11 years ago

I think the same thing would happen today. If you've ever been in class and your family has an emergency, they come and get you, regardless of what's going on it class.

And he would have had to leave town anyway, the bank kicked him out of his home, so it doesn't make that much difference.