Uncle Al blackmailed Jacob to get August and Marlena back together because he did not want to lose the stars of his show. Uncle Al fears that August and Marlena will quit the circus if they get a divorce; they are his main attraction, and without them, his circus would go bankrupt. Marlena is exceptionally beautiful and alluring to the male audience. Her timeless act with Rosie the elephant is the most anticipated performance of the show, drawing audiences of all ages. Her husband, August, is the Equestrian Director and Superintendent of Animals. August directs the entire circus show, from start to finish. Under his command, Uncle Al's circus has become profitable and successful. August is, therefore, the glue that holds it all together. Uncle Al knows that he can not lose August and Marlena. He also knows that Jacob is hiding Camel, preventing him from being redlighted. He uses this knowledge as leverage to blackmail Jacob into getting his two prized performers back together. Uncle Al says, "'Did you really think you could keep a stowaway without me finding out about it?'...'Sometimes an individual has to make a sacrifice for the good of the rest of us. And what this family needs is for August and Marlena to work things out. Do we understand each other?'...'Yes, sir,' I say eventually. 'I believe we do'" (Gruen 267). Jacob is one of the few circus employees who August likes and trusts. Jacob has an "in" with August that no one else has. August is a paranoid schizophrenic. He has sporadic outbursts of anger and violence towards anyone who sets him off. All of the working men on the circus fear him. If Uncle Al loses August, he will lose his fear factor that kept all of the laborers in line. Uncle Al has an opportunity to use Jacob to his benefit, and he takes it. His hope is that Jacob will use his closeness to August and Marlena to con them into a loving relationship once more. His circus stars will continue performing, and Uncle Al will continue to profit. Afterall, the show must go on.
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