The Art of Racing in the Rain Reading Guide

Discussion Questions: The Art of Racing in the Rain

by Lee

Below is a conglomeration of give-and-take questions gleaned from various Web sources relating to our electric current book, The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.

MORE COMMON Discussion QUESTIONS

Many online sources — Reading Group Guides, Harper Collins, the books publisher, and others — have shamelessly plagiarized one another'due south reading guide questions. Here they are, in all their commonality:

1. Some early readers of the novel have observed that viewing the globe through a domestic dog's eyes makes for a greater appreciation of existence man. Why practise you think this is?
2. Enzo'southward observations throughout the novel provide insight into his world view. For case:
   • "The visible becomes inevitable."
   • "Agreement the truth is simple. Allowing oneself to experience information technology, is often terrifically difficult."
   • "No race has e'er been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there."
   • How does his philosophy use to existent life?
3. In the book'south darkest moments, one of Zoe's stuffed animals — the zebra — comes to life and threatens him. What does the zebra symbolize?
4. Can you lot imagine the novel being told from Denny'southward betoken of view? How would information technology make the story dissimilar?
5. In the first affiliate, Enzo says: "It'southward what's within that's of import. The soul. And my soul is very homo." How does Enzo's situation — a homo soul trapped in a dog's body — influence his opinions virtually what he sees around him? How do you experience about the ideas of reincarnation and karma as Enzo defines them?
6. Exercise you lot find yourself looking at your own dog differently after reading this novel?
7. In the book, we get glimpses into the mindset and mentality of a race car driver. What parallels tin you think of between the art of racing and the art of living?
8. The character of Ayrton Senna, every bit he is presented in the volume, is heroic, almost a mythic figure. Why do you think this character resonates and so strongly for Denny?

OTHER DISCUSSION GUIDE QUESTIONS

A deeper plunge of the Internet provides more unique word guide questions. The blog Read to Enrich offers these for discussion:

1. What was your favorite scene in the novel?
2. Did y'all like the technique of making Enzo be the narrator?  Would the story have worked if the narrator was ane of the humans?
3. Do yous think dogs or other animals tin really sympathise humans and have the desire to communicate with them?
4. Talk over Enzo's more human characteristics:
   • His feelings after Eve died (and his beast reaction of chasing and eating the squirrel ) [page 165]
   • Advising people to learn to listen (page 102)
5. Can dogs and other animals sense things that humans cannot?  Enzo smelled Eve's cancer well earlier anyone made a diagnosis.
6. What did yous recall of Enzo's description of communication, "…there are and then many moving parts.  At that place'south presentation and there'due south estimation and they're so dependent on each other information technology makes things very difficult." (page 5) Was this a skillful analysis?
7. What did you remember well-nigh Enzo'south analysis of his death?  He said nearly Denny, "He needs me to free him to be brilliant."  (page v)
8. The author wrote, "A true hero is flawed.  The true test of a champion is not whether he can triumph, simply whether he tin can overcome obstacles – preferably of his ain making – in order to triumph." (page 135)  Do you agree?  What do you think about the obstacles "being of his own making?" Tin you lot proper noun anyone who you lot think is a hero?  Does he or she fit this description?
9. About a champion, he wrote "It makes one realize that the physicality of our world is a purlieus to united states of america just if our will is weak; a true champion can reach things that a normal person would think incommunicable." (page 65)  Practise y'all concur?
10. One of Denny's favorite statements was "…that which nosotros manifest is before us." (page 43)  What did he mean?  Do you lot agree?
11. The author stated that women and dogs feel hurting the same ("tap straight into the pain" page 62) whereas men "are all filters and deflectors and timed release."  (folio 63)  Is this an accurate description?  Do you think at that place is a deviation in how men, women and dogs experience pain?
12. Regarding the evil zebra, at the stop Enzo realizes that the zebra is, "not something outside of us.  The zebra is something inside of united states.  Our fears.  Our own cocky-subversive nature.  The zebra is the worst part of usa when we are face-to-face up with our worst times.  The demon is us!" (page 264)  Do yous hold?  Can you think of any examples from other books you lot accept read where the characters were their own worst enemies?
13. There were many comments in the book most life in full general.  What comparisons were made between driving a race machine and life?  Can you add others?

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Source: https://onceamonthbookclub.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/discussion-questions-the-art-of-racing-in-the-rain/

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