The Art Of Racing In The Rain Analysis

The novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein, epitomizes the theme of never conceding the fight for one’s desires by regaining strength, faith, and support. Denny Swift, owner of his loving dog, Enzo, uses strength and skill to successfully race professionally in the rain, determined to overcome slippery conditions and opponents. When Denny loses custody of his daughter, Zoe, he must retain faith in his ability to prove his role as a loving father, innocent of accused rape. With support of his dog, Enzo, Denny is encouraged to maintain his fight for custody of his daughter. Racing in Seattle proves beneficial for Denny; he mastered the skill of racing in the rain, a dangerous and difficult finesse.
It takes a great deal of skill to race in the rain, and Denny manages his way through the track as if there is no rain at all. Enzo is set up in front of the TV, and Denny plays one of his racing tapes. As they watch, Enzo is entranced by Denny’s smooth maneuvering. He also describes Denny as good as Ayrton Senna, a World Champion racer. Enzo describes Denny’s race:
It’s one of

my favorites. The racetrack is dry for the pace lap, and then just after the green flag is waved, there is a wall of rain, a torrential downpour that engulfs the track, and all the cars around him spin out of control into the fields and he drives through them as if the rain didn’t fall on him, like he had a magic spell that cleared water from his path. (Stein 6)
Denny’s physical strength is exhibited when the race is shown on tape. His seemingly magical spell demonstrates his fearlessness and determination when on the slippery track. The strength and confidence in Denny when he races is crucial for him when he needs it the most, in the fight against allegations of rape.
When Denny is accused of rape and loses his daughter, his faith is shaken; he must prove his innocence and love for his daughter. Denny is brought in to the police station for questioning, and after sitting alone in silence for hours, Mark Fein shouts at him, asking him about what he has done. Denny denies the allegations, but Mark continues to remind him the chances of losing full custody of his daughter, losing his career, and serving jail time. “A pedophile. A sex offender. A statutory rapist. A child molester. Do these terms fit anywhere in the concept of ‘the best interest of a child’?” (Stein 199). With the loss of the custody of his child, Denny could also face countless charges. These charges would not only put him in jail, but also cause him to lose his daughter forever. The terms Mark uses leave an impact on Denny; however, he still continues to deny the charges and prove his love for his daughter. Enzo is the only one Denny has left, and though Enzo cannot speak, he shows support and love for him, when Denny feels defeated and loses hope.
Losing custody of his child is heartbreaking for Enzo to watch as Denny suffers; yet Enzo remarkably supports him through it. While Denny is sleeping after an exhausting day, Eve’s fifteen year-old cousin, Annika, tries to take advantage of him. Enzo watches and believes in Denny, he is not at fault. Enzo starts barking to wake up Denny, and he sees Annika attempting to force herself onto him, sexually assaulting Denny. “I have faith. I will always have faith in Denny. So I have to believe what she did to him was without his consent, without his knowledge. He had nothing to do with it” (Stein 143). Enzo’s faith is persistent during not only this difficult period of Denny’s life, but throughout the loss of his wife, the custody battle, and the rape allegations. His support is reassuring to Denny and Enzo describes how he will always believe Denny. Enzo’s persistence and support for Denny is shown by Dan Forrest as he explains how to conquer difficulties.
Dan Forrest earned his M.A in History and M.L.I.S in Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University. He also received a B.A in History and English from Northwestern State University. He writes for the Library Journal, composing reviews and articles (“Dan Forrest”). “Enzo ultimately teaches Denny and the reader that persistence and joie de vivre will see them through the checkered flag” (Forrest). Denny never retreats from losing Zoe, and his persistence, faith, and support from Enzo helps him successfully win her back. High spirits progress, with the help of others. Denny’s fight for custody of his daughter can be compared to Malala Yousafzai’s struggles. She fought for her life and women’s rights, described by journalist Samira Shackle.
Samira Shackle is a former contributor to the New Statesman magazine, and is now an assistant editor for the New Humanist magazine. She is a freelance journalist now working and living in Karachi, Pakistan (Shackle; “Writers: Samira Shackle”). Malala Yousafzai was only fifteen years old when she was shot by a Taliban assassin on her way home from school. She was shot in the head and leg. After she recovered slowly, she became stronger than ever. She was targeted by the Taliban because she was an educational activist for young women. Her blog on BBC Urdu describes her life under the Taliban control. Even after she was put on a Taliban hit list at the start of the year she was undeterred.
"Sometimes I imagine I'm going along and the Taliban stop me," Malala said on television. "I take my sandal and hit them on the face and say, 'What you're doing is wrong. Education is our right, don't take it from us.' There is this quality in me -- I'm ready for all situations. So even if (God let this not happen) they kill me, I'll first say to them, 'What you're doing is wrong.’” (Shackle)
Malala’s stand against the Taliban shows her strength and will to fight for her rights. She is not afraid to speak up for herself, and she will not surrender. Her faith and love of education has made her stronger and fearless. This theme of the world ties into The Art of Racing in the Rain because both fictional Denny Swift and actual Malala Yousafzai took a stand and never accepted defeat. They both needed strength to succeed in their endeavors.
In the novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, the theme of keeping strength, faith, and support to fight for one’s desires is demonstrated in today’s world.

Malala’s fight against the Taliban and fight for women’s rights is closely related to Denny’s fight for the custody of Zoe. Denny needs his strength to race in the slippery conditions in the rain, whereas Malala needed her strength to survive the potentially deadly shots to her head and leg. Both Denny and Malala keep the faith in themselves, Denny uses his faith to fight for his daughter, and Malala uses her faith to fight for girls’ educations. With support from Enzo, Denny is able to win back his daughter, and Malala received support from her father, who runs a chain of schools. Demonstrated by Denny Swift and Malala Yousafzai, one can successfully earn one’s desires by fighting for them and overcoming

hardships.