The Art of Racing in the Rain Essay Questions

Discuss the significance of Denny's various living situations and how they reflect his changing status throughout the novel. How do the different spaces reflect various elements of Denny's life, like his emotional state, relationships, and career?

One could begin with Denny's first apartment in Leschi, a sparse but functional space shared by himself and Enzo while Enzo is still a puppy. The space is not decorated and contains only the things that Denny needs or enjoys, like a television on which he can watch races. But when Eve moves in, she rearranges furniture in a more aesthetically pleasing way and hangs decorations on the wall. She nests, which forecasts the possibility of a family. When Denny and Eve actually start a family, they move into a house with a yard, representing the fulfillment of an "American Dream" and Denny's attainment of the ideal nuclear family and a dominion of his own. Then, when his life takes a turn and he runs out of money, he moves himself and Enzo to a cramped apartment in downtown Seattle. There is no room for anything other than the bare necessities. Finally, at the conclusion of the novel, Denny and Zoë live in Imola, Italy. Their move to a different part of the world represents a fresh start for them. By moving to Italy, they leave behind the bad associations with Seattle.

Compare and contrast Eve and Enzo's experiences with being diagnosed with an illness that will eventually lead to their death.

We can compare Enzo's initial impression of Eve's refusal to see a doctor with his opinion after he is diagnosed with hip dysplasia in order to demonstrate how first-hand experience shapes Enzo's perspective. One could mention the recurring idea that "the car goes where the eyes go," to explain why Eve refused to see a doctor in the first place. She didn't want to be doomed by a terminal diagnosis and would rather live her life without knowing the nature of her condition. Enzo's approach to hip dysplasia is quite the same, except that it takes him longer to overcome his fear of death than Eve.

Discuss the role of reincarnation in the novel. What spiritual traditions does the novel engage by bringing in the theme of reincarnation? How does Enzo's belief in reincarnation affect the way he interacts with the world?

One could discuss how reincarnation is introduced to Enzo through a documentary about the Mongolian belief in reincarnation. One could discuss the Buddhist and Hindu traditions of reincarnation and how Enzo's views blend the two schools of thought. One could explicate the section about crows and expand on the idea that crows, in the order of rebirth, are understood to be quite close to human beings. Finally, one could discuss how Enzo's belief in reincarnation gives him hope that there is a purpose to seemingly untimely deaths like that of Ayrton Senna.

Discuss Maxwell and Trish's motivation to gain custody of Zoë. How do their intentions reflect their opinion of Denny? How are Maxwell and Trish distinguishable from one another?

The class disparity between Eve's family and Denny is important here. Eve and The Twins come from a level of wealth and privilege far beyond Denny's background. Maxwell and Trish claim to want what is best for Zoë, but really they are prejudiced against Denny's blue-collar background. They see Zoë as a reflection of their own status, so they feel shame if she doesn't go to private school and receive the same refinements that their daughter had. However, Trish demonstrates that she still thinks Denny is a good person and her misgivings in the middle of the novel regarding the criminal trial show that she is not as committed as Maxwell to the idea that just because Denny is poor means he is incapable of raising Zoë to be a good person.

Discuss points in the novel when gestures speak louder than words.

The Art of Racing in the Rain contains many examples of powerful gestures. Some examples are when Enzo stages his own incontinence at the beginning of the novel in order to persuade Denny to put him down; or when Eve sends away her night nurse and lets Enzo in from the garage to demonstrate that his emotional support is more powerful than the presence of a medical professional; or when Enzo urinates on the custody settlement documents to demonstrate that Denny should not admit to something of which he is not guilty; or when Denny allows The Twins to have an extra 48 hours with Zoë after the custody battle is dropped to demonstrate compassion.