Literary notes: Sophie's World

Characters: Sophie, 14 year old girl living in Norway. Protagonist, a friendly girl and rather introspective, the reader learns along side her as she understands how to question her existance, herself and the world around her.
Alberto Knox: Sophie's teacher, sends her the letters and packages in the mail. embodies an idea philosopher. a well thought through man who uses his analytical  mind to be slow to judge. He forces Sophie to think for herself, be untied from the preconceived notions she was raised with, look at the world with new, open eyes.
Hilde Moller Knag: daughter of Albert Knag, parallels Sophie's deeper thought and philosophical intellect.
Albert knag: author of the novel that his daughter is reading, bases Alberto on himself.
Sophie first receives a letter asking "who are you?" This begins her journey to enlightenment, looking at herself and trying to find what makes her her. Whether it is physical, mental, emotion what defines her beyond her likes  or dislikes and for the first time discovering herself. She finds that philosophers must retain that child-like sense of wonder that holds a amaezment with yourself, your world, the origin and essence of life and to never get tired of questioning your surroundings or experiences


Quote one: "You can;t experience being alive without realizing that you have to die, she thought. But it's just as impossible to realize you have to die without thinking how incredibly amazing it is to be alive."


Quote 2: "A philosopher knows that in reality he knows very little. That is why he constantly strives to achieve true insight. Socrates was one of these rare people. He knew that he knew nothing about life and about the world. And now comes the important part: it troubled him that he knew so little.” 


Quote 3: “A lot of people experience the world with the same incredulity as when a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat.…We know that the world is not all sleight of hand and deception because we are in it, we are part of it. Actually we are the white rabbit being pulled out of the hat. The only difference beween us and the white rabbit is that the rabbit does not realize it is taking part in a magic trick.” 
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