The Art of Racing in the Rain Chapters 1-5 Quotes
The Art of Racing in the Rain Chapters 1-5 Quotes
How we cite the quotes:
(Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote 1
"You don't mind if I love him too, do you? I won't come between you." I respected her for asking, but I knew that she would come between us, so I found her preemptive denial to be disingenuous. (4.4-5)
This is the first time we see Enzo grappling with the fact that his life is going to change—and the fact that he has no way of controlling how other people's decisions impact him. It's also the beginning of a clear, albeit brief, turf war between Eve and Enzo. (Don't tell, but our money was on the dog.)
Quote 2
He is so brilliant. He shines. He's beautiful with his hands that grab things and his tongue that says things and the way he stands and chews his food for so long, mashing it into a paste before he swallows. I will miss him and little Zoë, and I know they will miss me. (1.20)
Enzo's reflection on Denny is full of the purest, most selfless love that it basically makes us want to cry. We can hear how much he loves Denny just from the way he describes him, and he wants Denny to let him go so Denny can live his life.
Quote 3
I am very ready to be a man now, though I realize I will lose all that I have been. All of my memories, all of my experiences. I would like to take them with me into my next life—there is so much I have gone through with the Swift family—but I have little to say in the matter. What can I do but force myself to remember? Try to imprint what I know on my soul, a thing that has no surface, no sides, no pages, no form of any kind. Carry it so deeply in the pockets of my existence that when I open my eyes and look down at my new hands with their thumbs that are able to close tightly around their fingers, I will already know. I will already see. (1.4)
Enzo's belief that humanity isn't just about being human, but also knowing what it means to be a good human, is apparent here, and it's a topic that he comes back to throughout his story. In our opinion, some people could learn from this dog about how to be people.