49 pages • 1 hour read
Christopher McDougallRunning with Sherman
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Mentorship
Much of Christopher McDougall’s narrative centers upon the various mentors that he accrues while training Sherman and navigating the world of burro racing. Many of the chapters are structured in a similar manner, with a training session with Sherman leading to the revelation of a new issue. Often, these solutions come in the form of mentors, making mentorship an important motif in the memoir.
The initial mentor, and perhaps the strongest overall, is Tanya, whom McDougall calls the “Donkey Whisperer” (76). She deepens McDougall’s understanding of donkeys, but each new mentor along the way broadens McDougall’s knowledge in one form or another, proving indispensable to Sherman’s later success. From the runners of Vella Shpringa to the advice of Coach Eric, to the wisdom of Curtis Imrie, to the deeply introspective advice of Karin, McDougall is carried to triumph with Sherman through their guidance. Even Kip Otteson, the owner of the Earthship McDougall stays at before the race, offers a mantra—“fear that thing, do that thing” (303)—that McDougall adopts to get him through the hardest sections of the race. The persistence of these mentors in McDougall’s narrative serves to reinforce his central concept of the vital nature of community in any athlete’s success.
Body Language Interpretation
The motif of learning to read Sherman’s body language occurs throughout the book. Initially this occurs when mentors “translate” Sherman for McDougall, broadening his understanding of the donkey.
Tanya is an early interpreter of Sherman both physically and mentally, and so is Mika (100), who pays close attention to Sherman even when McDougall is focused on getting the donkey to achieve his goal. Karin is also a vital translator, keying McDougall into the horse-trailer revelation. Eventually McDougall himself comes to read Sherman, and this is a triumph in the text, as Sherman is finally able to “speak” to McDougall during the championship race, strengthening their connection.
This notion of reading the unspoken also occurs through the text in relation to both animals and humans. Much of McDougall’s early interactions with Zeke seem based on a similar kind of reading, trying to determine Zeke’s state of mind without upsetting him. Zeke’s road to recovery mirrors Sherman’s in the process of healing, and their recovery under McDougall’s care suggests a deepening sensitivity and a heightened awareness from McDougall. Learning to “read” other humans and animals rewards McDougall with a greater connection to his environment and to others.
The Tao
McDougall’s approach to what he calls “the Tao” is an evolving motif, shifting as he broadens his awareness and deepens his understanding of Sherman. The evolution of this motif reflects the change his character undergoes.
McDougall first came across the notion of the Tao in the independent film The Tao of Steve (2000). The Tao, meaning “The Way,” is an ancient Chinese concept of the natural order of the universe, and a method for bringing oneself into that natural order. In the film, the protagonist uses a method based in vague principles of denying the ego to pick up women. At first, McDougall’s notion of the Tao seems equally selfish: It is simply a method for attracting a woman he is interested in, which he recalls leads to his marriage. Initially his understanding of the principles appears superficial—the movie itself suggests these principles are not an authentic way to live—in particular the notion of letting go of desire.
The philosophy grows as the narrative progresses, however, as McDougall learns to see past his own wants and starts to understand Sherman and Flower on a deeper level. McDougall first applies his understanding of the Tao to helping Sherman cross the creek, in which he recognizes that he must put aside his own desires for the training and help Sherman cross on his own terms. He dutifully re-names his new method “Donkey Tao” (90). The final evolution of the philosophy occurs when McDougall is running with Flower and experiences a communion in their shared desire for running (275). This broadened, deeper understanding of seeing beyond the self into the other, helps McDougall accept the animals as total equals, and it is this that allows him to fully embrace the Tao-like philosophy he practices. In doing so, he discards the last barrier that stands between his and Sherman’s final connection at the end of the race: his own selfish desire.
