Oh honey, this is not a book for the faint of heart. It is a translation. It is long. It is a philosophy book. Yes, I kept notes as I read. I don't expect anyone to make it through my notes. But I am putting them here so I can find them again. If anyone has actually read this book, please leave a note. I will be very surprised.
Wiki notes:
Sophie's World (Norwegian: Sofies verden) is a 1991 novel written by Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder. It follows the events of Sophie Amundsen, a teenage girl living in Norway and Alberto Knox, a middle aged philosopher who introduces her to philosophical thinking and the history of philosophy. Sophie's World won the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis in 1994. It was originally written in Norwegian and became a best seller in Norway. The novel was later translated into fifty-three languages, with over thirty million copies in print.[1] The English version of the novel was published in 1995. It is one of the most successful Norwegian novels outside of Norway. The book has since been adapted into a film and a PC game.
The Garden of Eden (at some point something must have come from nothing) Chapter title comes from Sophie’s secret ‘den’ in the hedge of their garden.
Sophie Amundsen is lonely – mother works, dad is captain of a big oil tanker, grandmother died 6 months ago. One friend is mentioned – Joanna – she walks part of the way to and from school with her each day. (side note - At this point Sophie ‘reads’ as a very two dimensional character.)
One day Sophie starts finding a series of letters – hand delivered – no postage showing/teaching her the history of the philosopher’s way of thinking.
The first contains a question: “Who are you?”
Followed by another with the question: “Where does the world come from?” Sophie wonders “who had jolted Sophie out of her everyday existence and suddenly brought her face to face with the great wonders of the universe?” (page 9)
As Sophie checks the mailbox for a third note on that first day – she finds a ‘ real/stamped piece of mail – a postcard to Hilde Moller Knag from her father on Hilde’s birthday. The note says “Dear Hilde, Happy 15th Birthday! As I’m sure you’ll understand, I want to give you a present that will help you grow. Forgive me for sending the card c/o Sophie. It was the easiest way. Love from Dad.” (page 10) (side note - at this point – my suspicions are immediately on alert – because the birthday card coming to Sophie’s address c/o someone she doesn’t even know – is so purposeful – that I KNOW it has some major significance).
Sophie thinks about her three interconnected ‘problems’
1. who is putting letters in her mailbox,
2. Difficult questions letters contain,
3. Who is Hilde?
The Top Hat (the only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder)
Sophie’s first “course in philosophy” arrives in a big brown envelop. This explains to Sophie that after people’s basic needs (food, shelter, water, etc) have been met, “there is something else – apart from that - which everyone needs, and that is to figure out who we are and why we are here.” (page 14) “part of something mysterious and we would like to know how it all works.”(page 16) “THE ONLY THING WE REQUIRE TO BE GOOD PHILOSOPHERS IS THE FACULTY OF WONDER.”(page 17) Thought provoking information that most people burrow deep into the fur of the white rabbit where it is safe – and only a curious few move to the very ends of the fur - Our world IS the white rabbit being pulled from a hat –(for more information read last 2 paragraphs on page 20)
The Myths (a precarious balance between the forces of good and evil)
Evolution of philosophy in Greece 600BC. Religious explanations or myths are “a story about the gods which sets out to explain why life is as it is”. Example: “the Lay of Thrym” (page 25) about Thor and his hammer to explain good and evil. Philosophical questions are “Development from a mythological mode of thought to one based on experience and reason.”(page 28)
Natural Philosophers (nothing can come from nothing)
Three new questions arrive in Sophie’s hand delivered mail:
“Is there a basic substance that everything else is made of?”
“Can water turn into wine?”
“How can earth and water produce a live frog?”(page 31)
Earliest Greek Philosophers were called “natural philosophers because they were mainly concerned with the natural world and it processes.” (page 32)
Four roots: earth, air, fire, water (page 38)
“Then Anaxagoras held up that nature is built up of an infinite number of minute particles invisible to the eye” (page 40)
Democritus (the most ingenious toy in the world)
Sophie figures out a pattern to the letter deliveries – every afternoon there is a big brown envelope with her lesson – and while she is reading the lesson – the philosopher would sneak up to the mailbox and deliver a little white envelope. So she decides to keep an eye on the mailbox and catch the philosopher. That day’s lesson: “Why is Lego the most ingenious toy in the world?”(page 44) Democritus was the last of the great natural philosophers (page 45) “he assumed that everything was built up of tiny invisible blocks, each of which was eternal and immutable. Democritus called these smallest units atoms.”
Fate (the fortune-teller is trying to foresee something that is really quite unforeseeable)
After reading that day’s lesson (Democritus above) and seeing no one at the mailbox – she goes downstairs to find an envelope on the front porch (instead of the mailbox). Envelope is a little wet and has two holes in it (clue).
“Do you believe in fate?”
“Is sickness the punishment of the gods?”
“What forces govern the course of history?” (page 49)
Lesson talks about moving out of the tradition that everything is fate/predetermined. Hippocrates (page 56) believed “Health is a natural condition.”
Sophie writes a letter to the philosopher asking if they can meet – puts it in a pink envelope in her mailbox. Sophie catches a glimpse of the philosopher at her mailbox late that night. (Her mother has been noticing a difference in her behavior and thinks she has a boyfriend.) Sophie finds a red scarf under her bed with the name Hilde on it.
Socrates (wisest is she who knows she does not know)
Postmark/stamp from the original postcard to Hilde from her father refers to the Norwegian UN (united Nations) battalion in Lebanon. Sophie starts noticing things in the paper about the battalion. Sophie receive a reply from the philosopher that he can no longer deliver the letters in person and that they will be delivered by his ‘little messenger to Sophie’s secret place in the garden. If Sophie wants to reply she is to put a cookie or a lump of sugar in her pink envelope and leave it in the secret den in the garden. He also says – that if Sophie finds the red scarf to take good care of it. Note is signed - Alberto Knox.
Questions included in note:
“Is there such a thing as natural modesty?”
“Wisest is she who knows she does not know. . .”
“True insight comes from within.
“He who knows what is right will do right.” (page 60)
Lesson comes later in the brown envelope through the regular mail:
What is known of Socrates is from the writings of Plato.
Socrates did not think that he had all the answers (modesty). Socrates promoted discussion, not instruction. Was executed for “introducing new gods and corrupting the youth” (page 67).
Athens (several tall buildings had risen from the ruins)
Sophie received a VCR tapes featuring Alberto Knox giving her a guided tour of Athens. He then goes back in time (on the tape) to the time of Socrates and Plato and shows her how Athens looked then.
Plato (a longing to return to the realm of the soul)
Hermes (dog) makes a delivery of a big brown envelope to the hedge the next morning while Sophie is there. Sophie tries to follow Hermes but he barks and runs. She sits on a tree stump and reads the lesson “Concerned with both what is eternal and immutable in nature and what is eternal and immutable in regards to morals and society.” (page 83) Form or mold so that a horse looks like a horse even though each horse is not identical. And a horse is always all horse and not half horse and half something else (page 85). Soul exists before it inhabits a human body (page 88) Myth of the cave – if cave dwellers only ever see the shadows (from the fire) on the cave wall of ‘real things’ - they think the shadows are all that IS. They do not know the real things exist. When on cave dweller SEES the real things and tries to tell the rest – they will probably kill him (page 89).
The Major’s Cabin (the girl in the mirror winked with both eyes)
After reading the lesson (still in the woods on the tree stump) Sophie decides to follow the path the way that Hermes went. She finds a little cabin on a little lake. She takes the rowboat across the lake to the cabin. She is not strong enough to pull the boat up firmly on the shore. Tiny little cabin – typewriter, fire, someone is living there – but no one is home. Two paintings on the wall – a house on a bay titled “Bjerkely” and an old man titled “Berkeley”. Dog bed with golden hairs – she knows that the occupants of the house are Alberto Knox and Hermes. Finds a wallet with ID for Hilde Moller Knag. Also is an old mirror in a gold frame. As she stares at her reflection it appears that the girl in the mirror winks with both eyes. Freaks her out a little and then she hears dog barking and has urge to FLEE. On her way out – sees an envelope on the table marked “Sophie” and takes it with her. Boat is now drifting on the lake with paddle floating separately. She runs for home – muddy and ashamed. Mother thinks she has been with a boy – Sophie tells her that she has been to the cabin – her mother tells her it is called the Major’s Cabin because an eccentric major used to live there – but that it has been empty for many years. (page 99). Mother talks about a party for Sophie’s birthday which is just a few weeks away. Sophie writes a note to the philosopher apologizing for the cabin and the boat and the envelope. She asks him to convince her that her “deceased grandmother’s soul is happy in the world of ideas.”(page 100) Envelope that she picked up on table asks: “What came first – the chicken or the ‘idea chicken’?” and “are we born with innate ‘ideas’?” and “What is the difference between a plant, an animal, and a human?”
Aristotle (a meticulous organizer who wanted to clarify our concepts)
Sophie gets a note back (via Hermes) from Alberto teasing her about being a sleuth and a burglar and saying that if she is this curious about the answers to the riddles of philosophy that her adventure is very promising. He also says that now he has to move. Aristotle – student of Plato and Europe’s first great biologist. As she finished reading the lesson on Aristotle in her room – she could not stand the mess. She cleaned up, organized and sorted. She finds a white stocking that does not belong to her (again probably Hilde’s) it joins the red scarf, Legos, VHS Video. She feeds her animals (fish, birds, tortoise, cat). She tells her mother that she is lucky to be “human and therefore have the rare capacity for thought” (age 118). She organizes all her philosopher lessons in a binder. “Sophie was in the process of compiling her own book on philosophy. It was not by her, but written especially for her.” (page 119). She does not do her homework.
Hellenism (a spark from the fire)
Sophie finds a postcard with a picture of a UN jeep addressed to Hilde c/o Sophie. It had a Norwegian stamp and was postmarked UN Battalion” on Friday, June 15, 1990. (June 15 is Sophie’s birthday which is in a month). So now Sophie knows that the cards to Hilde are somehow coming in advance, Sophie and Hilde have the same birthday and they both have father’s on the other side of the world. Sophie has not studied for her Religion test. She uses her studies of Philosophies to answer the questions on the test. Teacher says that she is either getting an ‘A’ or a ‘D’ (decides on A) and that next time she had better study. Packet is waiting in the den (hedge) and it has been there for sometime as it is not wet (dog mouth). Alberto says that he realizes she has other studies and there will be no more questions – just the packets. Hellenism – Sophie thought – “could she really believe that everything was one divine ‘I’? Could she believe that she carried within her a soul that was a ‘spark from the fire’? If it was true, then she was truly a divine creature.” (page 137)
The Postcards (I’m imposing severe censorship on myself)
Sophie and Joanna decide to go camping on a national holiday (no school). They came near the Major’s Cabin and go visit. They are careful to pull the boat/oars up on land so it doesn’t float away. Cabin is now deserted. Mirror is still there. They find a box of postcards addressed to Hilde Moller Knag. Postcards are recent. UN postmark. Postcards talk about Hilde’s father coming home for a visit for her birthday (or at least by Midsummer Eve a week later) and a birthday secret. (page 142-143). Postcards say that Hilde will soon meet a girl names Sophie and that Sophie knows no more about it than Hilde does but will soon catch on and maybe Joanna can be of help too - ? Berkeley and Bjerkely portraits are still on the wall. Sophie takes the mirror (and postcards) when they leave the cabin. They go home for rest of holiday. Sophie watches Norwegian UN battalion (in Lebanon) news on TV.
Two Cultures (the only way to avoid floating in a vacuum)
Sophie gets note from Alberto – he says that he left postcards at cabin for her – as he guessed she would go back there – and that was the only way that Hilde will get them.
Lesson includes the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
“It is the only way to become a human being. It is the only way to become more than a naked ape. . .”
“Sophie sat for a while starting into the garden through the little holes in the hedge. She was beginning to understand why it was so important to know about her historical roots. It had certainly been important to the Children of Israel. She herself was just an ordinary person. But if she knew her historical roots, she would be a little less ordinary. She would not be living on this planet for more than a few years. But if the history of mankind was her own history, in a way she was thousands of years old.” (page 161)
The Middle Ages (going part of the way is not the same as going the wrong way) Longer periods of time pass between Alberto’s contact with Sophie and between Hilde’s postcards from her father. And they stop coming by mail and pop up in all sorts of odd places. One day a postcard blows up against the kitchen window as she is fixing dinner. Then she gets a call from Alberto asking her to meet him at St Mary’s church early the next day. She spends the night at Joanna’s and then sneaks out early to go to the church. Alberto is dressed as a monk from the middle ages. Loved the description of the middle ages as 100 years being one hour on a clock – so that it was always the same Sunday (page 167). St Augustine - Greek philosophy carried over to the new age – he saw no contradiction between Christianity and Plato. And St Thomas Aquinas philosopher and theologian – Aquinas Christianized Aristotle in the same way that St Augustine Christianized Plato (page 177). Names (page 183): Hilde=Hindegard was a nun in Rhine valley – preacher, physician, botanist and naturalist. Sophie=Female side of God is in ancient Christian and Jewish belief is Sophia. Alberto=“Aquinas had a famous philosophy teacher called Albert the Great”. The Renaissance (O divine lineage in mortal guise)
From meeting Alberto at St Mary’s – Sophie dashes back to Joanna’s where she was supposed to be (she had sneaked out to church at 6:45am). Joanna’s parents have missed her – Sophie’s mother called for her – getting tricky to keep the deception going. Sophie returns home and takes a nap – she dreams of Hilde at home on a dock and Hilde’s dad coming home. Hilde drops her crucifix on the dock and when Sophie wakes – the crucifix is under her pillow. Hermes (dog) arrives in garden to have Sophie follow him to meet Alberto. Sophie follows Hermes to Old Town and Alberto’s house. When she gets there– she finds a postcard to Hilde from her father saying that Sophie is now meeting the philosopher at his house. Hilde’s father talks about the difference in time (page 190) – between generations, between different parts of the world, “have you ever thought that the history of Europe is like a human life? Antiquity is the childhood of Europe.” Alberto is dressed in Renaissance costume . Alberto and Sophie talk about the cheap tricks that Hilde’s father plays – putting Hilde’s lost things where Sophie can find them – scarf, crucifix, postcards, etc. “he gets more and more audacious. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t using us as a kind of birthday diversion for his daughter.” (page 191) Alberto’s top floor apartment is full of antiquities. He points out three things – compass, ancient firearm, incunabulum (which means cradle – it is a book printed in the cradle days of printing). These are the key discoveries/preconditions to the Renaissance compass-navigation, weapons- military superiority over American and Asiatic cultures, printing-spreading of new ideas. Age of Empirical Method (observation, experience and experiment). Alberto calls Sophie “Hilde” several times. Sophie finds ten crowns ($) that she needs for bus ride home (turns out later that this was another trick of Hilde’s father).
Baroque (such stuff as dreams are made)
Sophie sees someone from Norwegian UN Battalion is killed on TV and is upset. The story of Alberto (teaching her about philosophy) and his dog Hermes comes out (to her mother). Sophie keeps quiet about Hilde and Hilde’s father. Instead she says that it is Alberto’s brother that is in UN Battalion and that is why Sophie is so interested/worried. Sophie’s philosophical thinking comes out more and more in her school work. Her teachers are interested in where she is learning this – as it is NOT taught in school. Postcard to Hilde shows up at Sophie’s school. Sophie finds another one in the same spot where the ten crowns $ had been and in it he talks about Hilde’s losing ten crowns and how someone that needed it might have found it and then lost another ten crowns that someone else needed (Sophie). Alberto is in another costume (wig, lace) for richer Baroque age. ‘Carpe diem – seize the day’ and ‘memento mori – remember you must die’ (page 223). Shakespeare had one foot in the Renaissance and the other in Baroque (wrote about 1600) (page 225) Alberto has 1st edition copy of “Descartes philosophical essays published in 1637 in which is famous Discourse on Method originally appeared.” And a small casket (box) with a collection of lenses for eye glasses.(page 222)
Descartes (he wanted to clear all the ruble off the site)
Direct line of descent from Socrates and Plato via St Augustine to Descartes (page 230)
“reason is the only path to knowledge”
“Cogito, ergo sum” – I think, therefore I am. (page 235)
Alberto introduces Sophie to a PC and she types in and asks about herself and Hilde and then Major Albert Knag writing pops up on the screen and he wishes Hilde a happy birthday. Alberto erases him but says “it’s impossible to say where he’ll turn up next time.” (page 242). Sophie wants to find the Major – Alberto says it is impossible.
Spinoza (God is not a puppeteer)
Spinoza belonged to a Jewish community in Amsterdam – excommunicated for heresy. “He believed that Christianity and Judaism were only kept alive by the rigid dogma and outer ritual. He was the first to apply what we call is historico-critical interpretation of the Bible.” (page 244) Alberto offers Sophie a banana and when she peels it there is a happy birthday to Hilde written inside. Sophie questions whether “he is the one putting words in our mouths.” (page 252)
Locke (as bare and empty as a blackboard before the teacher arrives)
Sophie’s mother insists on meeting Alberto. Sophie ends up showing her the first part of the Athens VHS tape to show him to her mother. Her mother says that Alberto looks very much like the major that lived in the cabin. They talk about the similarities in the names Knox and Knag. Sophie gets more birthday cards for Hilde but none for herself. Hermes (dog) says “happy birthday, Hilde” to Sophie (page 256). Descartes and Spinoza were both rationalists (believes strongly in the importance of reason) Locke (page 259) Essay Concerning Human Understanding published 1690 – where we get our ideas from and whether we can rely on what our senses tell us. And division of powers in government. Hume (commit it then to the flames)
Age of Enlightenment
(page 266) “Hume wanted to investigate every single idea to see whether it was compounded in way that does not correspond to reality. “
Berkeley (like a giddy planet round a burning sun)
(Remember it is Berkeley in the portrait at the Major’s cabin)
Sophie looks out Alberto’s window and sees a plane with a banner that says “happy birthday Hilde” flying by. Alberto says it looks like there is going to be a storm. Sophie says she’ll take the bus home. Alberto says that he hopes the Major is not behind this (the storm) too. Sophie says “He’s not God Almighty, is he?” (page 278) About Berkeley - Alberto went on “Material reality was not the only thing Berkeley was questioning. He was also questioning whether time and space had any absolute or independent existence. Our own perception of time and space can also be merely figments of the mind. A week or two for us need not be a week or two for God…”(Page 281)
Alberto tells Sophie “For us – for you and me – this ‘will or spirit’ that is the cause of everything in everything could be Hilde’s father.”…and Sophie says “Are you saying he’s been a kind of God for us?” and Alberto replies “To be perfectly candid, yes. He should be ashamed of himself!” (page 281) Sophie runs all the way home in a terrible storm – her mother runs out to hug her – her mother cries “What’s happening to us, little one?” - “I don’t know” Sophie sobbed “It’s like a bad dream.”
Bjerkely (an old magic mirror Great-grandmother had bought from a Gypsy woman)
Point of view switches to include Hilde. It is the day of her 15th birthday. The answers to many things about Sophie are understood. Sophie’s garden is at Hilde’s house. THE Mirror hangs above Hilde’s Grandma’s old dresser. “Many years ago her father had joked about not being able to wink at your own reflection with both eyes at the same time, except in this brass mirror.” Captain’s cabin is her father’s studio down by the lake. When Hilde was small – she is the one that didn’t pull the boat all the way up. When it was adrift in the lake, she was the one that felt embarrassed.
The Enlightenment (from the way needles are made to the way cannons are founded)
So now – for the rest of the book – it is both parts/viewpoints. Hilde knows about Sophie as Hilde reads the book that her father wrote and sent her for her birthday. (SIDE NOTE: Literally – Hilde is reading this same book that I am holding reading). Hilde very much has the feeling that Sophie EXISTS (outside of the book). It is like two parallel worlds – and there are mysteries in this - for example – the severe storm that raged in both worlds – when Hilde’s father had all ready written it into Sophie’s world – but it happened in Hilde’s world too. And Hilde’s missing crucifix – Hilde didn’t realize it was missing – but her mother did and mentioned it to the father – but now the mother can’t find it either – and remember Sophie found it under her pillow.
Hilde’s dad writes in background information on the UN.
Alberto and Sophie continue their studies – even though Alberto says (page 305-6) that “It may turn out that we ARE thoughts, and that is quite different from thinking. We have good reason to believe that we have merely been invented by Hilde’s father as a kind of birthday diversion for the major’s daughter from Lillesand.” Alberto tells Sophie that he is working on a ‘trick’ for them to find their own free will. (page 306-7)
KANT (the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me)
Hilde’s dad calls on the phone to wish her a happy birthday and Hilde says that she feels a little sorry for Sophie. Hilde feels like she is IN the picture of the house (looking out) that is hanging in the Captain’s Cabin. Hilde’s dad writes in background information on the UN. Kant and Hume are talked about (back and forth) in this chapter – it is a LONG chapter. Hilde’s father writes in a sea serpent (in the lake), Little Red Ridinghood and Winnie-the-Pooh into Sophie and Alberto’s lesson at the cabin.
Romanticism (the path of mystery leads inwards)
Hilde is still reading her book. Sophie is planning a Philosophical garden party for her birthday. And in the lesson is the story – “Novalis became engaged to a 14 year old girl. She died 4 days After her 15th birthday, but Novalis remained devoted to her for the rest of his short life.” (page 344). Her name was Sophie and (our) Sophie wonders about the coincidence because of the name and the fact that she is 15 + 4 days. Alberto tells her not to worry as there are many more chapters to finish and nothing will happen until the Major is finished writing. Aladdin stops by the cabin – rubs his lamp and the Major appears to wish Hilde one more happy birthday. Alberto and Sophie plan to contact Hilde by the fact that the Major is typing half asleep and has no correction fluid, so they can contact Hilde and he can’t do anything about it. They consider convincing Hilde to run away. And they consider that while the Major sits in Lebanon typing about them – someone else might be sitting somewhere typing about HIM typing about them. That he might only be a character in a book too.
Hegel (the reasonable is that which is viable)
Hilde feels that her father is being a rascal in how he is treating Sophie and Alberto. Hilde devises a plan to get even with her father – a trick of her own. (page 366-7) “Hegel says that the world spirit returns to itself in 3 stages. By that he means that it becomes conscious in 3 stages. “ subjective spirit (individual ) and objective spirit (family, civil society, and the state) and absolute spirit (art, religion, and philosophy). And Sophie asks Alberto if his statement “that philosophy is the mirror of the world spirit” has something to do with the mirror and Alberto says yes – but only Hilde knows what it means.
Kierkegaard (Europe is on the road to bankruptcy)
Hilde works on her plan to surprise/trick her dad when he is on the way home. Alice (in Wonderland) knocks on the cabin door and gives Sophie two bottles (to drink from). Red makes everything appear as one – pantheism or idealism. Everything as one big ego (page 371). A sip from Blue and every individual things is a wonder – this is individualism . Sophie has to take small sips from both to balance things out again. (side note: I loved this)
Marx (a spectre is haunting Europe)
Hilde takes action on her plan to trick her father – by calling friends/relatives in Copenhagen and asking them to do something. Joanna and Sophie make preparations for the philosophical garden party. Alberto works on his secret plan to work ‘between the lines’ of the fictional reality that the major is writing. Sophie meets Ebenezer Scrooge (rich ) and the matchstick girl (poor) on her way to learn about Karl Marx.
Darwin (a ship sailing through life with a cargo of genes)
Hilde wakes up in her bed – contemplating what it would be like if she woke in a different place or a different time. Noah (ark) knocks on the cabin door and gives Sophie a picture of all the animals he saved. “Naturalistic scientist will exclusively rely on natural phenomenon” – applies to Marx, Darwin and Freud (page 401).
Freud (the odious egoistic impulse that had emerged in her)
Hilde has to go ‘row’ vigorously to calm down she loved that everything in the binder was written for her (by her dad) but she did NOT like how he was treating Sophie and Alberto.
“She could not fathom that they were no more than ‘electromagnetic impulses’ in her father’s brain.” (page 424). “She could not accept that they were only paper and printer’s ink from a ribbon in her father’s portable typewriter. “ Knock at the cabin door and it is The Emperor (stark naked). Lesson on Freud. Alberto asks Sophie to create a diversion on the way home so that the Major’s attention is on her and Alberto can work on his plan.
Our Own Time (man is condemned to be free)
Sophie sings and dances and yodels on the way home. She climbs a high tree and can’t get down. A goose comes to help her. Goose slaps Sophie and she shrinks down to the size of her thumb. Climbs on gooses back and goose flies her home. Goose wishes that they had time to fly through the whole history of philosophy. Later Alberto and Sophie meet in town to talk about “our own time”. A time of communication by computer – no longer have to travel. And Alberto shows Sophie hundreds of books in a book store about telepathy, astrology, ESP – that do not contain one bit of genuine experience – that map a landscape that does not exist. And Alberto takes Sophie back to the philosophy section of the store and shows her a book called “Sophie’s World”. She heads for home with the book under her arm.
The Garden Party (a white crow)
The party turns into a sort of circus – demonstrators carrying signs about the UN, people throwing fireworks, throwing things on the roof, exploding the cake, having sex under the bushes, crashing cars into trees and in the chaos – Sophie and Alberto escape.
Counterpoint (two or more melodies sounding together)
Hilde finishes the book and can’t believe that her father wrote that last chapter. “Was it just to demonstrate his power over Sophie’s world?” (page 479) Sophie and Alberto go to Bjerkely to see what happens when the Major returns. Every day humans can’t see/hear them but other characters that have escaped from books can – they belong to the world of the invisible people. (page 491). The Major on his way home – finds notes, and envelopes and directions where ever he goes – Hilde is directing his world all the way home like he directed Sophie’s.
The Big Bang (we too are stardust)
Sophie is able to make Hilde feel her presence very slightly. Sophie unties the rowboat so it is floating freely once again. Sophie and Alberto are free to go wherever they like. The whole situation has flipped – it started out as Hilde and her dad ‘reading’ about Sophie’s World and now Sophie and Alberto can observe theirs like they are reading it.
