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The Dharma Bums Passage Analysis

Satisfactory Essays

"Oh what a life this is, why do we have to be born in the first place, and only so we can have our poor gentle flesh laid out to such impossible horrors as huge mountains and rock and empty space," (Kerouac The Dharma Bums, page 42-43.) This passage was used during their hiking to Matterhorn. Ray was so afraid and he could not continue to climb up the mountain. This passage expressed how much fear he felt during that time.
“I cannot fall off the mountain” (Kerouac The Dharma Bums, page 44.) Overcoming his fear Ray realized that he cannot fall off the mountain. After Ray’s observation to Japhy’s reaction on top of the mountain and seeing Japhy’s running down the mountain he figure out that he can also do it.

The first passage reminds me of my fear. I’m always skeptical of trying if I would be able to do something that I’m really afraid of. In reference of the chapters that I have read, I was thinking if Ray’s really overcome his fear or he’s just pretending to show Japhy’s that he can also do things like he used to do; pretending that he felt bad and he should try to climb up the mountain. I felt that he is not being honest that time. The way the passage was constructed, you could feel his fear that …show more content…

I am afraid of heights and I cannot pull myself to go higher. It sounds funny, but fear is all over me. Even though my family keeps encouraging me and convinces me that I will be fine, I cannot move my feet to continue. I feel like if I move another step I would fall off the hills. I’m not sure if I will be able to overcome this fear. Unlike, Ray our difference is, he figure out that he is not afraid. That he cannot fall off the mountain and I never feel the same way. I feel relieve when I saw my family walking down the hills because I know that I can now go down and will not endure the fear while waiting for them to come down; I feel bad but it’s

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