BOOK REVIEW - Sophie's World: Jostein
Gaarder, Phoenix Books 1995
Is this a novel, or is it a
textbook on philosophy? This question is in itself just one of the conundrums
rose by this amazing book. Few works of fiction come with extensive index
notes. This is a dual-purpose book. On one hand it is a young adult's guide to
the most difficult
metaphysical questions in Western Philosophy, and on the other hand it is a
fantasy based on the many ideas it presents in an easy prose that makes even
incomprehensible philosophers like
Hegel accessible. It begins when a fourteen-year-old Norwegian girl receives an
anonymous note bearing the questions, ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Where did the world
come from?’. Sophie's world changes as she receives a series of philosophical
essays, comprising the beginnings of a strange correspondence course. She is
guided step by step through pre-Socratic and Hellenistic philosophy. The
fictional elements that intercut so neatly with the textbook passages of the
philosophy course are equally fascinating. Sophie attempts to track down the
philosopher who communicates at first only through his messenger dog Hermes.
Eventually, Sophie finds him to be a man called Alberto Knox. She first sees
him in a video he posts to her in which he is talking directly to Plato, live
in ancient Greece. From here, the story takes a more fantastic turn. Sophie
meets Knox, and also discovers that another figure called, with deliberate
similarity of name, Albert Krag, and another teenage girl called Hilde, who
seems to be engaged in a parallel debate, is affecting her life. Alberto Knox
begins to educate Sophie in the shocking realisation that she is merely a
fictional character in a book on philosophy, which Krag is writing for his
daughter during his absence from her side. Sophie finds that her education is
now being illustrated with the aid of visits from other fictional characters.
The Little Match Girl attempting to sell Ebenezer Scrooge her wares illustrates
Marxist theories of the division between bourgeoisie and the proletariat. It
may seem simplistic, but it works wonderfully. There are flaws. There is no
mention of Utilitarian thinkers, and Nietzsche is glossed over too quickly in
Gaarder's eagerness to rush on to Sartre and Simone De Beauvoir. He is at his
best as a philosopher in the Hellenistic world. The book demonstrates
philosophy's relevance in day-to-day activity, and for us, there is much
reference to Humanism's Greek and Renaissance heritage. Finally, the book
carefully but sympathetically discredits all claims of paranormalism. Sophie
and Alberto make a brief but telling impact on the mind of Hilde Krag, and
vanish. Hilde herself is last seen being told of the fleetingness of life in
the cosmic scale of time. This is a book on all aspects of life. It is often
comical, and occasionally tragic. It captures the sense that life is precious
and wonderful and even spiritually awe-inspiring even without supernaturalism.
For Sophie and Alberto. Trapped in the realm of the imagination as
philosophical abstractions. There is recognition of what little immortally
there is – and that we survive only in the impressions we leave of ourselves in
the lives of others.
© Copyright. Arthur Chappell
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