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Chapter 29
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Art of Racing in the Rain, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
What It Means to Be Human
Language and Storytelling
Love and Family
Illness and Death
Destiny and Spirituality
Summary
Analysis
In a pause in the narrative, Enzo discusses driving strategy. He says that sometimes, a driver being chased by another competitor will sometimes realize that it's best to let the other driver pass and force the new leader to concentrate behind him. However, he says, sometimes it's important to not allow another driver to pass for strategic or psychological reasons. Finally, he says that racing is about discipline and intelligence, and the smart driver will always win.
The reader is asked to consider how this discussion fits in with the overarching narrative. It sets up the expectation that the following legal battle is going to be a psychological one, a battle fought with discipline and intelligence rather than brute strength. The reader is of course encouraged to see Denny as the smart driver Enzo mentions.
Themes
