Life of Pi

by Yann Martel

                      Canada, 2001. July 12, 2001. National Library. 217p.    

    Question:

 Is Piscine really on a raft for over five years with a full-grown Bengal tiger, or is it a mirage caused by stress and loss of family?

     It is difficult to believe that Pi, Piscine Patel, managed to survive his time on the raft with a full-grown Bengal tiger, however Yann Martel gives so many vivid details on how this young boy managed to keep the beast satisfied that it is almost believable.

      Pi came to live on this raft after the boat which carried his family and some of their zoo animals sunk. Pi, being flung overboard, lands on a raft with a zebra with a broken leg, a monkey, a hyena and a hidden tiger. For the first few months Pi watches in despair as the hurt zebra is eaten, from the inside, by the merciless hyena. Later the hyena even goes as far as to eat the monkey, which Pi had befriended. This shows how the animal kingdom has a certain order of life. Pi realizes that he must also follow in this pattern.

     Coincidentally, Pi escapes from the hunger of the hyena, ironically, the tiger, Richard Parker saves him. To stay alive Pi decides to try and train Richard Parker. By sharing meals with the beast and training him with a whistle Pi manages to stay alive.

      The story slowly begins to fade into a strange and unbelievable recountation. This could be the fading of sanity left in the mind of Pi. Many events happen which are improbable, and most likely the cause of mental and physical stress. Some of which are of importance are Pi meeting the blind man out at sea and getting into danger with him and arriving at the fungus island filled with meerkats that live in the trees. Slowly the story becomes stranger and stranger.

       At the end of the story Richard Parker escapes onto the land and is never heard of again. Again this shows that the tiger could just be symbolic of death getting hungrier and hungrier. Pi tries to explain his story to the police, but they cannot believe him. The story is too strange. Pi managing to beat the odds out at sea is already an unbelievable accomplishment.

      I personally believe that Pi could not have survived a lifeboat full of animals. I think the book is symbolic of death getting closer and closer to Pi. Pi also grows up on the boat. He says that he survived over fifteen years on the boat or so, but I personally believe he means that he has matured alot over the course of this adventure. That is why the book is called Life of Pi. Pi used to be a strong believer in three religions, yet at the end he loses faith. This shows Pi returning back to the sane world, maturing and realizing in his own life.