Review

               To summarize this book as a whole would not do justice to the profound nature of the many ideas expressed throughout. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is not an average novel that follows a linear plot and creates a story. Instead Pirsig uses his extraordinary life experience to create a volume of personal philosophy with which he hopes to foster new thought in the reader. He interweaves the plot with insightful reflection on worldly ideas that he deems important to all people.
          At one point, the narrator goes into detail on hierarchic structures and what constitutes a "system". He explains the basic structures that create the system of a motorcycle and likens it to the structure of social systems. He also discusses the idea of what happens when a system losses its meaning and purpose and how people respond.

         "But to tear down a factory or revolt against a government or to avoid repair of a motorcycle because it is a system is to attack effects rather than causes; and as long as the attack is upon effects only, no change is possible. The true system, the real system, is our present construction of systematic thought itself, rationality itself, and if a factory is torn down but the rationality which produced it is left standing, then the rationality will simply produce another factory. If a revolution destroys a systematic government, but the systematic patterns of thought that produced that government are left intact, then those patterns will repeat themselves in the succeeding government. There's so much talk about the system. And so little understanding."

           Another theme of the story that is emphasized is the idea of situational awareness, being fully present in your actions and thoughts. The narrator describes this when hiking the mountains of northern Montana. He writes,

         "Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you are no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountains which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow."

        Throughout the book one of the most prevalent philosophical idea that is discussed is the relationship between subject and object, the actor and the action. The narrator observes a distinct separation between the two and identifies this separation as the source of many problems in today's society. He believes "quality" can only be achieved when this dualistic nature is reformed and both sides become one. The narrator gives his thoughts on the matter,

           "I think that if we are going to reform the world, and make it a better place to live in, the way to do it is not with talk about relationships of political nature, which are inevitability dualistic, full of subjects and objects and their relationship to one another; or with programs full of things for other people to do. I think that kind of approach starts at the end and presumes the end is the beginning. Programs of a political nature are important end products of social quality that can be effective only if the underlying structure of social values is right. The social values are right only if the individual values are right. The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there. Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value."

        As you can see from these passages, Pirsig deals with many different ideas and concepts throughout Zen. He attempts to open the reader's mind to a new way of thinking and seeing the world through the exploration of intricate and important topics. One aspect of the story that is especially interesting is how the narrator is able to connect these heavy ideas to the field of motorcycle maintenance. His cross-country trip and his bike itself serves as a metaphor, at times, for his personal philosophy. He uses this idea to convey complex ideas and thoughts.
        I would consider this book a great read for anyone interested at all in philosophy and intellectual adventure. It provides new and provocative ideas that foster critical thought in the reader. Not only is the philosophy interesting, the plot itself holds the story together and makes for a entertaining read.

Philosophical Effects of Punctuation

          Specific usage of punctuation is generally not a central part of any given piece of writing. In some cases however, the author may include unique and unusual punctuation choices to convey a certain idea or attitude. This can be used to create a passage that stands out from the rest in order to achieve a certain end, such as a transition from one topic to another. One passage that does just that in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance come just after the narrator describes the landscape of the mountainous region he finds himself in. He writes:    
       
           "I want to talk about another kind of high country now in the world of thought, which is some ways, for me at least, seems to parallel or produce feelings similar to this, and call it the high country of the mind.
          If all of human knowledge, everything that's known, is believed to be an enormous hierarchic structure, then the high country of the mind is found at the uppermost reaches of this structure in the most general, the most abstract considerations of all.
          Few people travel here. There's no real profit to be made from wandering through it, yet like this high country of the material world all around us, it has its own austere beauty that to some people make the hardships of traveling through it seem worthwhile.
          In the high country of the mind one has to become adjusted to the thinner air of uncertainty, and to the enormous magnitude of questions asked, and to the answers proposed to these questions. The sweep goes on and on and on so obviously much further than the mind can grasp one hesitates even to go near for fear of getting lost and never finding one's way out.
          What is the truth and how do you know it when you have it? ...How do we really know anything? Is there an "I," a "soul," which knows, or is this soul merely cells coordinating senses? ...Is reality basically changing, of is it fixed and permanent? ...When it's said that something means something, what's meant by that?"

          The author, Robert Pirsig, makes some grammatical and structural choices here that serve to progress his discussion from the physical world to the philosophical world of thought. He makes this transition with the use of excessive commas to elongate his sentences and express his many ideas in pithy statements. The first four sentences of this passage contain 10 commas, used to interject relevant thoughts that enhance the overall
meaning of what he says. One might also note that these four sentences make up 3 separate paragraphs, each concerned with a different subtopic. His use of multiple commas allows for this efficiency of explanation by creating a smoother flow of ideas. All of this translates to a more understandable and accessible progression of writing.
          The second part of this passage utilizes rhetorical questions as a way to foster philosophical thought on the part of the reader, and to help the reader understand the type of thinking that the narrator is describing. Not only do these questions lead to interaction between the author and the reader, they also serve as examples of the type of things discussed in the "high country of the mind". Furthermore, the ellipses between the questions convey the idea that they are connected as a string of conscious thought and exploration, an idea that would become more important as the narrator dives further into this ocean of philosophy.