The Art of Racing in the Rain

 

The Art of Racing in the Rain

 

"Then we heard the throttle open full and watched the car slam through the sweeping turn 8 as if it were a rocket sled, as if it were on rails, its hot racing-compound tires grabbing the greasy pavement like Velcro, and then-pock!-shifting up and-pock!- blasting past us..." (Stein 273)

 

 

            I connect to this quote because it reminds me of racing dirt bikes and going full-out. When your in the zone and your shifting is perfect and your on the edge, that's exactly how Denny was driving and that's what i love about racing. It is all about achieving the zone to go "way past the edge" (Stein 274). The "pock" (Stein 273) of the shifter makes me excited to go fast and makes me want to experience the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The view that you have on the world when racing at high intensities is very narrowed, all you think about is the next possible time you can have "the throttle open full" and nothing else matters. To go as fast as Denny did would no doubt be a whole diffrent experience and nothing short of extraodinary.

 

 

            This connection helps me understand the book better by feeling Deeny's love for racing. Also, how becasue he wants to race and instruct, he has the persiveriance to win his inocence so he can have the ability to go to italy with his daughter. Because of the thrill and how he thought that "it was incredible" (Stein 275) you know thats what he loves and he will do anything to be able to have that. It was the same determination for how he fought to have custody of Zoe, the never ending battle that Denny has the courage to overcome.