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          I found that the narrator seemed particularly concentrated on the ideas of both classical and romantic reasoning. Classical reasoning and Romanitic reasoning are essentially described as opposites in the novel, however despite that the narrator was convinced that quality could not be discovered without a combination of the two. I found that the question of how to possibly make the two, seemingly opposite ideas mesh into one conclusion was a central issue in the novel.

       Another issue was brought up in the question of quality, and how to define it. It seemed the the narrator was terribly preoccupied in a search for quality however when he tried to define it, he was only able to define it with ideas that are not completly concrete either. this search for quality in anything and what it is that makes something good is an interesting idea explored in the novel.

      In connection with the theme on quality is the question of the existence of any truth in this world. There are many instances in which the narrator discusses Phadreuses search for the answer to something that was simply out of his reach. This inability to find that something is the what ultimately leads to his mental breakdown and the procedure that turns him into the narrator. The idea of there being questions that we cannot answer is brought up early on with the discussions on the nature of hypothesis in that they only bring about more questions, is also eluded to in the narrators questioning of the actual truth in supposed facts, and is summed up in one of the last chapters with the quote " if he doesn't get the answer he just drives and drives until he gets one and that leads to another question and he drives and drive for the answer to that one essentially pursuing questions never seeing, never understanding that the questions will never end. Something is missing". I must admit that I prefer this theme to the rest because it also has strong connections to other books we have read and brings about the idea that if we know nothing then we are everything at any given time (this is a reference to my last blog post in which I discussed the idea's connection to the concept of Schrodinger's Cat).

        My final idea is essentially the quote that is on the cover of the book,"it is the journey, not the destination". The idea that some people, like John and Silvia, can be so preoccupied with getting somewhere that they do not realize what how their time traveling can enrich them and allow them time to think, and think deeply. This can journey can be anything from a motorcycle ride to the mountains, to the journey of life. In the journey of life people can be so preoccupied with getting into heaven, or the question of what comes after death that they do not, at the time live life to the fullest. The narrator is in a way guilty of this in that he spends so much time thinking about the unanswerable questions in life that he is not really able to make connections with people.