27/01: The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is a curious and engaging novel. It is curious in the first instance, because it is narrated by a dog. And in the second place, it is about formula 1 auto racing. The dog in question is named Enzo. If I remember rightly, the first name of the founder and leading light of the Ferrari automobile company was Enzo Ferrari. Enzo the dog is our eyes on what unfolds in the family of Dennis Swift, his wife Eve and daughter Zoe. Dennis is a race car driver, and images and experiences from driving and racing are the means by which we see much of what transpires.
The family of Dennis, Eve, Zoe and Enzo is close and happy. Until, that is, Eve begins to have disturbing symptoms of a dire illness. Enzo tells us that he knew before anyone else in the family that something was wrong with Eve. Through the eyes of Enzo the family drama unfolds which includes the sickness of Eve, the intrusion of her wealthy parents who insist that Eve and Zoe come to live with them while Eve is ill, and while Denny is often away pursuing his career. Eve dies, and the in-laws challenge Denny for custody of Zoe based on false charges made again Denny. So it is Denny and Enzo much of the time in the unfolding of these events, and the response of Denny is infused with the insights and strategies that are learned in competitive racing. Enzo is only able to watch and because he is a dog, his participation in what is taking place is severely limited and is frustrating to him. But what is seen in Enzo are deeply human emotions and loyalties. What happens to the members of his family happen to him in their own kind of way.
As I read the book it occurred to me that what we see in Enzo might help us in our thinking about God. All that Enzo observes from his close proximity to the members of the family, affect him in the deepest of ways. Those around him are not aware of the depth of the impact of the unfolding of their lives on Enzo. I think that one of the given characteristics of God is His intimacy to all of our lives, and that God in God’s deepest life, is affected by what transpires in us. Enzo, the dog, is limited in what he can do to shape events. And this limitation frustrates him. He fantasizes in the novel about coming back as a man when his dog life is over, and he fantasizes about what he would do if he had language and hands and other human gifts. But he is destined to not have those gifts the impact of what happens to the human members of his family are more deeply felt. And there is an enormous frustration in the awareness of the evil done to those we love and knowing that charges made are false and mean spirited and he can do nothing about it. It occurs to me often that that is fate of God; to be present to the evil and the suffering of the world and is not able for some reason, to intervene, but is deeply impacted by these events.
The end of the novel is, as we would know from the opening pages, is one in which justice is done, wholeness restored, and a hint that maybe dogs do come back as humans.
Trent
The family of Dennis, Eve, Zoe and Enzo is close and happy. Until, that is, Eve begins to have disturbing symptoms of a dire illness. Enzo tells us that he knew before anyone else in the family that something was wrong with Eve. Through the eyes of Enzo the family drama unfolds which includes the sickness of Eve, the intrusion of her wealthy parents who insist that Eve and Zoe come to live with them while Eve is ill, and while Denny is often away pursuing his career. Eve dies, and the in-laws challenge Denny for custody of Zoe based on false charges made again Denny. So it is Denny and Enzo much of the time in the unfolding of these events, and the response of Denny is infused with the insights and strategies that are learned in competitive racing. Enzo is only able to watch and because he is a dog, his participation in what is taking place is severely limited and is frustrating to him. But what is seen in Enzo are deeply human emotions and loyalties. What happens to the members of his family happen to him in their own kind of way.
As I read the book it occurred to me that what we see in Enzo might help us in our thinking about God. All that Enzo observes from his close proximity to the members of the family, affect him in the deepest of ways. Those around him are not aware of the depth of the impact of the unfolding of their lives on Enzo. I think that one of the given characteristics of God is His intimacy to all of our lives, and that God in God’s deepest life, is affected by what transpires in us. Enzo, the dog, is limited in what he can do to shape events. And this limitation frustrates him. He fantasizes in the novel about coming back as a man when his dog life is over, and he fantasizes about what he would do if he had language and hands and other human gifts. But he is destined to not have those gifts the impact of what happens to the human members of his family are more deeply felt. And there is an enormous frustration in the awareness of the evil done to those we love and knowing that charges made are false and mean spirited and he can do nothing about it. It occurs to me often that that is fate of God; to be present to the evil and the suffering of the world and is not able for some reason, to intervene, but is deeply impacted by these events.
The end of the novel is, as we would know from the opening pages, is one in which justice is done, wholeness restored, and a hint that maybe dogs do come back as humans.
Trent
