Difference in personality, Chris, and Phaedrus

                I like how Pirsig never stated one personality as better than the other. He says the narrator focuses on scientific meaning, while John has an artistic mentality. Although the narrator didn’t understand at first why John thought this way, he never said it was wrong. He usually thinks that his methods are better, but this time, he said they were both right. One personality is practical and the other is intuitive. However, I disagree with the narrator when he says that John’s reason of anger toward his engine was based on his personality. It could be possible that he was mad, just because it wouldn’t start and he was annoyed by it. The narrator always tries to relate his thoughts to real life experiences and tries to validate his theories through these memories.

                Also, I could tell from the beginning that something was wrong with Chris. He was acting different, rude, and spoiled. At first, I thought the narrator was being too lenient and not giving his son enough character. As a parent, I think would have been livid if my son completely ignored me and did the opposite of what I said. Yet, when the narrator revealed he had a mental illness, it’s obvious that the narrator is trying to find the best method of raising his son. He continuously doubts his actions and is just trying to do what is best for Chris. I am curious at why the narrator never told his close friends, John and Sylvia about his son’s illness.

                The narrator describing Phaedrus as an evil spirit does make me think that he is an actual ghost. Nevertheless, I don’t quite understand his role in the book.  It doesn’t make sense why Phaedrus would be calling Chris at the end of the chapter. The narrator, at least how I see it, made it seem as if Phaedrus was responsible for his sons mental illness and that might be the reason why he the narrator is scared of him.