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One of the reasons Denny is such a good driver is because of his skill in driving in the rain. Rain, he says, magnifies a driver's mistakes, and therefore many drivers fear the rain. However, when Denny explains the idea of manifesting one's destiny, Enzo comes to understand that rain is a symbol for strife, struggle, or opposition. Enzo sees Eve as his personal rain; he fears and resents her for the change she brought to his family, but by regarding her as a driver might regard the rain and as an obstacle to be overcome, he's able to improve their relationship. As an overarching symbol, rain symbolizes all the things that Denny must battle throughout the novel. Denny must fight first a sub-par crew and the demands of family, Eve's illness and then death, and finally a custody suit and a sexual harassment charge as he struggles to piece his life together and pursue a life as a professional driver. The use of rain in this way allows Enzo to further flesh out the theme of destiny and spirituality, as they rely fully on the driving metaphor to be understood. Denny is not considered just in terms of the man he is, but oftentimes more so in terms of the driver he is, which is one who is skilled at driving in the rain, and therefore able to overcome off-the-track obstacles to achieve his goals.
Rain Quotes in The Art of Racing in the Rain
The The Art of Racing in the Rain quotes below all refer to the symbol of Rain. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 8
Quotes
I had always wanted to love Eve as Denny loved her, but I never had because I was afraid. She was my rain. She was my unpredictable element. She was my fear. But a racer should not be afraid of rain; a racer should embrace the rain.
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Chapter 49
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When it rained, it never rained on Senna.
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Chapter 53
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Tears ran down Denny's mother's cheeks during the entire encounter, raindrops spotting Zoë's flower-print dress.
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Get the entire Racing in the Rain LitChart as a printable PDF.
Rain Symbol Timeline in The Art of Racing in the Rain
The timeline below shows where the symbol Rain appears in The Art of Racing in the Rain. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...1993 Grand Prix of Europe, in which Ayrton Senna drove like a genius in the rain. Enzo continues, saying that he's always felt almost human and different than other dogs.
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...The track starts out dry, but as soon as the race starts, it starts to rain. The other cars spin out of control, but Denny drives as though the rain doesn't...
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Chapter 3
...talks about watching racing videos with Denny. Denny always says that when driving in the rain, you must drive very gently, like there are eggshells on the pedals. When the two...
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Chapter 8
...of the race. The track is wet and it looks as though it's going to rain again, and Denny's team decided to switch to rain tires, putting Denny far behind the...
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As the rain begins, Denny starts passing other cars that aren't using rain tires and are therefore struggling....
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...before you." Noting Eve's confusion at the phrase, Denny describes learning to drive in the rain when he was first in driving school. All the students were extremely confused after the...
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...did out of fear. Enzo believes that Eve is his fear, his unpredictable entity: his rain. At this moment, Enzo decides a racer should embrace the rain rather than be afraid...
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Chapter 9
...doubts, but decided it didn't matter. Regardless, Denny had done very well because it was rainy in France, and a scout approached him one day and asked if he could drive...
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Chapter 25
...keep going after Denny installs their chains, and at the top of a mountain pass, rain suddenly begins. Denny removes their chains and they begin their descent down the mountain toward...
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Chapter 36
Enzo describes how much he loves the drizzle Seattle is known for, since a light rain amplifies scents and brings odors to life. Eve has only been dead a few days,...
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Chapter 49
...favorite races, the 1984 Grand Prix of Monaco, in which Ayrton Senna drives in the rain. Enzo tells the reader that Senna would've won, but they canceled the race due to...
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Chapter 50
...asks why, and Luca replies that he hears Denny is an exceptional driver in the rain, and offers to explain further when Denny can join him for dinner at his house...
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Chapter 56
...the middle of a group of people outside, but as Tony approaches it starts to rain and the group hurries inside. Enzo notes that Annika is crying and winces when she...
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Tony and Enzo escape the rain under an awning. Enzo wishes he could intervene in the courtroom, and Tony says they...
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Chapter 58
Enzo tells the reader that he knows that racing in the rain is about balance, anticipation, and patience—it's about the mind, and believing you are everything and...
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