An Endless Adventure for Answers: The Motivating Role of Curiosity in 'Sophie's World' Anonymous 10th Grade

Where does the world come from? Does man have an immortal soul? Questions like these are what race through the brain of Sophie Amundsen, a character in Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder. This novel about the history of philosophy pushes readers to ask themselves the tricky questions that may not ever be resolved. Nevertheless, man is still curious about their answers. Where would the world be if it were not for curiosity? It plays a vital role in Sophie’s journey, in the lives of the philosophers discussed, and in human existence.

Without curiosity, Sophie’s journey may not have even happened. Right off the bat, Sophie is characterized as a curious girl. When the reader first meets her, she is in awe at the joys of spring around her and is wondering “what [makes] this great mass of green vegetation come welling up from the dead earth as soon as it [gets] warm and the last traces of snow [disappear]?” (Gaarder 1). Sophie’s curious personality is shown again when she receives her first letter from the mysterious philosopher, which reads, “Who are you?” (Gaarder 3). Perplexed, Sophie knows that “she [is] Sophie Amundsen… but who [is] that? She [has] not really figured that out – yet” (Gaarder 3). Because of her inquisitive nature,...