Karen Vallejos
Right below the tittle “Sophie’s world”, it says “a novel about the history of philosophy.” Though this is an accurate statement, it barely covers the essence of the novel. The creative writing style of Jostein Gaarder and his recounting of the history of philosophy to a fourteen-year-old girl, create a thought provoking novel that makes us question reality and our place in it.
Philosophers are the ones who take it upon themselves to ask unexplained questions. Sophie’ world explains, “The only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder.” This theme of wonder presents itself through the book. Questions are a key to the unknown is expressed by philosophers through the book and is reflected by Sophie, who learns to question philosophies presented to her. However the novel makes no effort to convince one particular philosophy rather it explains “It is by no means certain that we advance our philosophical quest by reading Plato or Aristotle. It may increase our knowledge of history but not of the world.”
The novel presents a separation in people based on their ability to accept ambiguity and uncertainty, or to reject these concepts. The novel makes a clear distinction between ages and the how “As long as we are children, we have the ability to experience things around us--but then we grow used to the world. To grow up is to get drunk on sensory experience.” Sophie’s mom and teacher’s reaction to her philosophical insight show these theories to be true. It is these individuals who are perplexed by questions. The mother’s first reaction is that they’re “silly questions” later she assumes that her child is on drugs. However the book argues the mothers idea by presenting that “It's not a silly question if you can't answer it.” Again the idea that questions and curiosity are to be celebrated appears in the book. Sophie’s World also deals with different theories and questions, one of the most interesting was “The question of whether a thing is right or wrong, good or bad, must always be considered in relation to a persons needs.” This question is not only provocative but if taken seriously questions societies rules and standards. Another idea presented is that “The most subversive people are those who ask questions.” Therefore creating an atmosphere of controversy not only between Sophie and her mentor but also the reader who is then forced to consider these ideas.
One of the most thought provoking ideas and questions was the idea that reality is simply relative to the individual. Dreams and their reality are questioned asking the reader “And what if, in your sleep. You dreamed? And what if, in your dream, you went to Heaven and plucked a strange and beautiful flower?” The idea that we all dream is understood however it asks “And what if, when you awoke, you held the flower in your hand?” The novel gives this scenario as an eye opener of how unprepared an individual is to face a new definition of reality. Then one must face that “to be or not to be, is not the whole question. The question is also who we are”. The question of who we are lead us to question our role in nature and then of the reality of our place. “Does our world consist of real things -- or are we encircled by the mind”?
A second question is humans place in the universe. “Although you may not stumble across a Martian in the garden,” the novel explains that we could “stumble across our selves” And it will be on this day that one will realize that one is a “living planet dweller on a little island in the universe.” This idea of how small we are is concluded with the idea that “Yes, we too are stardust.” This idea adds a sense to humility, to the book. After reading the novel and learning about different theories and gaining knowledge, we are then reminded, that like Socrates we know little to nothing, and that our place in the universe, whether real or not is very small.
