Dan Millman
Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, tells a narrative of a college student and world-class gymnast journey in realizing his destiny towards ascending to the spiritual level by integrating the three selves; basic, conscious, and higher. He feels like a failure as his college work, and athletic pursuit does not fulfill him pushing him to seek spiritual rebirth. The book blends fact and fiction as it relates an odyssey in realms of shadow and light, mystery and romance. Through the guidance of an eccentric old man referred to as Socrates, drawn to Joy, who is an elusive young woman, Millman takes a final confrontation that will build or destroy him. This classic story is narrated with heart and humor that moves the readers to tears and laughter even in illumination times as they are introduced to life’s larger purpose and meaning. Through the different events that take place in the way of the Peace Warrior, this document focuses on analyzing the different means by which the story achieves its purpose.
Set in the 1960s, the book reveals the protagonist’s long journey towards enlightenment. As Socrates mentors and guides him, Milliman internalizes knowledge about living in the moment and viewing himself as interconnected to other living things, which gives him more success, inner peace, and more fulfillment in athletics. However, Socrates gives Millman a series of challenges that facilitate his enlightenment endeavors, including fasting to meditation, asking him to control his breath, and slapping him when he seems dismissive or obstinate. Socrates teaches Milliman that the peaceful warrior is achieved by absolute vulnerability to life and the world. The warrior life is not about victory or imaged perfection, but its about love. Love is a significant sword to a warrior because wherever it cuts it plants life, not death. Milliman learns to be present and to experience himself as a continuation of the world not apart from it. He is able to control his ego, laugh at himself and increase his awareness instead of dreaming and sleepwalking through life. This works perfectly in helping the author achieve his purpose of introducing and heightening his audience knowledge to the relevance of enlightenment.
The protagonist in the story makes the central message of the narrative seem odd unlike what the reader may be familiar with or the usage of more magically realistic images. This present the difference journey into self-awareness, pursuit for the purpose of life and some bits of spirituality. This makes the reader understand that the way to enlightenment is tough, requires sacrifice and letting one explore the unknown. The confusion of the protagonist is necessary as it reveals to the reader why the journey to enlightenment requires guidance and mentorship from a more experienced and knowledgeable person.
The book does not break any literary molds in terms of prose but has some rhetorical choices that are effective in driving the point home. The book is very clear to its readers, it makes them follow the story rather than been left to make their own connections. The author makes it simple as he wants his readers to relate to his ideas.
With application of magical realism, Socrates promotes time travel for his student and the audience is made to believe that the protagonist has a vision that leads him to mortal combat or honestly engages with his evil side which makes his life to hang on a balance.
And finally, when the book is ending, Milliman completes his journey and Socrates appears to assume his familial responsibilities and decides to travel the world instead. To the protagonist, this is one way of connecting with the world. He loves it as it fulfills him.
As a Socrates student, Milliman is egoistic and a naïve student. He is reluctant and takes his mentor as a joke. Milliman does not see the usefulness of Socrates in his life while in real sense, Socrates aims at changing Milliman lifestyle by making him view the world by helping him understand what the real-world entails. The protagonist learns from his own experiences in which he gains fulfillment and wisdom. Socrates says, “I can help you learn from experience to see the world clearly, and clarity is what you desperately need right now. You know this is true, but your mind rebels; you haven’t yet turned knowledge into wisdom” (Millman 14). Milliman is aware that the heroic journey is full of difficult obstacles. The major challenge is his own mind. Socrates tells him that his biggest predicament is his own mind and that he is a prisoner of the mind and its illusions. The only tool that Socrates offers Milliman is meditation which would help him free from his thoughts. The warriors skillfully use mediation as a sword with understanding. (Millman 75).
In conclusion, the author achieves his purpose by making the protagonist to understand the art of mediation and conquer his thoughts. This makes the reader understand that the mind can enslave an individual into losing the meaning of life by focusing on achievements and leaving out the things that matter.