Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, a beast fable written for adults, which has successfully portrayed animals with human feelings and motives. The fable is told in retrospect by Piscine Molitor Patel many years after the sinking of a cargo ship with his family on his way from India to Canada. A period of 227 days oversea of Pi in a lifeboat, in company of a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and a Royal Bengal tiger. It is a storytelling literary fiction created by using anthropomorphism and animal imagery. Throughout Martel’s presentation in the book, each of the animals represented different characters of various traits, individually impacting Pi’s journey.
The Bengal tiger, also known as Richard Parker, represented the animal instincts and
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Finally, when the lifeboat reached the island of Mexico, the “savage Pi” is gone forever with Richard. Richard Parker’s savagery influenced Pi for his guilty acts, however, he was the motive and spirit that encouraged Pi to stay alive before being rescued.
The hyena expresses the evil and the wrong things in the world, considering its characteristics, hyena was parallel to the cook. Pi described the hyena in negative terms, such as the hyena’s “coarse coat seems to have been patched together from the leftovers of creations” (Martel, 128), and the colour of hyena looked “liked the symptoms of a skin disease” (Martel, 128). Not only Pi wanted the readers the readers to see how unpleasing a hyena looks, it also foreshadows its vicious actions. Both the hyena and the cook were selfish, as the hyena killed the zebra and orangutan for its own good, similarly, the cook’s savagery on the Taiwanese sailor for his own benefits. The second story was a lot harder for a reader to accept comparing the cook’s actions to hyena’s killing. The hyena was included in the story to contrast Pi’s divine and justice, because nobody can tolerate evil. That being said, Pi killed the cook for his revenge, and Richard Parker killed the hyena.
Orange Juice, the orangutan, who was very protective was to be known as the Pi’s Mother, Gita, in its parallel story. “It was Orange Juice,... mother of two fine boys” (Martel, 123). The
Being narrated by an older version of the main character, Life of Pi is a story about a man named Pi Patel. Most of the beginning of the novel includes all the history of his life; it introduces topics such as his major, the definition of his name, and his family. His majors are religion and Zoology, which comes back later in the book. It also gives the reader the interesting background of the meaning of his name, based off of a swimming pool. These larger topics and more were shared with the readers. A prominent part of all of this is the fact that it almost always comes back to animals.
All individuals must complete their journey from adolescence to adulthood. Life of Pi is an adventure novel written by Yann Martel. Life of Pi explores the development of Pi Mortel Patel from an eager and outgoing child who is dependent on his family for care in Pondicherry to a shy adult who has to be self-sufficient and rise to meet the challenges he faces. His journey through religious and human faith in God,willingness to survive and an attempt at acceptance.
Richard Parker is a manifestation of the qualities that Pi needs; however, an abundance of these qualities will contribute to Pi’s downfall. This concept is also represented later in the book when the blind French cook tries to trick Pi. The cook’s primitive side overpowered him, causing him to die in the jaws of Richard Parker. If Pi did not tame his savagery, he would have been consumed by it, which would be represented by a fatal attack from Richard Parker. While contemplating the confrontation of his survival instincts, Pi says, “to know that and to apply it are two very different things” (Martel 246). This quotation describes the concept of survival in a lifeboat and in the real world. In both settings, it is difficult to deny yourself access to something that is lurking inside of you and pushing with so much force. Whether this quality is easily spotted or difficult to uncover, it is important to study it and decide if it is changing your character. Fortunately, Pi discovered early in his journey that the primitive qualities he was developing for survival were threatening to dominate him. After taming his savagery, Pi is pleased with his decisions and says “Isn't that what all survivors say?” (Martel 247). This quotation depicts the satisfaction in taming your inner self, while still allowing your fierce qualities to live in small
Yann Martel's novel (2001) and Ang Lee's film adaption (2012) of Life of Pi harbour themes such as isolation and the extent one would go to in order to survive. The story is split into two parts, the first part focuses on Piscine "Pi" Patel's background and his religious journey. Part two focuses on Pi's predicaments while he is stranded out at sea for 227 days. The second section of the story is renown for Pi's situation with a tiger named Richard Parker. Not only does the protagonist have to focus on his own survival, Pi needed to be attentive of the Bengal tiger; all whilst dealing with his loneliness. Martel and Led convey the ideas of isolation and survivability through the use of several literary and stylistic features throughout the texts.
Life of Pi was a well written novel with an interesting story line. The authors syntax and use of metaphors make the book a great read. Of all the books that we have read this year, Life of Pi sparked the most conversation outside of school on what the book meant, and which story was true. The novel provides two stories. The story that the majority of the book follows has Pi stranded with Richard Parker, a hyena, an orangutan, and a zebra. At the end of the book, Pi provides an alternate story after the men interviewing him state their disbelief of his original story. This second version equates each animal to a human that had been aboard the Tsimtsum. The hyena was the cook aboard the ship, the orangutan was the mother,
To begin with “The life of Pi” is a story on how a boy survived a sunken ship which was caused by a massive storm. After the storm he is placed on a raft with 4 different animals that includes zebra, tiger, orangutan, and hyena. In order to survive he would fish for his food something the Native Americans would do. The Native Americans would let their prisoner John Smith
Pi had to face the reality of the situation. After he’s been shipwrecked he’s stuck with a tiger, hyena and an orangutan. The theme that strongly fits this scene in the book is “the survival of the fittest”, where only the strong can live. For example, the tiger appears when he kills the hyena because he knew it was a threat to him and his survival. “Life on a lifeboat isn’t much of a life. It is like an endgame in chess, a game with few pieces. The elements couldn't be more simple, nor the stakes higher. Physically it is extremely arduous, and morally it is killing. You much make adjustments if you want to survive” (Martel 217). If anybody other than Pi was in his place, all the possibilities and emotions flow altogether and form into fear and anxiety, which quickly disappears when Richard Parker proves Pi wrong by not killing him.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel is an extraordinary tale of a young Indian boy whose faith is syncretized. His alternate world that he has fabricated is used to blur the line between the harsh and brutal nature of the sea and the personified world where animals come to life. These two worlds clash together to form a Kafkaesque in a faith-based realm which ultimately makes readers question the realities of life.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along’”. Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, chronicles the life of Pi Patel, a young boy who lives in Pondicherry, India. During his childhood he discovers his growing ambition towards practicing three religions, and develops a curiosity for zoology.
When Yann Martel tells of Pi Patel’s life story after the shipwreck, he presents it in two distinctive ways: one being with animals, and one without. As a young boy, Pi began to develop a love of animals as a result of growing up on the lands of Pondicherry Zoo, his family zoo in India. He also finds that he has a deep passion for religion. Supposedly, Life of Pi will make one believe in God, as it did to Pi in these two stories.
Everyone can pick an animal that they believe describes themselves or symbolizes themselves, but in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi he takes those characteristics to a new level. The symbolism of a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a tiger all contribute to the characteristics of Pi and his journey through the sea, together, on a life boat.
Although, after losing everything that had ever mattered to him, Pi is desperate for the reason to hang on just a little longer even with things appearing utterly hopeless. Moreover, although being an inspiring passage, I believe that the mood given is that of dejection. Pi does not sound happier or hopeful and even though he claims to be grateful for Richard Parker, the reader is left wondering whether he is being genuine. Does some part of him wish he died out at sea? He seems so sure he would have died if Richard hadn't been there.
Throughout Life of Pi by Yann Martel we, as readers, get to re-live the struggles and heartaches faced by Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi. As he experienced these trials he not only grew into manhood earlier than expected, but also built a relationship with God giving him the determination to continue his survival. Pi had to provide for his own needs as he floated through the Pacific.
This means Pi has to save himself using his Id instincts. Pi shouts encouragement at Richard Parker which is actually Pi telling himself words of encouragement to survive. After Pi throws Richard Parker the rope, he knows he has made a mistake. “‘Hold on tight, I’ll pull [Richard Parker] in” (99). So then he tries to beat up richard parker.
The result of Pi’s response to Richard Parker’s behavior saved Pi’s life numerous times. The peaceful relationship between the two protagonists helped them both endure 227 days at sea, struggling against all odds. With Pi’s prior knowledge of the body language of animals, he is able to successfully asses his options with the intent of optimizing his chances of survival. During the falling action of the novel, Pi and Richard reach a beach in Mexico, meaning that his bravery and valiant decision to