When I began to read this novel, I had the sense that I
would not be able to relate to it. I thought motorcycles? They are something I barely know about. And Zen
related to the art of motorcycle. I decided to look up Zen after reading the
next two chapters of the novel. I found out that it is a type of Buddhism that
involves meditation and knowledge is found when there are no desires. This gave
me a different outlook on the novel. The narrator is able to feel relaxed and
find out new things about him because of his motorcycle. Whether it is fixing
it himself, his frustrations trying to get it fixed, or riding, new ideas are
sparked.
The author also plays a factor in how relatable it is. It has turned
out that I feel as I am reading that I am in the novel, riding alongside the
characters on their motorcycles. The description of the setting and the way
that a storm is coming and the lightning hits the farmhouse are clear images in
my head. Imagery aside, it is relatable through the actions the author has
incorporated. In the first two chapters, I was able to relate John and how he
would rather have an expert fix his car, while the narrator would like to fix
it himself and make sure it was done correctly. I believe I have this view because
I would not know if it really was done correctly. In these chapters, it was
also relatable to how John and Sylvia did not want to ride in the cold. Who
would?
I, like Shannon, find it easy to relate to John and Sylvia. What I wonder is why I find more difficult to relate to the narrator when it is through his eyes that I am experiencing the story. Many of his observations about life and such seem fairly rational, and I do agree with most of them. What seems to make me not relate to him are actions that at times make it seem that he is in his own world, perhaps because of his tendency to spend so mush time in head and over think simple things. In his over thinking of some things he completely forgets about other things. Things, like how waking up his friends early in the morning to go for a ride in the cold might cause some unhappiness within the group. When reading about him banging on John and Sylvia’s door I wondered why he didn’t think that they might not want to be woken up. Even after they have obviously been avoiding him out of anger, it is not until John says something, passive aggressive as it may have been, that the narrator realizes that they are upset. I think that in order for such deep thoughts to be expressed in the novel, the narrator has to be a little different, while John and Sylvia are in the novel to allow the reader to relate to someone.
ReplyDeleteI had the same thoughts about starting the novel; I thought I would hate it because it would not relate to me in any way. I know nothing about motorcycles, so the title alone made me nervous about starting the book; however, I am beginning to enjoy it more now that I have learned more about the characters and the situations that they are placed in. I also agree with Shannon's ideas about how relatable the whole story has been so far. The scene about the storm approaching was particularly detailed and I found that that scene was the most easy to imagine. I could almost put myself in the scene with the other characters and feel the same way they would. The scene about John and Sylvia's anger regarding the cold also stood out to me. Personally, I cannot handle much cold at all, so it was rather easy for me to understand their anger and sympathize with them. I think the author does a wonderful job of allowing readers to feel as though they are a part of the story. Readers can place themselves in the scenes and experience everything at the same time the characters do.
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