I
must start by saying that I, like Priya, am beginning to get terribly bored
with this novel. It seems to be
overall a constant repetition of the narrator’s insights and observations,
which I was okay with for the beginning portion of the novel but now it is
starting to get repetitive. Never the less I did enjoy this week’s reading
because it gave us some insight on the reasons for the narrator’s passion for
motorcycle maintenance. The
narrator seems to have a lot in common with this Phaedrus person he is
constantly discussing, he is a little to smart for his own good and he is
constantly seeking reason in a confusing world. We were exposed to the
narrator’s search earlier in the novel when he attempted to make sense of a
concept as abstract as ghosts. He attempted and failed because some questions
can not really be answered, which can be a very troubling thought to people as
smart as the narrator and Phaedrus, so they keep trying to find reason, even
where it cannot be found. This search for reason is what pushes the narrator
towards motorcycle maintenance, because motorcycles, unlike life, actually make
sense. The have an ordered hierarchy of parts and there is always a reason for
any problem. The narrator has a passion for motorcycle maintenance because he
can control it, he can fix problems with his bike and he does not need to worry
so much about the abstract concepts of life. Motorcycle maintenance is a break
from his own mind.
A blog dedicated to the in depth study of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and its author Robert M. Pirsig, by the 2nd period AP Literature Class group.
I agree with you, and it finally is all coming together. The novel is so repetitive. This book needs to pick up the pace, I have caught myself dozing off. It's the same thing over and over again. Although we learn something new each time, what is the point of describing where they are and the same tedious routines. It is him traveling, his mind trailing off, and talk about Phaedrus. The most excitement we got in these two chapters was that they almost crashed and that is terrible. The motorcycle makes sense, but it just proves that he requires order. That technically could be classified as a mental disorder. Also, he already spoke about IQ and the fact that Phaedrus had a very high one. If they are the same person, which we believe they are, he has a high IQ and does not really know how to socialize and his mind goes off onto tangents. We see that he lacks a relationship with his son, and now see that his need for order affects his life. I must say that I cannot relate to him as much anymore. What I do not understand is the need for answers that are not there frustrate him, but he is smart enough to know that there is no logical answer, and logic could be both deductive or inductive. I really like how the author can include science and teach the reader a lesson as the story progresses. It all makes sense in a way. I am still confused on the Phaedrus situation, are they the same person? The narrator has been to places and recognizes them. Is it just that he has been there? This frustrates me. Hopefully we will get better understanding and the novel will become more interesting soon.
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