The Dharma Bums (pp.1-96)

“Japhy wasn’t big, just about five foot seven, but strong and wiry and fast and muscular.” (p.11)
I think this is an important quote because it shoes the kind of relation Japhy and Ray will have further in the book. Japhy knows his religion and his beliefs so well that even if he is very young and little, he is able to influence a whole lot of people. At this moment Ray explains his first vision of Japhy and remarks that he is a very simple but interesting guy.

“I’m not a zen Buddhist I’m a serious Buddhist,” (p.13)
Ray says this quote the first time he talks to Japhy. Japhy teal’s him a bunch of craziness about Animal. Ray answers him very meanly and tries to take him down with his comment. He then realizes that Japhy is very far from stupid. He then becomes one of his biggest influences.

“She was sex mad and man mad, so there wasn’t much of a problem in persuading her to play yabyum.”(p.28)
I think this is very important because it shows Ray’s belief’s before he actually hs the scene in his face and before he lives it. The other thing is the fact that he says “t play yabyum” it shows that he doesn’t really take this type of Buddhism seriously.


“I regarded lust as offensive and even cruel.”(p.29)
To me, this quote shows how many trust Ray has in Japhy. At first he is very uncomfortable with this situation but then he decides to join because he sees his mentor that is even inviting him into the “orgy”. Japhy still doubts about it because the next day he tries to talk about it with Japhy but Japhy refuses. He doesn’t really know what he got himself into.

“In fact I was afraid of those jagged monstrosities all around and over our heads.” (p.67)
Her, Ray express’s his feeling, and the way he looks at the mountain when he is just at the beginning of his hiking trip. He explaining how the mountain is imposing to his eyes while Japhy thinks it’s no big deal… he’s actually in perfect harmony with the mountain. The same thing happened earlier with princess at the beginning of the story.


" Japhy, I gotta hand it to you, you’re the happiest little cat in the world and the greatest by God you are.” (P.68)
This quote shows how Ray looks up to Japhy, and how he want’s to be exactly like him. He is even a little jealous here because he says “you’re the happiest little cat” and I feel that he sort of thinks that he is what… He’s looking for what he is.


"'Come on Smith, only another five minutes. I only got a hundred feet to go!'
"'I'm staying right here! It's too high!' (p.83)
This quote shows how nature can be dominating over human. Japhy who has been a hiker for a while, isn’t even tired or afeard by the mountain. Ray who is an inexperienced hiker seems dead of fear and tiredness. It shows how experience is important… how people learn by experience. They don’t only learn little things they learn life lessons.

“it was Japhy standing on top of Matterhorn peak letting out his triumphant mountain-conquering Buddha Mountain Smashing song of joy. It was beautiful." (Chapter 11, pp.84)
This shows how joyful and powerful Japhy feels. In his head he concurred the mountain. In a minute, Smith will do the same but for him it will be a life lesson because he will have proven to himself that he is able to do it his self-confidence will then become way bigger and he will not see Japhy as his mentor but as his friend.