life of pi essay outline

Plot Summary

By yann martel.

Life of Pi is a captivating story of Pi Patel and the catastrophic shipwreck followed by the harsh realities of survival at sea.

Article written by Mizpah Albert

M.A. in English Literature and a Ph.D. in English Language Teaching.

Yann Martel’s novel ‘ Life of Pi ‘ is a masterfully crafted story of survival and faith. The novel’s story follows Pi’s life in various parts of the world, like India, Canada, and predominantly in the Pacific Ocean. Pi undergoes the tumultuous conditions of the Pacific Ocean post the shipwreck, in which he loses his family and is left stranded alone on a lifeboat. The story testifies to how faith can help sail through adverse times.

Spoiler-free summary of Life of Pi

Piscine Molitor Patel, precisely called “Pi”, is the narrator and protagonist of the novel. He is the youngest son of the Patel family, who owns a zoo in Pondicherry, India. Growing up in his family’s zoo, Pi develops a deep love and understanding of animals, particularly a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. During the political unrest in India, his family decides to move to Canada, and they set sail on a Japanese cargo ship along with the animals from their zoo. However, tragedy strikes when the ship sinks during a storm. Pi miraculously survives and finds himself adrift on a lifeboat but soon realizes he is not alone. He shares the boat with several animals, including an injured zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and Richard Parker, the tiger. The story progresses as Pi is left alone in the vast Pacific Ocean with just Richard Parker. The question “Who wins the war of survival? and how? makes the rest of the story.

Life of Pi Plot Summary

Warning – This article contains important details and spoilers

Yann Martel’s ‘ Life of Pi ‘ unfolds the tale of Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi Patel, through a clever interweaving of past and present events. The miraculous account chronicles Pi’s survival post the shipwreck. The novel opens with the Author’s visit to India in search of a good story. Traveling from the North to the South of India, he accidentally encounters a man in Pondicherry who tells him an unbelievable story of faith. Eventually, the Author visits Pi, the story’s protagonist, in Canada and gets firsthand information about the journey. To distinguish the present and the past events, the Author has employed both the past and the present tenses, as well as he has used the first person as well as the omnipresent point of view. The story of ‘ Life of Pi ‘ is divided into three parts: Part 1 – Toronto and Pondicherry, Part 2 – The Pacific Ocean, and Part 3 -Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico.

Part 1 – Toronto and Pondicherry

The Author’s note in the novel plays a crucial role as the Author tries to give a realistic touch to the story. At the beginning of ‘ Life of Pi ,’ a writer visits Bombay (now Mumbai) in the hope of writing a good story about Portugal. However, whatever the story he had written failed him miserably, for the novel lacked “that spark that brings life to a real story.” Discouraged, the visiting writer travels to Pondicherry, the former capital of French India. At a coffeehouse, he talks with an elderly man, Mr Adirubasamy. Knowing the Author’s condition, he offers to share a story that he claims is “a story that will make you believe in God.” Intrigued, the writer agrees to speak to the novel’s protagonist, ‘Pi Patel’. Pi narrates the incidents from his childhood, the incidents that happened after boarding the ship when he was just 16 years old, and his unforgettable journey on the Pacific Ocean. He acknowledges who helped tell the story, including Mr. Adirubasamy in the Author’s note.

Pi begins by narrating his present life, where his religious practices and studies at the University of Toronto helped him heal and thrive despite the tedious journey’s impact. Moving on, he explains to the visitor the meaning of his strange name, which was given to him after the French pool, Piscine Molitor. His name had been a source of mockery for fellow children when they called him “pissing” instead of “Piscine.” However, he made a dramatic impression of his name when he introduced himself as “Pi” in short. He compared it to the mathematical “Pi” and the number 3.14, which is used to calculate the circumference of a circle in geometry. Growing up in his family’s zoo, he was fascinated by animals from a young age. His father taught Pi and his brother Ravi about the dangers beheld by each of those animals and the tricks to handle them. He taught them that it is essential to teach the animals the importance of territory, which is more important in handling animals and keeping them under control. Besides his passion for the zoo and the animals, Pi was fascinated by spirituality and embraced Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam simultaneously. However, political unrest prompts Pi’s family to sell the zoo and move to Canada. As a result, in 1977, when Pi was 16, his parents decided to move the family, along with many of the zoo animals, on a cargo ship.

Following, the Author brings the story back to the present and points out his impressions of the adult Pi: Happily married with two children, home filled with religious iconography, and cupboards stuffed with vegetarian food. However, Pi regrets not having enough photos of his parents and brother. Luckily among the few photos, he has a photo of the tiger Richard Parker and shows it to the visiting writer.

Part 2 – The Pacific Ocean

Pi’s family boarded a Japanese cargo ship named the Tsimtsum. Unbeknownst to anyone, a disaster strikes when the ship encounters a violent storm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The ship sinks, leaving Pi stranded as the sole human survivor on a lifeboat. However, he was not alone on the lifeboat because along with him, the confined space was shared by: a zebra, an orangutan named Orange Juice, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

As the days turn into weeks, the hyena kills the already-injured zebra and eats the orangutan. Eventually, Richard Parker, the 450-pound Bengal tiger, eats the hyena. Left alone with Richard Parker, Pi starts to fear for his life and mourns his family. His ingenuity and resourcefulness are tested as he watches the events in front. Ultimately, he realises that he must confront his fears and establish dominance over Richard Parker to ensure his survival. Initially, he constructs makeshift rafts to keep a distance from the tiger and feeds on the supply on the boat as he waits to be rescued. As days pass by, he runs out of supply and is confronted by the reality of keeping himself alive with whatever he can get his hands on. Though a vegetarian, following the survival kit, he catches fish for sustenance and collects rainwater to quench his thirst. Pi endures storms, hunger, and isolation as days pass, all while developing a unique relationship with Richard Parker. Their coexistence becomes a delicate balance between fear and mutual reliance.

In their journey across the vast ocean, Pi and Richard Parker encounter a carnivorous island inhabited by meerkats, initially seeming like a paradise. However, they soon discover the island’s true nature, and the lifeboat becomes their only refuge.

Part 3 -Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico

Eventually, after 227 days at sea, the lifeboat reaches the coast of Mexico. Pi and Richard Parker make their way to land, where the tiger disappears into the jungle without looking back, leaving Pi to face his rescue and recovery. In the concluding part of the story, Pi recounts his incredible tale to Japanese officials investigating the shipwreck. He tells them about the animals and their lifeboat survival struggle. However, the officials find the story hard to believe, prompting Pi to offer an alternative version involving human characters, including his mother, a sailor, and a murderous cook. However, Pi insists that the animal story is true, suggesting that the human story metaphorically represents the events.

What is the message of Life of Pi ?

‘ Life of Pi ‘ conveys that every Life is a story, and one can choose their story. Similarly, ”A story with God is the better story”. Every life on this planet is interdependent, and with belief, life continues. 

Where does the story Life of Pi begins?

‘ Life of Pi ‘ begins in Pondicherry, India, the birthplace of the protagonist, where the Author meets Mr Adirubasamy. Pi reflects the story to the writer as an adult. He recalls growing up as a child, his parents, the day he became Pi Patel, his religious practices, and others.

What is the main point of view of Life of Pi ?

‘ Life of Pi ‘ is written in the first person point of view through the perspective of both the Author and the protagonist. The prefatory Author’s Note is written in the first person by the Author, who explains how he came to hear the story. The story (Part One and Part Two) is told in first person by Pi.

Does Pi face any challenges during his journey?

Pi faces numerous challenges during his journey, starting with the storm that leaves him stranded on the Pacific Ocean. From then, he battles hunger, thirst, and exposure to harsh elements while being adrift in the vast ocean. Additionally, he must come to terms with witnessing the animal kingdom’s violent nature and his primal instincts for survival.

What are the highlighted themes in Life of Pi ?

‘ Life of Pi ‘ deals with various themes that range from survival, faith, and spirituality, the power of storytelling and imagination, the relationship between humans and animals, and the nature of reality. The novel explores how humans cope with adversity and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of extraordinary challenges.

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About Mizpah Albert

Mizpah Albert is an experienced educator and literature analyst. Building on years of teaching experience in India, she has contributed to the literary world with published analysis articles and evocative poems.

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Life of Pi Yann Martel

Life of Pi essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Life of Pi written by Yann Martel.

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Life of Pi Essays

Freudian theory in life of pi alyssa wakefield 10th grade.

Many people are under the impression that humans have evolved past their origins, that they have risen above animalistic tendencies; however, mankind forever remains part of the animal kingdom, and such a truism is demonstrated within Yann Martel’...

Living a Lie: Yann Martel’s Pi and his Dissociation from Reality Sean Patrick Ewart

Piscine Molitor Patel, the protagonist of Yann Martel’s acclaimed novel Life of Pi, survives a horrific 227-day ordeal trapped aboard a directionless lifeboat with only a 450-pound Bengal Tiger, named Richard Parker, for company. Pi’s account of...

A Matter of Perspective: The Invention of a Story in Martel’s Life of Pi Justin Caleb Walters College

In Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi, Piscine “Pi” Patel is forced to relay his life story to condescending Japanese skeptics who refuse to believe his tale; they refer to it as nothing more than a fictional invention. Pi somewhat agrees with the...

Religion as a Coping Mechanism in Life of Pi Damien Rajvin Stanley 12th Grade

In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Pi Patel too uses his faith in God as a vital coping mechanism to survive in the vast Pacific Ocean. His faith in God proves to be a crucial part in Pi’s survival as it guides him through his ordeal. Pi, a...

Hope and Understanding: Comparing Life of Pi and Bless Me, Ultima Kelsey Braford 10th Grade

In tough times, it seems that many people turn to their faith. In moments of weakness, when it seems that everything is lost, many people find that a certain hope remains in God. Others turn to God for a "why"; a reason that circumstances are the...

Religious Allegories in Life of Pi Patrick Cole McAndrew 10th Grade

Religious Allegories in Life of Pi

Religion is a subject that has always been prevalent in literature. The most popular book of all time, and the first ever printed, is the Bible, which is comprised of many stories of faith. In Life of Pi, Pi is...

The Issue of Mortality in the Life of Pi Jamie Sung College

In Life of Pi, Yann Martel juxtaposes issues of morality alongside the primitive necessity of survival. Pi’s life-threatening experiences while stranded on the Pacific Ocean threaten the integrity of his morals and beliefs. His pluralistic faith...

Life of Pi: Spiritual Survival under Physical Stress Anonymous 10th Grade

Throughout the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the protagonist, Pi Patel struggles with survival yet manages to maintain a level-headed outlook on his situation. He does not lose his belief in God, in whatever form He may take, although...

The Ambiguity of Sacrifice: Understanding Pi's Change of Character Dao Vu 12th Grade

Equivalent exchange, an absolute law in nature, dictates that one must give up something so that one may gain something that is equal in value. By this logic, sacrifice is, at its very core, a necessity in life; however, it is also a gray area...

Life of Pi: The Symbolism of the Color Orange Shrabonti Bhowmik 12th Grade

In Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, Piscine Molitor Patel, an Indian boy who is living in Pondicherry, is the main character of the story. From an early age, he is exposed to three different religions: Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. Due to...

Performing Humans and Flesh Eating Boys: Deconstructing the Human/Non-Human Animal Divide in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi and Franz Kafka’s A Report to an Academy Anonymous College

The boundary between the human and the non-human animal is tested now more than ever with the prevailing field of Animal studies. Traditional theories in philosophical thinking from Aristotle to Descartes that regard the human and the non-human...

Semantics and Pragmatics: How the Writers of The Lost Continent and Life of Pi Portray the Theme of Exploration Georgiana Scott College

Throughout both novels, The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson and Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the protagonists are on a constant journey, throughout which they make many and continuing explorations. Their paths are lexically, semantically and...

Yann Martel

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A fictional author travels to India, and there he hears an extraordinary story from a man named Francis Adirubasamy . The author tracks down and interviews the story’s subject, Piscine Molitor Patel , usually called Pi, in Canada. The author writes the rest of the narrative from Pi’s point of view, occasionally interrupting to describe his interviews with the adult Pi.

Pi grows up in Pondicherry, India in the 1970s. He is named after a famous swimming pool in Paris. Pi’s father is a zookeeper, and Pi and his brother Ravi are raised among exotic wild animals. Pi’s tale frequently digresses to explain about zookeeping, animal territories, and boundaries. His father warns him of the danger of wild animals by making Pi watch a tiger eat a goat, but Pi also learns that “the most dangerous animal at a zoo is Man.”

Pi is raised culturally Hindu, but his family is generally unreligious. As a youth Pi becomes devoutly Hindu and then converts to Christianity and Islam. He practices all three religions at once, despite the protests of his parents and the religious leaders. The “Emergency” brings political turmoil to India and Pi’s parents decide to sell the zoo and move the family to Canada. They board a Japanese cargo ship called the Tsimtsum , traveling with many of the zoo animals.

There is an explosion one night and the Tsimtsum starts sinking. Pi is awake at the time, and some sailors throw him into a lifeboat. The ship sinks, leaving no human survivors except for Pi. Pi sees a tiger, Richard Parker , and encourages him to climb aboard. Pi eventually finds himself on the lifeboat with a zebra , a hyena , and Orange Juice the orangutan. The hyena kills the zebra and eats it. The hyena then fights and kills Orange Juice. Pi notices that Richard Parker is still in the boat, hiding under a tarpaulin. Richard Parker kills the hyena, leaving Pi alone with the tiger.

Pi makes a raft for himself and finds supplies in the lifeboat, and he sets about marking his territory and “taming” Richard Parker using a whistle. Pi kills and eats fish and turtles, filters seawater, and collects rainwater. Pi and Richard Parker each occupy their own territory in the lifeboat and live peacefully, though they are constantly starving.

Pi loses track of time as months pass. He remembers episodes like seeing a whale, experiencing a lightning storm, and watching a ship pass by. Pi goes temporarily blind and hears a voice talking to him. At first he thinks it is Richard Parker, but then he realizes it is another castaway who is also blind. The two discuss food and then bring their boats together. The castaway attacks Pi, intending to kill and eat him. Richard Parker kills the castaway.

Later the boat comes to a mysterious island made entirely of algae and inhabited by thousands of meerkats. Pi and Richard Parker stay there for a while and recover their health. One day Pi finds a tree with human teeth as its fruit, and he realizes that the island is carnivorous. Pi decides to leave with Richard Parker. Finally the lifeboat washes up on a beach in Mexico. Richard Parker disappears into the jungle without looking back, and Pi is rescued by some villagers.

The last section is a transcript of an interview between Pi and two Japanese officials who are trying to figure out why the Tsimtsum sank. Pi tells them his story, but they don’t believe him. He then tells them a second story, replacing the animals with humans – in this version Pi is on the lifeboat with a French cook , a Chinese sailor , and his own mother . The sailor dies and the cook eats his flesh. The cook later kills Pi’s mother, and then Pi kills the cook. The officials are horrified, but they believe this story. They note that the hyena is the cook, the zebra is the sailor, Orange Juice is Pi’s mother, and Richard Parker is Pi himself. Pi asks the officials which story they prefer, and they say the one with animals. In their final report they commend Pi for surviving at sea with a tiger.

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — Life of Pi

Essays on Life of Pi

Prompt examples for "life of pi" essays, the power of storytelling.

Discuss the role of storytelling in "Life of Pi." How does Pi's storytelling shape his survival and coping mechanisms, and what does it reveal about the human need for narrative and imagination in difficult circumstances?

Survival and Resilience

Analyze Pi's journey of survival and his resilience in the face of adversity. How does he adapt to life on the lifeboat, and what inner strengths and survival strategies does he employ?

Religion and Faith

Examine the theme of religion and faith in the novel. How does Pi's multi-faith background and spirituality play a role in his survival and outlook on life? Discuss the symbolism of the animals in Pi's story.

Reality vs. Fiction

Discuss the blurred lines between reality and fiction in the novel. How does the narrative structure challenge the reader's perception of truth? Explore the different interpretations of Pi's story and its impact on the characters and readers.

The Human-Animal Connection

Analyze Pi's relationship with Richard Parker and the broader theme of the human-animal connection. How do the interactions between Pi and the tiger symbolize the complexity of human nature and the animal instincts within us?

Isolation and Solitude

Explore the theme of isolation and solitude in the novel. How does Pi cope with the loneliness of being stranded at sea for an extended period? Discuss the psychological effects of isolation on the protagonist.

Hook Examples for "Life of Pi" Essays

Anecdotal hook.

Imagine being stranded in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, your only companions a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker and your wits. This is the extraordinary journey of Pi Patel in "Life of Pi."

Question Hook

What does it mean to survive against all odds? How does faith shape our perception of reality? Yann Martel's novel "Life of Pi" poses profound questions about the human spirit and the power of storytelling.

Quotation Hook

"I have survived because I have remained sane through it all. I remain sane because I am a storyteller. A storyteller, in the beginning, is trying to be good. In the course of the trying, she'll become wise." These words from Yann Martel highlight the significance of storytelling and sanity in Pi's journey.

Survival and Resilience Hook

Explore the remarkable story of Pi Patel, a young boy who demonstrates incredible resilience and resourcefulness in the face of adversity. How does his will to survive shape the narrative of the novel?

Faith and Belief Hook

"Life of Pi" weaves a complex tapestry of faith, spirituality, and belief. Dive into the religious themes and philosophical questions raised by Pi's experiences on the lifeboat.

The Power of Storytelling Hook

As Pi tells his incredible tale, we're reminded of the transformative power of storytelling. Analyze how storytelling becomes a lifeline for Pi and a means of making sense of his ordeal.

Truth and Perception Hook

Is truth an absolute concept, or is it subject to individual perception? "Life of Pi" challenges us to consider how our beliefs and experiences shape our understanding of reality.

Life of Pi: Theme Analysis

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Literary Essay: Life of Pi by Yann Martel

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The Religious Symbolism and Metaphors in The Life of Pi

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The Character's Development and Controversial Sacrifice in The Life of Pi

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11 September 2001, Yann Martel

Philosophical fiction

Life of Pi tells the magical story of a young Indian, who finds himself shipwrecked and lost at sea in a large lifeboat. His companions are four wild animals: an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena, and, most notably, Richard Parker, a tiger. Soon there remains only Pi and the tiger, and Pi’s only purpose in the next 227 days is to survive the shipwreck and the hungry tiger, supported by his own curious brand of religion, an eclectic mixture of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism.

Within the story are themes of spirituality and religion, self-perception, the definition of family, and the nature of animals. Life of Pi is a rich and dynamic text full of discussion of morality, faith, and the ambivalence of what constitutes truth.

Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel (narrator and protagonist), Richard Parker (Bengal tiger)

The novel has sold more than ten million copies worldwide. It was rejected by at least five London publishing houses before being accepted by Knopf Canada, which published it in September 2001. The UK edition won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction the following year. It was also chosen for CBC Radio's Canada Reads 2003, where it was championed by author Nancy Lee. Martel’s novel was adapted as a 2012 film directed by Ang Lee.

“It is true that those we meet can change us, sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even unto our names.” “To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.” “You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”

1. Duncan, R. (2008). " Life of Pi" as Postmodern Survivor Narrative. Mosaic: A journal for the interdisciplinary study of literature, 167-183. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/44029501) 2. Karam Ally, H. (2020). ‘Which Story do you Prefer?’: The Limits of the Symbolic in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Literature and Theology, 34(1), 83-100. (https://academic.oup.com/litthe/article/34/1/83/5717397) 3. Stephens, G. (2010). Feeding tiger, finding God: science, religion, and" the better story" in Life of Pi. Intertexts, 14(1), 41-59. (https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/76/article/400842/summary) 4. Martel, Y. (2002). Life of Pi. 2001. Vintage Canada. (https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/scl/2004-v29-n2-scl29_2/scl29_2art01/) 5. Allen, T. E. (2014). Life of Pi and the moral wound. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 62(6), 965-982. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0003065114559834) 6. Mensch, J. (2007). The intertwining of incommensurables: Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Phenomenology and the non-human animal: At the limits of experience, 135-147. (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-6307-7_10) 7. Browning, H., & Veit, W. (2020). Confined freedom and free confinement: The ethics of captivity in Life of Pi. (https://philarchive.org/archive/BROCFA-9) 8. Ashdown, B. K. (2013). ‘Faith is a house with many rooms’: Religion and spirituality in Life of Pi. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brien-Ashdown/publication/256536875_Faith_Is_a_House_With_Many_Rooms_Religion_and_Spirituality_in_Life_of_Pi/links/00b7d52338f55637c9000000/Faith-Is-a-House-With-Many-Rooms-Religion-and-Spirituality-in-Life-of-Pi.pdf PsycCRITIQUES, 58(22).

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Life Of Pi Essays (Examples)

132+ documents containing “life of pi” .

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Life pi life of pi improving a.

Life Pi Life of Pi: improving a Masterpiece? Much of the English and specifically the British/Commonwealth literature of the latter half of the twentieth century has been classified as "postcolonial" literature, in that it explores the ramifications and implications of the end to overt colonial control of much of the world by European powers following the end of World War II. Understanding such literature requires at least a minimal understanding of the history of colonialism, but the greatest works of the postcolonial trend can also be read as compelling personal tales in and of their own right, without the larger historical context providing deeper understandings and symbolism to the reader despite their presence. These are the works that are already beginning to enter the canon of English literature, and that will continue to be recognized as an increasingly important record of the transitions of the twentieth century. Life of Pi by Canadian author….

Jordan, J. (2002). Animal magnetism. Accessed 12 November 2011.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/may/25/fiction.reviews1 

Martel, Y. (2001). Life of Pi. Toronto: Knopf Canada.

Street, S. (2004). Life of Pi (review). Missouri Review 27(1): 179-80.

Life of Pi Religion and

It is a mixture of the Hindu and Christian ideals as Pi sees them, and he incorporates both worldviews. For Pi, one belief system is not enough. Everything that is kept separate or alone is necessarily incomplete. It is very important to him that one has beliefs and faith, both of which Pi understood to require imagination. He shows this in his disdain of agnostics, seeing their inability to imagine whether there is or isn't a God or gods as a failing, and a basic lack of identity. He makes this even more explicit when he recounts how his immersion in the Hindu religion began in his infancy, and states that "religion is more than rite and ritual. There is what the rite and ritual stand for" (Martel 48). For him, what they stand for is a way of thinking and viewing the world that does not exclude other viewpoints,….

Life of Pi by Yann

The recurring struggles to stop hunger and thirst shows the severe distinction between Pi's previous life as well as his present life on the lifeboat. In the city of Pondicherry, where people are given food similar to zoo animals, the people did not have to exert any energy or effort just to get their nourishment; however Pi was forced to provide for himself when he was stranded on the open sea. Pi's change from modern civilization to the more primitive survival on the open sea is evident by his manner regarding fish -- before Pi was a vegetarian and was unwilling to take the life of an animal and then eat it, only when the fish was lifeless, seeing it like it was from the market, made Pi to feel better. As time passes by, Pi showed that his acceptance of his new found life because he showed an increasing….

Martel, Yann. "The Life of Pi." Canada: Seal books, 2001.

Exploring the Life of Pi Novel

Life of Pi [Author Name(s), First M. Last, Omit Titles and Degrees] Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is a story of a young man named Pi Patel that was born in India. Inheriting great intelligence and keen curiosity for several various areas of life, in particular religion, he decides to follow three religions. These are Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism to the confusion of the members of his family. Aside from Pi's interest in religion, he is also intrigued and very understanding of all the animals that reside in his father's zoo. Curiosity fuels Pi's story-telling as it is helped shape his identity and how he perceives the world. hile some of his storytelling seems outlandish at times, especially the personification of a tiger, he tells of his amazing tale to the Japanese investigators because he himself believes it to be true and is ignorant of the notion that it may….

Works Cited

Cole, Stewart. "Believing In Tigers: Anthropomorphism And Incredulity In Yann Martel'S Life Of Pi." 29.2 (2004): n. pag. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

Duncan, Rebecca. "Life Of Pi As Postmodern Survivor Narrative." Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature 41.2 (2008): 167. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

Dwyer, June. "Yann Martel's Life Of Pi And The Evolution Of The Shipwreck Narrative." Modern Language Studies 35.2 (2005): 9. Web.

Herbert, Marilyn. Bookclub-In-A-Box Presents The Discussion Companion For Yann Martel's Life Of Pi. [United States]: Bookclub-In-A-Box, 2007. Print.

World Views in Life of Pi and the Universe Next Door

orldviews: Pi -- simply a glimpse from a universe next door The Life of Pi suggests that despite the many different religions, and indeed different species that exist in the world, all religions and all living creatures are essentially 'one.' Despite the many divisions that exist in society and the differences that exist between individuals' and species' faiths and bodies, one must be respectful and seek to understand these differences, rather than being overly judgmental in one's philosophical orientation and embrace a worldview that is tolerant of difference, yet sees some similarities between all creatures. The main character of the novel, named Pi Patel is the son of a zookeeper. This may seem like a strange occupation for a man in a book that revolves around religion. However, as with all things in The Life of Pi, even the strangest details are highlighted for a reason. This detail is included so that….

Martel, Yann. The Life of Pi. New York: Harvest Books, 2003.

Sire, James. The Universe Next Door. New York: Intervarsity Press, 1997.

Scarlet Letter and Religion

Religion features prominently as a theme in global literature and in fact literature is rooted in religious and cultural traditions, including the ancient literatures of the Middle East and Mesopotamia. Modern literature sometimes presumes a pro-religious worldview, but occasionally, authors offer scathing critiques of the way religion is used for mind control or social, political, or economic control. Generally, the evolution of literature shows that as the role of religion in society changed, so too did the role of religion in literature. Literature since the modern era, including work by Nathaniel Hawthorne, often offers scathing critiques of religion, whereas postmodern literature allows religion to play a more complex role in shaping individual identity. In Canadian author Yann Martel's novel Life of Pi, religion is portrayed as a personal choice rather than as a cultural institution. On the contrary, the 19th century work by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne shows how….

Cole, Stewart. "Believing in Tigers: Anthropomorphism and Incredulity in Yann Martel's Life of Pi." SCL. Vol 29, No. 2, 2004.

Gilligan, Carol. "A Moonlight Visibility." In Gerard Fromm (Ed.) A Spirit that Impels. Karnac, 2013.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. 1850. Retrieved online:  http://www.bartleby.com/83/ 

Martel, Jann. Life of Pi. Knopf, 2001.

Pi -- a Question of

If all of the events the world could be understood by examining a mathematical model, if there was essentially no free will on a macro level -- probably very little would be changed on a micro level. Even today, people are more and more aware of how genes affect their emotional behaviors and physical health, and how economic and social circumstances shape their character. Yet they still approach the questions of their daily lives as if they have freedom of choice, and the criminal justice system has been loathe to refuse to punish people, simply because of defendant's unavoidable previous circumstances. Politicians pass legislation that suggests human behavior can be changed, such as anti-smoking laws. Even if determinism exists on a 'macro' level, on a 'micro' level the perception of choice prevails and that is how we behave -- hence the timelessness but also the futility of Max's quest. The….

Is Pi Patel S Story True

Yann Martel's novel "Life of Pi" focuses on the experiences of a young Indian man being lost at sea at going through incredible events while at sea. There is much controversy with regard to the central character in the book, as it seems strange that he chooses to provide the world with a story that little to no people would believe to be real. hen coming across stories involving castaways experiencing unreal episodes during their voyage across the sea, most people would be inclined to associate them with hallucinations owed to the fact that these people are in a very poor condition and have trouble distinguishing between real life and fantasy. Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, describes his life in the first two parts of the novel and most readers are likely to sympathize with the protagonist as they become better acquainted with his experiences. The character is certainly….

Works cited:

Martel, Y. "My library My History Books on Google Play Life of Pi." (Harcourt, 30 Apr 2013)

The Gale Group, "A Study Guide for Yarin Martel's Life of Pi," (Gale Cengage Learning, 24 Sep 2015)

BookCaps Study Guide Staff, "Life of Pi (Study Guide): BookCaps Study Guide," (BookCaps Study Guides, 2011)

Lives of Archimedes and Carl Friedrich Gauss

lives of Archimedes and Carl Friedrich Gauss, two of the greatest mathematicians of all time, through a point by point comparison of their childhood and education, mathematical contributions and the influence their work has on the science of mathematics. Childhood and Education Archimedes (287 BC to 212 BC) lived most of his life in Syracuse, Greece. This son of an astronomer and mathematician was born into a distinguished family and was able to comfortably devote his life to mathematical research. Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855) was born into a humble German family. His early mathematical promise marked him as a prodigy and eventually earned him admission to university. Major Mathematical Ideas The mathematical work of Archimedes centered on the theoretical, particularly geometry. His greatest mathematical contribution involved measuring areas and segments of plane and conic sections. Gauss's work centered on number theory. Unlike Archimedes, Gauss also used ventured into applied mathematics like astronomy and geodetic research. Influence….

Archimedes," in Guide to the History of Calculus. Retrieved 30 November 2002 from http://occawlonline.pearsoned.com/bookbind/pubbooks/thomas_awl/chapter1/medialib/custom3/bios/archimedes.htm

Bell, E.T. Men of Mathematics: The Lives and Achievements of the Great Mathematicians from Zeno to Poincare. New York and London: Simon and Schuster, 1965.

Boyer, Carl B. A History of Mathematics, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1991.

Gauss," in Guide to the History of Calculus. Retrieved 30 November 2002 from http://occawlonline.pearsoned.com/bookbind/pubbooks/thomas_awl/chapter1/medialib/custom3/bios/gauss.htm

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Religion

Religion features prominently as a theme in literature. In fact, some of the earliest works of literature are rooted in their religious and cultural traditions, including the ancient literatures of the Middle East and Mesopotamia. As the role of religion in society changed, so too did the role of religion in literature. Modern literature, including work by Nathaniel Hawthorne, often offers scathing critiques of religion, whereas postmodern literature allows religion to play a more complex role in shaping individual identity. Nathaniel Hawthorne's he Scarlett Letter heavily criticizes the role of religion in a patriarchal society, whereas Yann Martel's Life of Pi presents religion more as a subjective phenomenon, revealing an important cultural shift from religion to spirituality. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's he Scarlett Letter, the author shows how religion becomes a tool of social oppression and political control. A. Hawthorne shows that religious authorities are hypocritical, and especially fundamentalists, as the Puritans in the novel do….

This article offers some interesting background information on Yann Martel as an author, showing that the author's secular background proves that Life of Pi is making a clear statement about the difference between religion and spirituality. Religion is an outmoded social institution, whereas spirituality remains central to the human experience. The character of Pi illustrates the similarities between faith in God and faith in one's own ability to succeed, and through the motif of the journey also shows that "a journey toward enlightenment" can be stripped of any religious or even cultural context (Stephens 41).

Stratton, Florence. "Hollow at the core": Deconstructing Yann Martel's Life of Pi" SCI/ELC, Vol, 29, No. 2, 2004. Retrieved online:  https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/SCL/article/view/12746/13690 

This article critiques Yann Martel's novel by showing that the protagonist fails to actually show any growth, while also noting that the author takes a firm postmodern stance on the nature of truth or reality. The author points out that Life of Pi in part addresses the question of objective reality and whether a human being can even determine whether there is any objective reality, a core feature of postmodernism in general. This article offers a refreshing counterpoint to the other articles about Life of Pi.

Freedom of Association Facts the

S. citizens. In this program designed to help young ones value the freedoms they currently experience: according to Tyler Barnwell, stands for grievance, as in "to petition the government for a redress of grievances." which denotes religious freedom, Leslie Anne Hill, a Presbyterian, states: "means you don't have to follow a certain religion." stands for freedom of assembly, Sherri Jones states is "the right to get together with other people peaceably, but not to disturb anyone." which is for freedom of speech, Stephanie Kenfield relates: "means you can say anything you want to say, and nobody can stop you or anything, but not bad words and stuff." stands for freedom of the press, Justin Jolly explains: "You could write and say anything you want on a piece of paper or in a newspaper or anything like that." "Getting a grasp..., 1994) The ruling for The Alpha Epsilon Pi v. The College of Staten….

 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000957726 

Blankley, T. (2001, March 7). Freedom under Siege. The Washington Times, p. 17.

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. (1996). The Columbia World of Quotations. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996. Retrieved 12 December 2006 from www.bartleby.com/66/65/12465.html.

COURT THROWS OUT LAW USED TO BAN WEEDSTOCK 4TH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS DECIDES SAUK COUNTY'S OPEN AIR ASSEMBLY LAW VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT.(LOCAL/WISCONSIN)," Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI), July 25, 2003.

Frost and Taylor 2008 Talk About Their

Frost and Taylor (2008) talk about their experiences with reviewing. They noted how they first started out with thorough reviews but then irked at the amount of time that reviewing took; they abbreviated it more and more. In their second experience of reviewing, they mention the reviews that they received about their own work. How these varied, and how they chaffed at having to tailor their work, whether unjustly or not, to meet the comments of their reviewers. They then transferred this experience to their own review work of marking the works of others becoming more empathic in their grading. They were positive in their tone and longer in order to avert rude and hurtful responses. But these also weren't helpful since the reviews became ineffective. They also became one again longer. So once again, the authors shortened their review and became more time- rather than person-oriented. Writing to authors, Frost and….

Wittgenstein Ludwig Wittgenstein Is Particularly Interesting Because

Wittgenstein Ludwig Wittgenstein is particularly interesting because in Philosophical Investigations (PI) he repudiated all of his earlier work in logical positivism and the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (TLP), along with much of what was traditionally thought of as philosophy, and took a radically new track in the last twenty years of his life. Young Wittgenstein was more certain that he had solved all major philosophical problems, while the older Wittgenstein had completely lost all such certainties. There were even hints in his earlier work of this later, more explicit existential despair, pessimism and even cynicism about the limits of philosophy, which certainly became more profound over the years. He was no longer able to view the world as consisting of facts that were logical representations of objects that really existed or at least had the potential to exist. Thoughts and ideas formed pictures that were models of reality, while everything outside of this….

Biletzi, A. (2003). (Over)interpreting Wittgenstein. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Leung, S.K. (2002). Language and Meaning in Human Perspective. Janus Publishing.

Ryle, G. (1949). The Concept of Mind. University of Chicago Press.

Wittgenstein, L. Philosophical Investigations, 4th Edition (1953, 2009). P.M.S. Hacker and Joachim Schulte (eds.). Oxford University Press.

Centre Can Be Described as

A clear vision of objectives for the present and future of the center should be elucidated at this stage. Design and building are obvious and crucial aspects that also take into account and depend on the initial analysis and planning phase. One always has to take into account the fact that data centers will often need to expand. his can be catered for by a modular design and building approach; which means that additions for future growth can be built as required. Relocation is an important part of the life cycle and involves considerations such as the migration of data. his aspect also has to take into account customer or client needs, which falls within the ambit of the managerial function. A data center also has in the course of its life cycle to undergo periodic evaluations. his is necessary to include updates in terms of data increases and also serves….

This site provides straightforward definitions of a data center and explains its main functions. The information is cogent and to-the-point. It is a useful respource for basic data and provided a gateway to further more extensive research.

What Is Data Center Virtualization? Retrieved from  http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-data-center-virtualization.htm 

This short article is surprisingly extensive in terms of condensed and pertinent information. It covers many of the essential aspects of virtualization and is useful as background to this important aspect of the data centre life cycle. The information also provided insight into the problems and challenges that exist in the process of data center virtualization.

Adolescent Obesity in Saudi Arabia

There are remedies (albeit not easy ones for the individuals involved), as suggested by the research. However, and this is very important, the current public health approaches that the Saudi government has taken, as Mabrey et al. (2010) note, have focused fairly narrowly on medical approaches. This focus includes research that has been conducted on metabolic syndrome (which is caused primarily by being overweight). This is caused by clear-cut factors and has a number of possible poor consequences. Mabrey et al. (2010) note that metabolic syndrome is on average 10 to 15% higher in the GCC states than in the rest of world and that females are disproportionately affected by metabolic syndrome. These researchers are among those who note that a strictly medical approach to such medical problems is far from sufficient. For while metabolic syndrome itself can be identified and described in purely medical terms, such an approach does nothing….

Abraham, S. & Nordsieck, M. (1960). Relationship of excess weight in children and adults. Public Health 75: 263-273.

Alghamdi, K.M. (2010). The use of topical bleaching agents among women: A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitude and practices. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 24(10): 1214-1219.

Al-Qahtani, D.A., Imtiaz, M.L., Saad, O.S., & Hussein, N.M. (2006). A comparison of the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Saudi adult females using two definitions. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, 4(3): 204-214.

Al Qauhiz, N.M. (2010). Obesity among Saudi Female University Students: Dietary Habits and Health Behaviors. Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association 85(1-2):45-59.

Life Pi Life of Pi: improving a Masterpiece? Much of the English and specifically the British/Commonwealth literature of the latter half of the twentieth century has been classified as "postcolonial" literature,…

Mythology - Religion

It is a mixture of the Hindu and Christian ideals as Pi sees them, and he incorporates both worldviews. For Pi, one belief system is not enough. Everything that…

The recurring struggles to stop hunger and thirst shows the severe distinction between Pi's previous life as well as his present life on the lifeboat. In the city of…

Life of Pi [Author Name(s), First M. Last, Omit Titles and Degrees] Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is a story of a young man named Pi Patel that was…

orldviews: Pi -- simply a glimpse from a universe next door The Life of Pi suggests that despite the many different religions, and indeed different species that exist in the…

Religion features prominently as a theme in global literature and in fact literature is rooted in religious and cultural traditions, including the ancient literatures of the Middle East…

If all of the events the world could be understood by examining a mathematical model, if there was essentially no free will on a macro level -- probably very…

Law - Constitutional Law

Yann Martel's novel "Life of Pi" focuses on the experiences of a young Indian man being lost at sea at going through incredible events while at sea. There is…

Education - Mathematics

lives of Archimedes and Carl Friedrich Gauss, two of the greatest mathematicians of all time, through a point by point comparison of their childhood and education, mathematical contributions…

Annotated Bibliography

Religion features prominently as a theme in literature. In fact, some of the earliest works of literature are rooted in their religious and cultural traditions, including the ancient literatures…

American History

S. citizens. In this program designed to help young ones value the freedoms they currently experience: according to Tyler Barnwell, stands for grievance, as in "to petition the government for…

Seminar Paper

Business - Management

Frost and Taylor (2008) talk about their experiences with reviewing. They noted how they first started out with thorough reviews but then irked at the amount of time that…

Black Studies - Philosophy

Wittgenstein Ludwig Wittgenstein is particularly interesting because in Philosophical Investigations (PI) he repudiated all of his earlier work in logical positivism and the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (TLP), along with much of…

Research Paper

A clear vision of objectives for the present and future of the center should be elucidated at this stage. Design and building are obvious and crucial aspects that also…

There are remedies (albeit not easy ones for the individuals involved), as suggested by the research. However, and this is very important, the current public health approaches that the…

Life Of Pi Essay Outline

1. Brief Summary a. Part One: Toronto and Pondicherry: The novel begins with Pi explaining everything he has been through and how he lost hope and suffered greatly. Pi mentions his hospital stay he had after his journey in the ocean. Pi also describes his childhood in Pondicherry, how his father ran the Pondicherry Zoo, his interest in animals and how he received teasing for his name, Piscine. Pi also explains, in great detail, how his father fed a live goat to a caged tiger which leads Pi to explain the certain responses from territorial invasions as well as people safe due to zoo protection measures. After all this, Pi tells the readers about his views on three major religions, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islamic. He also elaborates on his family’s preparations for leaving to Canada and how his father sold most of the animals and planned to take a few to Canada with them. Lastly, the author …show more content…

Part Two: The Pacific Ocean (until ch. 50): Part two begins with Pi in a lifeboat in the ravaging ocean waters while he sees a Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker, and urges him to save himself. The story then moves from Pi being stranded to a few moments before the Tsimtsum sinks. Now, the story goes to Pi waking up to a loud noise that he goes to check on deck. After, Pi tries to go back to the same floor as his family but the staircase was water, so he went back to the deck and some Chinese crewmen threw him on a life boat 40 feet below. Thereafter, the story jumps back to Pi being in the lifeboat in the ravaging waters and Pi jumps out of the boat to escape the Richard Parker. Yet, Pi sees a shark nearby and gets back on the boat's tarpaulin. Pi is stranded out in the ocean with an orangutan, a hyena, a zebra and a tiger while in search for his family. During the time the hyena eats the zebra and the hyena and orangutan fight, yet the orangutan gets killed. This strikes Pi and takes all hope of his family being alive and surviving in this boat with two wild

Life Of Pi Dialectical Journal Essay

Above the rungs on the little lifeboat I see four figures a zebra, an orangutan, a ravenous hyena and my owner 's son- Pi. I lie and stay still under the rung of the lifeboat as the sun beats intensely on the boat. Pi looks afraid as the hyena is growling viciously. Out of nowhere, the hyena sprints and mangles the zebra until it lies there dead, but this hyena was thirst for blood and it devours the orangutan as well covering the boat in the metallic blood. Knowing I could not survive of this boat alone, I have to protect Pi.

Life Of Pi Dialectical Journal

However, their family went through a shipwreck like a Titanic, except for Pi, all of the people were gone. Pi survived on the cover of the lifeboat; there was also a hyena, a broken zebra, a female orangutan, and an adult

Archetype In Life Of Pi

Mental Battles at Sea 227. The number of days Pi survived at sea with little food, little water and, even a Bengal Tiger..or so he thought. Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, describes the journey of a young boy named Piscine Patel, also known as Pi, whose father owns a zoo in India. When his family decides to sell the zoo and move to Canada, the freighter they travel in breaks down and sinks. Luckily, Pi gets on a life boat just in time but weirdly enough, with four zoo animals who were also in the freighter.

Examples Of Orange Juice In Life Of Pi

Pi gives up his vegetarianism and eats turtles and fishes. In Life of Pi, Yann Martel describes the struggle to live and result of changes in Pi who has religious belief and the four different animals in order to show that they will often do supernormal, unexpected and shameful things and changes their own natures to survive. Any vulnerable animals will get stronger and change their original natures in order to protect themselves. When Pi and four animals live on the lifeboat, both they are hungry and fearful.

Life Of Pi Text Analysis

Set Text: Yann Martel’s Life of Pi Rationale: Yann Martel’s Life of Pi will be presented in this empathic response task through the eyes of Piscine Molitor Patel, the protagonist of the story. The choice of using chapter 94, where Richard Parker left him on the Mexican coastline, was influenced by my interest in the irony in the internal conflict within Pi, brought about by Pi 's human his nature.. The scene begins with Richard Parker leaving Pi immediately after he got off the boat. This invokes an inexplicable feeling in Pi as he desires a proper goodbye to tie up any loose ends with Richard Parker. This causes him to feel wistful whenever reminiscing about the succinct goodbye.

What Does Meat Symbolize In Life Of Pi

Life of Pi is about Pi a 16-year-old South Indian boy who follows’ three religions Hindu, Christianity, and Islam. His family owned the local zoo, but with the collapse of the Indian government, his father decided that the future of the family is in Canada. They departed on a Japanese cargo ship with all their animals towards Canada. The ship got into a shipwreck and the only survivors on its lifeboat were Pi, a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger. Martel astonishingly shows how the will to survive changes a person, “I was eating everything a turtle had to offer”(Martel chapter 77 e-book), in the book Pi starts eating meat even though he was a vegetarian for all his life.

Life Of Pi Religion Vs Religion

In this new story, Pi survives 227 days on a lifeboat with the company of his mother, a voracious French cook, and an injured Chinese sailor. Additionally, the French cook kills both the Taiwanese sailor and Pi’s mother. After the murder of his mother, Pi kills the French cook. Upon closer inspection, it is found that the two opposing stories are truly the same story, just two different versions: “The Taiwanese sailor is the zebra, his [Pi’s] mother is the orang-utan, the cook is… the hyena– which means he’s [Pi is] the tiger!” (311).

Richard Parker Religion

But a story filled with magical islands, dream state like nights on sea, a human tooth enclosed within petals of a flower? When Pi is later questioned by journalists, he is forced to tell a second, more “realistic” storyline. The first in which he is stuck in the middle of the ocean with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and then is left to survive with a tiger - Richard Parker; and the second in which all the animals are in fact

Life Of Pi Religion Essay

When his father decided to move his family from India to Canada, this choice would have stripped many of the traditional answers away from Pi. He was to be exposed to new things and would have to make sense of even more of the world in unfamiliar and unexpected ways. When the Tsimtsum sank, not only was Pi shoved face to face with the unknown, but he also lost his family, the core of his human context. Instead, he had to try to survive. For his months at sea, simple survival was the essence of Pi's

Theme Of Isolation In Life Of Pi

Envision being stranded at sea for two hundred and twenty seven days. Would you survive? This is precisely what the main character faces in Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The book tells the story of Piscine Motor Patel and his obstacles as he is stranded on a lifeboat with a 450 pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker- they had been on a Japanese cargo ship called the Tsimtsum until it sank in a “monstrous metallic burp” in the middle of the Pacific ocean (121). Piscine, otherwise known as Pi, goes against all odds as he fights for his survival.

Argument For Life Of Pi

The movie begins with Pi describing how he was introduced to religion through Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Pi states “None of us know God unless he is introduced to us.” Pi says that throughout his life he came to know a few of the Hindu gods through stories about the world and through experiences. He says, “the Gods were my super heroes growing up.”

Faith In Yann Martel's Life Of Pi

He is unable to understand why the Lord isn’t listening to his prayers and why everything is detrimental to him. Keeping his religious beliefs at sea is very challenging for Pi, this leads him to experience feelings of disbelief towards God. Despite his doubts, Pi continues to pray and practice his religions. He eventually comes to the conclusion that once everything is taken away from him and he is in complete darkness, he will always have his faith. He admits that loving God is difficult, but it’s something he must do if he is to survive his journey across the ocean.

Yann Martel life of Pi is an account of a boy, a tiger, and the vast Pacific Ocean. Born to an Indian family, Piscine Molitor Patel(“Pi” for short) was raised in his father’s zoo in Pondicherry. Later, because of India’s political unrest, Pi’s family decides to move to Canada in a cargo ship, long with cages full of zoo animals. The ship, however, sinks, leaving Pi and the tiger Richard parker on the Pacific Ocean in a lifeboat. After a series of events at sea for 227 days, the boat finally washes ashore on a Mexican beach, where villagers rescue Pi and Richard Parker.

Yann Martel's Life Of Pi

Life of Pi The choices we make and the choices we encountering often are altering our humanity. Yann Martel, in Life of Pi writes about Pi Patel stuck in the middle of the ocean with a Bengal tiger. Pi learns to fight for himself and for the tiger Richard Parker.

Religion In Yann Martel's Life Of Pi

Pi’s life has changed in many aspects, he has learned many new things that have helped him out. Pi’s character transforms based on life circumstances, spirituality, and relationships, which the author utilizes to shift reader’s perception of religion. Pi grows up to be a good man, but he goes through a lot of difficult times and has to learn many things, which involve religion, and handling things on his own. Religion played a big role in the development and growth of Pi. When he first found out about Christianity and Hinduism he was amazed, he had never heard or learned about it.

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Life Of Pi Essay Outline

Recommended: Various essays on life of pi

Thesis: Pi’s journey is characterized better in the movie because it gets rid of excess information to get the story line along, has major effects to visually represent the story, and finishes with a definite conclusion. I: Not as Much Detail Claim: Without all of the detail and description the movie moves the story along. A) Pi never met with his Atheist teacher in the movie. Commentary: The movie follows Pi’s journey than religious awakenings and zoo life. B) No scene setting Commentary: At the beginning of Yann Martel’s story, he introduces how he got the idea for writing Life of Pi. In the movie the introduction is not really needed. It starts off strong enough with a line from the author’s note and that’s sufficient enough to get the story rolling. C) No background information Commentary: The film cuts down on some of the excess background information. In the …show more content…

From the tone of it, it seems as if the reporters are getting on Pi’s nerves and he is handling it with sarcasm. At the end of the novel the Japanese choose to believe the animal version and that’s what the reader envisions as the truth. B) In the movie Pi gets sentimental when describing the events Commentary: As Pi is telling the events of what happened he gets almost offended when they don’t believe him. As he tells the next story he gets emotional at the thought of his mother being on the boat with him. This lets the audience determine which story is real. C) You are able to see what animals represent what humans Commentary: With the story Pi tells in the movie you are led to believe that the sailor is the zebra, the cook is the hyena, the orangutan is the mom, and the tiger is Pi. However, the movie doesn’t make it clear like the book does. I think it’s important for the movie to let you decide what the truth I and that’s what it

Dialectical Journal For Life Of Pi

Pi was afraid and surprised that Richard Parker was in the boat once he had lifted the blanket. Then Richard Parker had roared at him and tried to attack by his claws ,but pi had gotten away as soon as he did. Pi and Richard Parker started to roamed slowly around the boat in the middle of the ocean. Pi didn't trust Richard Parker because he knows that he only wanted to kill and eat pi. Pi tried to get rid of the tiger and then he tried avoiding the tiger, but as time goes on he got tired of trying get rid of Richard Parker. So then he began tame the tiger by using his whistle he had gotten from his locker. As he and Richard Parker started to get along through the past days,they have become really close friends.

...rker, the tiger. But Miss Brill just walks away, goes home, and gives up. She is much more simpleminded than Pi. A stranger upsets her happy fantasy while Pi has had his family killed and is still living through the traumatic life experience of trying to survive the ocean. “It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I’ve made none the champion (123).” Pi also had to enjoy the company of a hungry, scaverous hyena. It ate away the zebra and killed the orangutan. But he did not give up. He keeps living his life. Finally, he gets a break when Richard Parker killed the cruel hyena. “Richard Parker’s jaws closed on the side of the hyena’s neck [...]. Its eyes went dull (150-151).”

Life Of Pi Rhetorical Analysis

A shocking event puts Piscine Patel in a extreme journey that he has never witnessed. In the novel Life of Pi written by Yann Martel, Oi Patel goes through suffering after barely surviving a ship wreck. His family had plans to move to Canada since India was stuck in a crisis and the Patel family was afraid that they would lose their zoo. They took a ship and set sail when they found themselves in a dangerous storm causing the ship to wreck. Pi finds himself the only survivor with an orangutan, a hyena, and a zebra with a broken leg. The hyena kills the Zebra for food and then later, kills the orangutan named Orange Juice. Pi tries to isolate himself from the yen until Richard Parker comes and eats the hyena. His presence was unexpected because

Life Of Pi Quotes Survival

Life of Pi, a book written by Yann Martel, is an inspiring tale of survival in a time of hardship and peril. The story follows a young boy ,named Piscine "Pi" Patel, through his early life and as he and his family make their journey to Canada aboard a cargo ship with many cages of zoo animals. However, halfway through their journey, their ship sinks and Pi's family perishes while he escapes on a lifeboat. However, he encourages a companion to climb onboard the lifeboat with him; a large tiger named Richard Parker. Thinking the tiger was gone after Pi found him missing, the large feline reappears some time later, much to Pi's dismay. Now, Pi has to survive not only the harsh conditions of nature, but also the malicious and feral instincts of

In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the sinking of a ship begins Pi’s journey through the Pacific Ocean in a lifeboat. Yann Martel writes through the eyes of Pi as he experiences an epic 227 day journey with a Bengal tiger as his companion. The novel, however, is known for its double-story ending. When Pi is finally safe on land and getting interviewed about his adventure, he reveals an alternative story about what happened, one that involves humans. The human story is an incredibly harrowing tale of how Pi survived under terrible conditions. In Pi’s case, the embellishing of the human story to turn it into the animal story is a coping mechanism. This novel shows that as long as the

Theme Of Survival In Life Of Pi

Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, is a fictional novel written in 2001 that explores the primacy of survival by employing symbolism, foreshadowing and motifs. This story follows the life of the protagonist, Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, as he embarks on his journey as a castaway. After boarding the Tsimtsum which carries Pi and his family along with a menagerie of animals, an abysmal storm capsizes the ship leaving Pi as the only survivor, though he is not alone. The great Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, also survives the shipwreck and during the 227 days that Pi and Richard Parker are stranded at sea together, the two must learn to coexist and trust one another for survival. Through Pi and Richard Parker’s struggles to remain alive, Martel explores the primal idea of survival by employing literary techniques.

Is Pi's Story: Fantasy Or Tragedy?

Pi had most likely made up the first version in order to deal with the trauma from the events he had suffered. Pi may have felt guilty for not trying harder to wake up his brother Ravi. When Pi had woken up from the ship making weird noises he stated, “He looked at me sleepily. He shook his head and turned over, pulling the sheet up to his cheek. Oh, Ravi!” (127). This may have caused Pi to blame himself for his brother not making it. In one instance, Pi admits that the events were taking a toll on him mentally. He stated, “I was getting used to the mental delusion. To make it last I refrained from putting a strain on it; when the lifeboat nudged the island, I did not move, only continued to dream” (324). Version one is very similar to version two in a way. Pi used it as a coping skill so he doesn’t have to deal with how it affected him mentally and emotionally. In version one, each animal represents one of the people aboard. Richard Parker represents the more animalistic side of Pi. He uses Richard to make himself more heroic and seem stronger. In the beginning of the book when Pi states, “In the present circumstances, where Richard Parker would be under tremendous mental strain, fear should have brought out an exceptional level of aggression.” (137), it foreshadows that Pi will be under a great deal of stress. Pi also uses version one to dehumanize the act of cannibalism that took place. Instead of recognizing

..., that is what Pi does. Moreover, this goes back to show that the story with the animals is the better story, which is a life, lived with faith.

The Better Story in Life of Pi by Yann Martel

...h up their session, Pi asks them, “‘So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can’t prove the question either way, which story do you prefer?’” The factual or provable existence of God is not necessarily relevant to whether someone should believe in Him. This requirement of proof for belief is typical of the agnostic, whose sole belief is that he or she cannot believe either way because there is no proof either way. However, life is a story, and in real life, there must be a story to tell. When it comes to Life of Pi, there is hardly any difference between life and story, so how could the novel not mimic life, being the story of a life itself? A life perhaps embellished to become better, just as readers must embellish their own lives in favor of the better story.

A Freudian Examination of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi

Martel’s novel is about the journey of a young man being forced to test his limits in order to survive the unthinkable predicament of being lost at sea alongside an adult Bengal tiger. Life of Pi starts out by introducing an anonymous author on a quest to find his next big story and goes to a man by the name of Piscine Molitor Patel who supposedly has a story worth hearing. Patel begins his story talking about his childhood and the main events that shaped him such as his family’s zoo, the constant curiosity in religion he sought as a young boy and also how he got his nickname Pi. Mr. Patel continues explaining how his father contracts a Japanese ship to transport his family, along with a number of their zoo animals, from India to Canada in order to avoid political upheaval. While traveling the ship began sinking and Pi was the only one to manage to make it onto the life boat and survive the wreck. The disaster left Pi along with a fe...

Life Of Pi Text Analysis

Throughout the text, students are able to examine the film from their own perspectives to learn the construct of the text through “composer, responder, text and context to shape meaning” (Outcome 1)(BOSTES, 2009 p.32). Evidently, students are to interpret the text in their own manner as the question “Which story do you prefer?” challenges the readers to select their own truth of the story. Indeed, it allows students to shape their textual interpretations and speculate the reasons of why Pi is conflicted by religion throughout the text (BOSTES, 2009, p.32). It also creates a dilemma, as the controversy behind this film is that there is no concrete answer to whether one story is true. However, the spiritual journey is between Pi’s inner conflict between religion and the outcome of his life. Rather than solely entrusting himself in God, he acts on his survival instincts and saves himself from the wreckage. This notion demonstrates that Pi discovers the truth of life, whereby the acceptance of his inhibitions becomes the force of surviving and escaping the boat. The realistic scenario is portrayed to be “unbearable” (Bolton, 2003, p.3). Therefore individuals are compelled to embrace the first story Pi narrates. Furthermore the consistent hyperbolized computer generated imageries in the first story suggest that there is

Transition – Yann Martel is a Canadian author that has spent time in Europe, Asia, South America, and North America. Martel created a multi-cultural work that combines magical realism and survival fiction in his 2001 novel, Life of Pi. Life of Pi is the story of Pi Patel, an Indian boy with unique experiences with religion and animals, surviving 227 days as a castaway with animals after the cargo ship transporting Pi and the zoo creatures makes an unscheduled stop at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Martel uses a philosophical, reflective tone as he illustrates the monumental changes Pi undergoes as his time at sea increases.

Life Of Pi And Richard Parker Analysis

Martel uses the parallel between Pi and Richard Parker to split the destructive emotions and harsh realities along the journey. Many of the emotions, impulses, and desires to live that are crucial to Pi’s survival are casted onto Richard Parker. This makes it easier for Pi to tell the story as if a tiger committed the actions rather than himself.

Storytelling and Religion in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi

Life of Pi is a story about an adolescent Indian boy named Piscine, or Pi, who becomes stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean after a shipwreck. As he unbelievably manages to survive against unruly forces of nature and the loneliness he feels, Pi experiences growth as a person, from a child into a young adult. Besides exploring the true nature of man-kind, Life of Pi explores the deeper meanings of fiction and narratives as well as the conceptual components of truth within it. Religion and the act of storytelling both play a fundamental role in Life of Pi as they give the protagonist meaning, direction, purpose and other virtues which are essential in life. Storytelling essentially fulfills the same purpose in the novel as religion by giving these virtues.

Fiction Vs Reality In Life Of Pi

Life of Pi , by Yann Martel , is an exceptional story by means that in reality , it is a story inside a story . Through out the entire Part II , Piscine tells the reader about his long and difficult time aboard the life raft with a zebra , orangatang , hyena and even a tiger . The reader only truly discovers at the end of the novel upon an interview with the two Japanese interviewers , that the entire story been told by Piscine , had been alternated . Reality being that each animal illustrated , were actually a real survivor from the sinking . “Which do you want to believe ?” said Piscine to the two interviewers. He had done so to separate himself from the horrifying , yet true reality , that he was forced to be faced with , including the loss of his family . The most fascinating of all the characters is Richard Parker , who in reality turned out to be Piscine . All this was done by himself to keep in a healthy state of mind and to retain hope in survival as opposed to having to think back to the reality and go into a state of possible depression . The fiction versus reality which is created is to back up Piscines statement on “ which do you want to believe ?” , as it changes the format of the story from dull , into an adventure full of life .

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