Although we have been taught to never judge a book by its cover (or title in this case), I went ahead and did just that. I thought the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" would be an instructional book, teaching the reader how to maintain a motorcycle and reflecting on life while doing so. Unfortunately, I was wrong. While this book is about meditation and motorcycles, I have not learned anything from it thus far.
Up until the end of chapter two, the novel has revolved around the narrator's many thoughts and opinions as well as his description of what it is like to ride a motorcycle. The narrator finds his peace of mind while on the road, which I think is ridiculous. Motorcycles are extremely loud and it would be hard to focus and meditate with noise like that in the background. Furthermore, his thoughts and opinions are bothersome, and I find him annoying. While it does not bother me that much of the book has been him reflecting upon one thing or another, the things he says are not wise, or intelligent, or deep. I would enjoy the book were he to speak about meaningful ideas, but the narrator just goes off on tangents and begins to speak about something like the time his motorcycle seized and he took it to get fixed. After a mechanic broke some parts on his bike, he analyzes the situation and concludes that all of the mechanics did not care about their job. His rational: they were listening to music. To me this seems to be a slippery slope argument, and like the other things he talks about, I find it pointless.
Juan Pino
Juan Pino
Although Juan comments on being told to never judge a book by its cover(or title) I think he is not correctly differentiating between judging and making assumptions. For Juan assumed that the novel was going to be instructional he did not judge it. Yet I unlike Juan, did not assume that the novel was going to teach me about how to maintain a motorcycle. On the contrary, I began reading the novel with out any expectations at all. However, I think to go as far to say that the novel has failed to teach us anything is wrong. It has taught us things about the narrator, his friends, and their ways of being.
ReplyDeleteWe learn that the narrator is actually a person that criticizes people where it is not due. We also learn that he is someone that finds peace while riding his motorcycle. While Juan seems to not agree with finding peace on a machine so loud as a motorcycle I find it to be normal, after all to each his own. I understand why it is that the narrator is able to find peace on something so loud; it is able to put him directly into nature. He is able to connect with it in a way that the confines of car prevents one from doing. Through the openness of a motorcycle you are able to feel the wind that you are rushing through, actually appreciate the roads you are traveling, and most of all you are able to lose yourself in nature, figuratively speaking of course. I know that when I drive a car I let everything pass by me and I take note of nothing but other cars. On the contrary though, when I am on a motorcycle I pay attention to everything around me.