Third 500 Words

Sigmund Freud believed that dreams were the “gateway to the unconscious”; if this were to be true, the analysis of the narrator’s disturbing, reoccurring dreams is crucial for understanding the struggle between him and Phaedrus. Often throughout the second and third parts of the novel, the narrator experiences frequent nightmares where he is trying to reach his family, but there is something in the way, and each time he has the nightmare, more is revealed about its significance. At first, the reason for his entrapment is very vague; he does not understand why his family cannot hear him, despite his attempts to contact them. It is frustrating for the narrator, and every time he has the same nightmare, he comments on his mental slippage, and how Phaedrus is becoming closer from breaking free.

                The only people in the dream are his wife and his son, Chris. When he sees them, they are excited yet visibly upset by seeing him. While his wife maintains this state of melancholy in his dreams, his son is the most dynamic, to the point where he actually speaks in the dreams. He attempts to contact his father, and despite his attempts, becomes frustrated with the fact that the narrator is not breaking through whatever partition is keeping them from each other, and begins to give up on the narrator, which upsets him greatly when he wakes up and analyzes his dream. This is representative of Chris’s attachment to the consciousness that was Phaedrus, but has ceased to be; this is even more critical of understanding the narrator, because his subconscious understands Chris’s true love for his old self, which causes a great deal of mental friction and discomfort for the narrator.

Towards the end of the novel, when the nightmare takes on full fruition, the true identity of his entrapment is revealed: he is in the hospital, behind glass. This is best interpreted as his imprisonment by his own conscious; the narrator’s family is constantly trying to reach him, and they seem sad because they cannot, and this can be described as their attempts to reach the old consciousness of the narrator- Phaedrus. The hospital was the last place where the family was united with Phaedrus, before he disappeared into the subconscious of the narrator, making it an appropriate setting for the dream. Later on, the glass transforms from a glass hospital door to the glass door of a coffin, which is even more vital to interpret; Phaedrus is dead, lost and buried somewhere within the narrator’s subconscious, and Chris and his wife are constantly mourning this loss. When the narrator has his final “breakthrough nightmare”, he literally breaks through the glass partition, and when he wakes up, he is Phaedrus once again.

An important metaphor found in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the mountain he climbed during the road trip. This is the only part of the novel where the narrator spends a great deal of time off his motorcycle, which is a negative thing, because the motorcycle is where he is Zen enough to keep Phaedrus at bay. The narrator takes a hiking journey with his son, Chris, up the mountain, eager to reach its peak. Despite the struggles he faces with Chris, they actually make it very far up the mountain- but not to the top of it. As the narrator climbs higher, he becomes less lucid and feels Phaedrus teetering between consciousness and sub consciousness, and this is uncomfortable for him. He decides not to reach the top of the mountain, and chooses to descend with Chris back to ground level, for he is afraid of what may happen to him mentally should he reach the top.

Term Paper Part 3

Sub-Topic: How technology was used and perceived during the time period and location in which the story was written by Pirsig, and how the author’s experiences influenced the story

                Robert Pirsig’s novel was published in the United States during the early 1970s. In the decades leading up to the publication of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, there was a large amount of disagreement regarding the integration of technology into society. The debate that the narrator has against John and Sylvia about the embrace of technology can be viewed as a representation of the greater issue that was present in society at the time.

                One of the most notable progressions in the field of technology during this decade was that of automobiles. Automobiles improved significantly during this time period, so the great presence of motorcycles in the novel may have some correlation with what was simultaneously happening in society. During the 1970s, also, the gap between technology and business began to merge, thus creating a new dynamic; technology now had a new purpose in society. “The decades of 1950s and 1960s saw frequent face-offs between those who supported technological development and those who were opposed to it. However, it was the '70s decade that witnessed the convergence of technology and commerce.” With the exploration of new purposes for technology came new perceptions and opinions regarding its presence in society.

                The varying opinions of technology have made their way into the story in the form of the narrator and Phaedrus. The narrator represents the pro-technological side, while Phaedrus is opposed to it. It becomes clear very early on in the novel that the narrator deeply enjoys maintaining his motorcycle, as it gives him both a sense of power and a leisurely activity. Oppositely, the character of Phaedrus is far more philosophically-based, as he seems to care less about the mechanics and details of things, and more about the overall picture. The central characters of the novel seem to be microcosms for the division of society in terms of their feelings regarding technology.

                Not only did the varying opinions of technology in the real world influence Pirsig’s writing, but his own experiences did as well. One factor that likely contributed to the topic of the novel is the fact that Robert Pirsig’s job consisted of writing computer manuals. This very experience explains the fascination that the narrator has with the technical and mechanical aspects of technology. In addition, the premise of the narrator’s road trip with Chris is based on the author’s life. He also went on a motorcycle trip with his son prior to writing Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The novel is said to be autobiographical, and the similarities between the narrator and Robert Pirsig are undeniable.

                The narrator and Phaedrus each serve as representations of the two types of individuals of the 1970s, based on their feelings about technology. In addition, the author’s personal experiences have made a clear impact on the topic and ideas presented within the story. 

Meditation III (Zane Mandell)

…the narrator and is ironic because the narrator in turn goes back to searching his past for answers that can make him this master again. It is a vicious cycle that never lets one go. The curiosity drives the narrator back to the same place he had been pushed away from, that is the way the “System” works.

            Quality is therefore a part of every person, it makes everyone who there are. The Quality that exists within the narrator and Phaedrus is one and the same. They are both searching for Quality because they are both trying to find themselves. Phaedrus chooses to search through countless books of philosophy and question his students, desperately hoping someone has the answer. In the same way the narrator has chosen to take this trip across the country in order to clear his mind, relive the past, and most importantly find himself. The narrator also explores Quality through the various Chautauquas he recites throughout the book. This can be likened to the search that Phaedrus has made during his time at the University. But in the end what they are searching for is not a tangible something; it is not a trophy that one can hoist and show to the world. The Quality that he has searched for his whole life is everything that he is, his experience, his family, his ideas. It is very simple in the end; the narrator sees this in his son and it has taken his entire life for him to realize this, he finally reaches peace.

            It is now necessary to explore the reasoning for the novel as a whole. As has been said the narrator is going on this trip to remember his past and find himself. He has decided to take this journey to try to fulfill the goal that Phaedrus has had for so long. The novel itself acts as a way for the narrator to go through a form of catharsis through his recounting of the past as well as the Chautauquas. But what is most important about this journey is right there next to the narrator the entire novel. It is not the motorcycle which he has used as a platform for all of his discussions, it is his son Chris. By the end of the novel the narrator is as mentally exhausted as Phaedrus was before he went through the transformation. But this time he has his son next him; here he sees himself with his tendencies that he has and remembers he once had. Chris opens the narrators eyes to see that Quality cannot truly be found, it is something that is earned. The Quality that he has searched for his whole life is within himself and is exemplified through the actions of his son who can be seen as very similar to the narrator. This powerful realization allows the narrator to finally come to terms with his lifelong struggle with Quality. This Quality is within all of people, everyone has…

Third 500 words

            The narrator of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is very different than the other characters in the book. Throughout the novel, his perspectives on different philosophies are explored, as well as his opinions on the other characters. He is also different in the matter of choosing if the destination or the journey is more enjoyable. Unlike the other characters, the narrator would rather the journey than the destination.

            There are different types of journeys that he novel explores. The first is the physical journey across the country. This is told by the narrator in first-person point of view, where while on the motorcycle, he is able to philosophize. The area of topics ranges from classical and romantic thinking to motorcycle maintenance. This helps the reader understand the other characters, as the commentary the narrator provides gives their opinions. There are many physical barriers that the narrator, his son, and the couple encounter. Also, the son acts up, leaving an emotional toll on the father. The destinations of the couple and the narrator differed, causing them to split ways. This made clear to the narrator that he was not just on the same physical journey, nor metaphorical journey as the couple.

            Many people believe that when traveling, it is not important to enjoy the journey. This could rise from the modern world, and how everything is quite fast-paced. The common person no longer enjoys the moment, but lives expecting and preparing for the future. No one takes the time to go on a road trip and take scenic routes. The routes they take are the ones that will get them to their destination the fastest way possible. The narrator explains this as man becoming separated from what he does. This is what the couple experience on the journey. But the narrator is different. He is not only on a physical journey across the country, but also a metaphorical journey.

            The journey that the narrator embarks on is to find himself. He is confused on a figure named Phaedrus, whom he shares multiple experiences with.  As he travels, he begins these philosophical discussions that are partly Phaedrus’, but he expands on them. This is his Chautauqua. The author compares the thoughts the narrator has with an overflowing stream shown by “There are eras of human history in which the channels of thought have been too deeply cut and no change was possible, and nothing new ever happened, and 'best' was a matter of dogma, but that is not the situation now. Now the stream of our common consciousness seems to be obliterating its own banks, losing its central direction and purpose… Some channel deepening seems called for."(p. 16) The narrator or Phaedrus are trying to discover and look into the question, “How to live?” This is his quest and his destination, but getting to this destination is quite significant. This is because he is finding himself on the way to the answers. The novel concludes with finding the narrator’s destination, although the journey is what achieved his goal.

Second 500 Words

                Throughout the novel, the narrator indirectly describes the dynamic relationships between him and his son, his wife, his coworkers, and his friends, both old and new. Though he spends a great deal of time with his two friends, the couple John and Sylvia, and brief encounters with old friends like the Woodruff’s, it can be argued that the most important and insightful relationship presented in the story is with his son, Chris. The narrator spends all of his time with Chris, from the beginning to the end of the novel, and although a great deal of change is evident by the narrator’s own actions and reactions, an even greater perspective and insight of the narrator’s past is drawn from the changes in Chris.

                From the beginning of the novel, Chris is an unbearable brat who complains a great deal and seems to make everything more difficult for the travelers. It is revealed later on that he suffers from some form of mental disorder, but it does not seem to impact him as much as his father’s disposition towards him. He and his father have an abrasive relationship, but after the narrator becomes Phaedrus, Chris’s attitude towards him changes completely. He mentions how much he had missed him and life when he was around. This is astonishing because despite being mentally unstable, Phaedrus appeared to be a much better father than the narrator was.

                The narrator’s other friends offer more understanding of his past and present self. When the motorcycling group goes to visit the Woodruffs, the narrator becomes anxious with the fact that he would not know how to act or react to them considering they had not seen him since before the incident. Although he coasts through the encounter without much slippage, the gap between his former self and his present self becomes awkwardly obvious; at times, Mr. Woodruff would mention certain event that had occurred long ago, and the narrator would have to weasel around it the best he could. Aside from the discomfort, it is also important to take notice of the Woodruff’s emotions towards the narrator; they are certainly happy to see him, but are a bit hesitant at first. The majority of their emotions are made obvious through their conversation.

                When the narrator goes to visit his old college, where he had taught a little before his episode, he holds a brief encounter with an old colleague of his, who does not react to him as warmly as his old friends did, and this is especially important to analyze. The narrator had clearly frightened his peers at the college before, as Phaedrus, because she did not welcome him with open arms, rather, stared at him as if he were a ghost from the past who had returned for unfinished business- which, in a way, he is. She is astonished to even see him there, and though he realizes that he had a huge opportunity to converse with her and discover more about Phaedrus, her reaction makes it clear that she was in no position to do so.

Term paper, part two

Pirsig spend much of the novel discussion specific concepts that had plagued him. The story itself, the actual plot is simply a canvas for the ideas Pirsig hopes to express. Within these concepts there are two categories, idea’s that look for answers, and ones that admit that there are no answers to be found. The ideas that look for answers are expressed earlier in the novel and seem to never really be resolved, while those that explain an inability to find answers are explained fully.

            The concept or question that was essentially the reason for the narrator’s journey was that of Quality. The narrator expressed a desire to achieve quality, to find it, however how could he find it when he did not even know how to define it? Quality, the narrator decides, can be found somewhere between the realms of classic and romantic thought.  Classic thought is the viewing of the world “as an underling form of itself”(pg.73). It views the individual parts that make the whole in a logical fashion focused solely on the science. This Classical thought can later be divided into both subjective and objective categories. Romantic thought, on the other hand, is the viewing of the world “in terms of immediate appearances”(pg. 73). It looks at the whole rather then parts in a way that is meant to see past the surface in an artistic fashion. The narrator argues that to find quality, one must blend the two completely different forms of thinking and acquire that which appeals to both, a task seemingly to large for him to manage.

             The narrator expresses another idea, one focused on distributing true education, The Church of Reason. This concept came to Phaedrus, the narrator, and Pirsig’s former self, in his years as a professor. It came from a time of governmental upset, in which his school was about to loose accreditation. Phaedrus’ students did not understand that the school is still a school without accreditation; it still has its courses, its professors, and the books. The true university would not leave the school just because they had lost their accreditation because the spirit of learning, of gaining knowledge would stay. The Church of Reason, “the real university is nothing less than the continuing body of reason itself.”(Pg. 150)

            Though many concepts were answers to questions the narrator had, there were many he could not answer. The reason he could not answer these questions was because flaws in the scientific method, more specifically the formulating of a hypothesis. Phaedrus, in his years as a science student, became disturbed by science’s inability to find answers. He found that every time he created a hypothesis the answer to his hypothesis would be hidden within another one, and another one, until all he had were questions with no definite answers. This forming of questions leading to more questions lead him to a higher level of thinking, however not a price. This higher level of thought was one not many dared to obtain because there were only question, and no answers. In fact, at this level of thought, there was no hope to find the answers.

Second 500 words

…The split shows the way in which the narrator still had something to look for; something to find on his journey. He was not content with what he had found yet, meaning he had not reached the destination. Their destinations were not the same and the narrator was not yet done looking for himself.

            Chris, the son of the narrator who further accompanies him on his trip, also experiences the conflict between the journey and the destination. Along with John and Sylvia, Chris finds comfort in the destination. This is first expressed through the boredom on the journey. This boredom leads to anger towards his father, as well as Chris acting out. He would refuse to eat and feel sick, as well as just leave when they would stop for the night. He is an adventurous child, and no one would help him fulfill this want. More importantly though, his need for the answers about his father show how he is more content on finding the destination. This journey and destination is metaphorical, but also aides the reader understand the novel as a whole. He wants to understand his father, the narrator, and see why they were no longer as close as they were. He was scared and would like to know why his father was acting so strangely. He wanted answers, as many children do, and does not care about how the answers could be achieved.

            This need for answers, as well as being content with the destination and not the journey, defines the character of Chris. He has a constant fear of his father. This fear is not because of his fathers actions, but because he does not want to lose his father or the rest of his family. Nothing makes sense to him, and he thinks that his father knows the answers to his questions. Little does he know that the narrator is having trouble defining himself. He continuously asks about his mother, and why she was not accompanying him on this trip. The reader never receives an answer, but sees the narrator has dreams of his wife. This shows that both the narrator and his son share the same feelings of losing their loved ones, which happen to be the same people. The actions and feelings that Chris has throughout the novel define him as a person, and also help the readers understand both their characters.

            The narrator is quite different than the other characters in the novel. He is the only character that believes the journey is better than the destination. This still provides a conflict for him, because he does not want to reach the destination fully. He is somewhat scared of what he will find and what will happen on the journey, although he still thinks it is the best aspect of a journey. This occurs both metaphorically, as well as physically, on his motorcycle journey across the country with his son and the couple.

Meditation II (Zane Mandell)

… Romantic thought focuses on the more traditional mindset, one that is comfortable with that status quo and usually not accepting change and the new. This form of thought is something everyone attains at some point in their life but is one that tends to be limiting and create barriers that become seemingly unbreakable. Classical thought on the other hand focuses on the more intellectual and logical thought processes and is usually open to change and then new. Phaedrus can be characterized as the purely classical thinker in the novel, searching for Quality in every crevice of intellectuality. Furthermore the narrator of the novel breaks down Classical thought down into both the objective and subjective forms of deduction. This is important in understanding the relationship with Quality because these objective and subjective forms have that similar relationship described above and lie within this greater relationship.

The motorcycle then becomes the platform for the discussion of this duality throughout the novel. The narrator picks the motorcycle apart piece by piece describing the various intricacies that exist within and as a whole. This gets compared to the way John and Sylvia see the motorcycle, where they simply see how it is to the naked eye and don’t see its inner beauty and its true form. That true form is what the goal is for the narrator. That quality that exists; John, Sylvia, and the narrator all perceive the quality that exists but they are all unable to truly define it. It in fact is there, right in front of them, but they see it very differently, the Quality is used for each of them to see what they want to believe out of it. That is why Quality occurs between the Romantic and the Classical; it is open to infinite interpretation based on the one that perceives. It allows both types of thinkers to bridge the gap between the other; the Quality allows them to open their eyes and see that there is always another way to see it. Quality is the midpoint, it is there, but it isn’t definable because it is different for everyone, it is always changing, but Phaedrus could not just end here.

The “System” encompasses everything that one is able to perceive. Therefore it is simply a resultant of consciousness. “A real understanding of Quality captures the System, tames it and puts it to work for one’s own personal use, while leaving on completely free to fulfill his inner destiny.” (283) So one must be able to understand Quality without being able to define (because it is undefinable as has been addressed) and then they will truly be the master themselves and understand oneself. So Phaedrus was searching so hard for Quality for this very reason, he wanted to become this master; he wanted to be able to understand. But it is in fact impossible to understand and know all; this is why Phaedrus had to go through the transformation to the more relaxed narrator. But this haunts…

Term Paper Part 2

Sub-topic: How technology demonstrates its positives and negatives in modern society

                Technology’s presence in the novel is viewed as both positive and negative, based on the individual’s perception. Similarly, technology has both good and bad attributes in modern society as well. While many individuals tend to get caught up with all of the progress and advancements that technology has led to, they sometimes forget that technology is not all good.

                Technology has many significant uses that facilitate everyday life. Accessibility to information and communication is one central purpose that technology serves in modern-day life. Today, the invention of cell phones and social media is more prominent than ever before, which allows for the easy spread of information and communication. One important characteristic of such advancements is the ability to communicate with family and friends that live far away. New technological advancements are occurring every day, such as Skype and FaceTime, of which minimize the feeling of distance and contribute to the addition of more modes of communication. In addition, technological advancements have aided tremendously in the area of medicine and science. New medications, surgeries, and discoveries have been made, all with the assistance of modern technology. In connection to the novel, the idea of convenience also comes into play. The narrator is able to fix his own motorcycle problems because of the fact that he has familiarized himself with technology, and can use it to his benefit.

                Despite all of the positive influences technology has, there are definitely negative effects, one of the most important being society’s reliance on it. Humans, especially in today’s technologically-based society, have become so accustomed to having technology at their fingertips that they have become dependent upon it. Some have even become addicted to it, as they cannot function properly without it. In addition, the prominence of technology in modern society has led society to become isolated from one another and develop a lack of social skills. While the idea of convenience is significant in regard to communication, people, mainly younger generations that have grown up with advanced technology, do become infatuated with it, constantly checking their phones or laptops. On a larger scale, technology has led to a huge increase in pollution. Large companies and factories that depend on technology to succeed are contributing greatly to the overall amount of pollution in all areas, including noise pollution, air pollution, water pollution, and light pollution. The presence of technology in society is constantly increasing, which speaks volumes for the influences that it will have in the near future, which are not all positive.

Technology’s role in modern-day society is vital, yet there are certain aspects that lead some to question its importance. While technology most definitely has its own positive attributes, there are many flaws in its omnipresence throughout society. Factors such as accessibility to information, communication, travel, and convenience are all benefits of technology, yet one must consider the resulting flaws, such as pollution, isolation, and dependence. As in the case of the narrator, John, and Sylvia, it is up to the individual to determine whether he or she would rather embrace technology or dismiss it. 

Comment to Shannon's Post

I think that you have done well to explain the differences between the narrator and John and Sylvia. I like how you expressed that they are hoping to escape technology but don not care about the process itself. I think that one thing that you could perhaps add to the discussion is the topic of the actual motorcycle maintenance which could in part represent the journey itself. John wanted nothing to do with maintaining his motorcycle because that would mean more time spent on the journey and less at the destination. It also would mean focusing on what he wanted to avoid. Overall I think you are on a good track and started out well. 

Comment on Monica's

I honestly had no idea that this novel what somewhat of an autobiography. I found it to be very interesting and like the way you began this paper. There are some typos that need to be looked over. The one thing I would comment about is that you address humanity and society as “we” and “us”. I am not sure how affective this is with your point. We know Phaedrus is one of the more intellectual humans, but categorizing yourself to be included gives the paper somewhat of an informal approach. I am not sure if that is what you were trying to attain. But I did really like it.

First 500 words

            Mankind, especially the brightest of us, is perpetually searching for answers. We thrive under the idea that we are superior because of our capacity to create and discover. However, as the sum of mankind’s search for truth is taken into account, each truth we learn and all progress made in the name of knowledge seems to only bring about the conclusion that some things are just out of our reach. In other words; the more we know, the more realize we don’t know, and the more we realize we can never know.

This is a terrifying conclusion come to, one that often only plagues that most intelligent of us.  Amongst the most intelligent would be Phaedrus, later found to be the narrator of the novel, and the author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, who’s life this autobiographical novel is based on.

Robert Pirsig at the age of nine, was recorded to have an IQ of 170, just as the Phaedrus did in the novel, and as such skipped several grades and graduated high school at the age of 15. However his intelligence seemed to plague him at times. While studying biochemistry he became distracted by the limitations in science which lead to failing classes and ultimate expulsion from the University of Minnesota. He then joined the army an went to Korea for the war. It was there that he found an interest in Buddisim. After the war, Pirsig returned to education, gaining a degree in Eastern Philosophy and also studying eastern culture and journalism. He later became a teacher of creative writing. However he was still not at piece. His intelligence and search for meaning, a search for quality, left him to be diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and clinical depression, which he was treated for with electroconvulsive therapy, a therapy that is expressed as the turning point in his life in the novel.

To him the therapy changed him; it left him as a different person, somehow separated from who he was in the past. In the novel he expresses his life before the thearapy as a sort of previous life and his life after as an attempt to come to terms with it and reconnect with his son. It was in this time period of his life that he wrote the novel that he became so well known for. It is evident by the similarities between Pirsig and Phadreus that this novel was an attempt to come to terms with his treatment and all that had occurred. He makes it clear from the novel that it was his intelligence that caused the majority of his problems. Pirsig’s intelligence forced him to consider questions that could not be answered. His intelligence also made him terribly frustrated and unnerved by not being able to answer theses questions. There were questions that he could not answer and the novel is the story of his coming to terms with that fact.

First 500 Words

There are several gimmicks existing in the world today that claim to aid the journey to find one’s self; whatever that incredible vague phrase actually refers to is a mystery that changes depending on where one goes to find such guidance. Should one’s path range between religious institutions that insist on a righteous lifelong journey to self-betterment and vocational enlightenment, a multi-billion dollar pyramid scheme pledge to the ultimate achievement of nirvana (with a monthly fee of $29.99), or a 6-month silent retreat in the mountains with others seeking the same goal, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance argues that the greatest method of finding one’s self is through mediation, cognitive reflection, and (though entirely biased) taking a cross-country motorcycle journey. However, for the protagonist of Robert M. Pirsig’s prominent novel, the road is not a smooth one, and ultimately does not end how one may have hoped it to conclude; if the betterment of one’s self begins with finding one’s self, the narrator had to achieve this by becoming Phaedrus, an entirely insane and unstable character, thus relapsing into deep, enlightened insanity- an ending that argues against the true nature of enlightenment.

                Throughout the entire novel, the narrator is constantly struggling between his current cognizance and slivers of his past consciousness. It is not until the end of Part 1 that it becomes clear that the narrator was subject to psychotherapy which wiped out his memory and previous state of mind, something the narrator appropriately refers to as Phaedrus: the ghost of his past. More evidence of Phaedrus’s instability is revealed throughout the novel, and the nature of these incidents are so negative that the common opinion is that running an electric shock to the narrator’s brain was the best decision. Despite this, the narrator reveals that his most comfortable state of mind is as Phaedrus, his true consciousness. This is a debatable claim, because when considering the reality of the violent, erratic nature of Phaedrus and his actions, it is normal to assume Phaedrus to be a madman unfit for society. For the sake of the philosophic journey, however, it is also plausible to consider that if the ultimate goal is to reach such a comfortable, enlightened state, then should it matter how capricious that Zen may be, especially when the narrator himself proves to be most mentally comfortable in such a state?

                The moments of mental distortion felt by the narrator that limit his progression to self-betterment are found during his dreams, and when he journeys to the top of the mountain, and this is because these are the prime moments when his subconscious alter-ego, Phaedrus, tries to pry out and become his reality. This constant friction between the narrator and Phaedrus is exactly what prolongs the ultimate desire to reach ultimate Zen, which is ironically futile. The narrator dedicates this entire motorcycle journey to find and better himself, but by doing this, he is actively working further away from his goal, which is also constantly attempting to pull him in.