The Art Of Racing In The Rain Analysis

The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein, is a story about overcoming the many issues that life presents us with. The story is narrated by an intelligent and witty dog named Enzo, who is owned by an aspiring race car driver named Denny Swift. To the pair, race car driving is a way of life and they constantly reminisce by watching recordings of Denny win races on wet tracks. Despite Denny adding on to their family with a wife and daughter and Enzo having to share his attention, man and man’s best friend are always by each other's side in times of need. The theme of race car driving, especially in dangerous rainy conditions, metaphorically teaches a man and his dog valuable life lessons and help them overcoming obstacles.
One of the major …show more content…
He has aged quite significantly and is reached the end of his life span. When Enzo was coming to terms with his fate, he reassured himself to stay focused and live in the present by relating his circumstance to racing. “In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go. The driver who cannot tear his eyes away from the wall as he spins out of control will meet that wall; the driver who looks down the track as he feels his tires break free will regain control of his vehicle” (Stein 90). Stein ensures that all of her techniques about racing are valid to optimal driving. For example, the previous quote is metaphorically stating that Enzo should stay positive to maintain happiness and control in his life, but in real racing, this driving technique is applicable. According to an article on Jalopnik.com, in order to prevent completely losing control, “As soon as the car starts to slide, let off the gas completely and don’t brake. Target fixate... look exactly in the direction you want to be going. Steer towards the direction that you’re staring at.” (cite?????) This represents one out of many cases where Stein uses factual racing information that doubles as guidance in the character’s