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Life Of Pi Religion Essay

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Authors often include personal experiences when writing, and weave them into the characters which they create. Yan Martel’s views and experiences clearly influence his characters. Martel attempts to convey several messages about religion, which become apparent with the realization of why Pi follows three religions.
Understanding Pi’s religious pluralism allows readers to understand Martel’s perspectives on religion. Pi is first exposed to Hinduism, which shapes the way he views religion. He explains this when he says: “I feel at home in a Hindu temple. I am aware of Presence … The universe makes sense to me through Hindu eyes” (58). Pi always retains his Hindu faith because it allows him to make sense of the world. The second religion that Pi follows is …show more content…

The final religion Pi follows is Islam. Pi explains his fondness for Islam when he says, “It is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion. The mosque was truly an open construction, to God and to breeze … It felt good to bring my forehead to the ground. Immediately it felt like a deeply religious contact” (72). Pi’s attraction to the Islamic faith stems from the aspects of: brotherhood and devotion, the openness with God and one’s surroundings, and frequent praying. Martel makes his opinion on religious pluralism and syncretism clear in Life of Pi. This is evident when he writes, “Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims” (60). Martel clearly sees religions as different ways of viewing and relating to God. To Martel, religions are all just worshipping different manifestations of God. Pi’s following of the Islamic faith helps make it even easier for readers to understand Martel’s position on someone belonging to multiple

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