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The novel Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is a book about imagination, religion, survival, human and animal contact...and the list goes on. Taking place in India and the Pacific Ocean, the reader encounters a unique culture and scenery expressed through imaginative eyes. The novel follows a young boy Piscine, or Pi, as he experiments with religion, gets stranded on a boat with an aggressive tiger, and spends 227 days struggling to survive. Martel successfully allows the readers to interpret many of these themes and forces them to decide what is true.
16-year-old Piscine Patel grows up on a zoo in India which his father owns. He learns many of life’s lessons at the zoo, for example how dangerous wild animals are. Pi’s father teaches his young sons this lesson by feeding a goat to their wild tiger, lecturing that “every animal is ferocious and dangerous” (47). Pi’s curiosity of God causes him to experiment with the religions of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. While his authority figures believe the three are contradictory, Pi states “all religions are true. I just want to love God” (87). This faith in God allows Piscine to persevere through close contact with death.
Pi’s family is forced to leave their zoo due to economic struggles, so they pack up their animals and head for Canada. Without evident reason, their ship the Tsimtsum sinks and Piscine finds himself on a lifeboat with a zebra, hyena, orangutan, and tiger. He witnesses the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’ and soon realizes, “when your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival” (151). Soon the only two captive by the ocean on the small lifeboat are the tiger Richard Parker and Piscine. With belief that surviving is out of the question, Pi thinks that “I was so obviously outmatched by Richard Parker that it wasn’t even worth worrying about. With a tiger aboard, my life was over. That being settled, why not do something about my patched throat?” (170) However, Pi’s regained will to survive influences in his plan to keep Richard Parker alive, too. He begins to train the tiger, through creating distinct territories and being his source of food and water. Both near death through hunger and dehydration, as Pi explains, “my body began to deteriorate” (271). However, the lifeboat drifts to a ‘botanical discovery’, an island lusciously green where the two restore the life they once had. While it seems they finally escape death, Pi discovers this is a carnivorous island. Despite the seemingly endless isolation of the ocean, their confinement ends with Richard’s quick departure. Piscine meets with two interviewers and tells about his story with Richard Parker on the lifeboat. However, the men don’t believe him and ask for the truth, so Pi tells another story. It is this point that possible truth is introduced, and the reader is forced to interpret which story they choose to believe. Regardless, Piscine’s story is one of “courage and endurance in the face of extraordinary difficult and tragic circumstances” (401).
A theme present throughout the entire novel is that humans and animals are related by the hostility which both practice. Disregarding which story is true or not, drawing parallels among the true create this connection between human and animal behavior. This similarity is blatantly brought forth when interviewer Okamoto states, “so the Taiwanese sailor is the zebra, his mother is the orang-utan, the cook is..the hyena—which means he’s the tiger!” (392) While Pi doesn’t encounter much violence between people, Martel is commenting on society. This concept of hostility among humans is made more simple and evident through actions of the animals.
Another concept of society that is effectively simplified through Pi’s story is that of religion. While the novel contains religion, it doesn’t preach or contain bias, but points out their relationships. While the Christians, Muslims, and Hindus believe in different Gods, Piscine’s mother explains there is “one nation in the sky” (93). As a reader, this message taught me that what you believe doesn’t exceed others’ beliefs. Piscine even states that “atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them—and then they leap” (35). I interpreted Martel’s words as faith is the true importance of religion, and that believing in something sustains life.
This book is for readers that are content with open endings and interpretation. As an allegorical work of fiction, the imaginative aspects require analyzing. Also, this book is for readers that are interested in religion, but not necessarily believers or nonbelievers. It teaches about faith and acceptance.
The story of Piscine Patel and Richard Parker is certainly not a subject commonly encountered. However, through its elaborate imagery and relatable subject of animals, Martel is able to make deep comments on society. Life of Pi is a book open for interpretation; individual for each reader’s faith, view of society, and imagination.
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Life of Pi by Yann Martel and Tomislav Torjanac
Sarah Berlin, May 3, 2010
The novel Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is a book about imagination, religion, survival, human and animal contact...and the list goes on. Taking place in India and the Pacific Ocean, the reader encounters a unique culture and scenery expressed through imaginative eyes. The novel follows a young boy Piscine, or Pi, as he experiments with religion, gets stranded on a boat with an aggressive tiger, and spends 227 days struggling to survive. Martel successfully allows the readers to interpret many of these themes and forces them to decide what is true.16-year-old Piscine Patel grows up on a zoo in India which his father owns. He learns many of life’s lessons at the zoo, for example how dangerous wild animals are. Pi’s father teaches his young sons this lesson by feeding a goat to their wild tiger, lecturing that “every animal is ferocious and dangerous” (47). Pi’s curiosity of God causes him to experiment with the religions of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. While his authority figures believe the three are contradictory, Pi states “all religions are true. I just want to love God” (87). This faith in God allows Piscine to persevere through close contact with death.
Pi’s family is forced to leave their zoo due to economic struggles, so they pack up their animals and head for Canada. Without evident reason, their ship the Tsimtsum sinks and Piscine finds himself on a lifeboat with a zebra, hyena, orangutan, and tiger. He witnesses the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’ and soon realizes, “when your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival” (151). Soon the only two captive by the ocean on the small lifeboat are the tiger Richard Parker and Piscine. With belief that surviving is out of the question, Pi thinks that “I was so obviously outmatched by Richard Parker that it wasn’t even worth worrying about. With a tiger aboard, my life was over. That being settled, why not do something about my patched throat?” (170) However, Pi’s regained will to survive influences in his plan to keep Richard Parker alive, too. He begins to train the tiger, through creating distinct territories and being his source of food and water. Both near death through hunger and dehydration, as Pi explains, “my body began to deteriorate” (271). However, the lifeboat drifts to a ‘botanical discovery’, an island lusciously green where the two restore the life they once had. While it seems they finally escape death, Pi discovers this is a carnivorous island. Despite the seemingly endless isolation of the ocean, their confinement ends with Richard’s quick departure. Piscine meets with two interviewers and tells about his story with Richard Parker on the lifeboat. However, the men don’t believe him and ask for the truth, so Pi tells another story. It is this point that possible truth is introduced, and the reader is forced to interpret which story they choose to believe. Regardless, Piscine’s story is one of “courage and endurance in the face of extraordinary difficult and tragic circumstances” (401).
A theme present throughout the entire novel is that humans and animals are related by the hostility which both practice. Disregarding which story is true or not, drawing parallels among the true create this connection between human and animal behavior. This similarity is blatantly brought forth when interviewer Okamoto states, “so the Taiwanese sailor is the zebra, his mother is the orang-utan, the cook is..the hyena—which means he’s the tiger!” (392) While Pi doesn’t encounter much violence between people, Martel is commenting on society. This concept of hostility among humans is made more simple and evident through actions of the animals.
Another concept of society that is effectively simplified through Pi’s story is that of religion. While the novel contains religion, it doesn’t preach or contain bias, but points out their relationships. While the Christians, Muslims, and Hindus believe in different Gods, Piscine’s mother explains there is “one nation in the sky” (93). As a reader, this message taught me that what you believe doesn’t exceed others’ beliefs. Piscine even states that “atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them—and then they leap” (35). I interpreted Martel’s words as faith is the true importance of religion, and that believing in something sustains life.
This book is for readers that are content with open endings and interpretation. As an allegorical work of fiction, the imaginative aspects require analyzing. Also, this book is for readers that are interested in religion, but not necessarily believers or nonbelievers. It teaches about faith and acceptance.
The story of Piscine Patel and Richard Parker is certainly not a subject commonly encountered. However, through its elaborate imagery and relatable subject of animals, Martel is able to make deep comments on society. Life of Pi is a book open for interpretation; individual for each reader’s faith, view of society, and imagination.
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)