life of pi psychoanalysis essay

Themes and Analysis

By yann martel.

Martel's exquisite novel 'Life of Pi' with its two versions of Pi's journey, is open to interpretation. This section has interpreted the novel's key moments, themes, and symbols.

Article written by Mizpah Albert

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

‘ Life of Pi ‘ narrates the story of Pi, an Indian Boy, and his survival alone after a shipwreck with a Bengal Tiger. The novel explores the idea that multiple ways exist to interpret reality and that our perceptions and beliefs shape the human experience.

‘ Life of Pi ‘ explores a wide range of themes that include but are not limited to survival, faith, and the power of storytelling.

Survival at Sea

Most of Pi’s story revolves around his struggle for survival at sea. Being stranded in the Ocean, Pi faces hunger, thirst, and the harsh realities of nature. The presence of Richard Parker adds to the tension, as Pi must find a way to coexist with the fierce predator. He constructs a makeshift raft to keep a safe distance from the tiger and finds food and water for them. 

The novel explores the human-animal relationship, highlighting the complexity and mystery within this realm. The boundaries between humans and animals in ‘ Life of Pi ‘ become increasingly blurred as the story progresses. As Pi spends days and weeks at sea with Richard Parker, Pi realizes the necessity of establishing dominance, finding ways to communicate, and coexisting with the dangerous animal to ensure his safety on the lifeboat. Richard Parker, in particular, displays emotions, intelligence, and survival instincts that blur the boundaries between human and animal consciousness. Pi develops a unique bond with the tiger, which challenges traditional notions of wild animals being mere threats to humans.

Religion vs Spirituality

Pi’s early life in Pondicherry is marked by his exploration and embrace of different religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. He finds value in each of these faiths, highlighting his belief system’s inclusive and syncretic nature. Organized religion provides structure, rituals, and a sense of community but can also be associated with dogma and rigid beliefs. In the novel, Pi’s rationalist father criticizes Pi’s religious pursuits and encourages him to focus on practicality and reality.

However, Pi’s spiritual journey goes beyond organized religion. He seeks a personal and direct connection with the divine, embracing a more mystical and experiential form of spirituality. He finds solace and a sense of wonder in the natural world, viewing it as a manifestation of the divine. His natural experiences, such as witnessing the beauty of the ocean and the sky, become moments of profound spiritual connection. Pi’s connection with animals, particularly Richard Parker, also serves as a source of spiritual awakening, highlighting the potential for finding the divine in unexpected places. The novel suggests that spirituality can be a more individual and subjective experience, emphasizing the importance of personal interpretation and direct encounters with the sacred.

Throughout the ordeal, Pi’s spiritual beliefs play a significant role in helping him cope with the challenges. He prays to different gods, finding comfort and strength in his faith. His spiritual journey becomes a central aspect of the novel, highlighting the power of faith and the human need for meaning in the face of adversity.

Imagination and The Power of Storytelling

In the story of ‘ Life of Pi ,’ imagination and storytelling become essential tools for the characters to navigate the challenges of their lives. The novel celebrates the power of the human mind to create meaning, find solace, and transform even the most challenging experiences through the lens of imagination and narrative. It does not definitively answer whether the animal or human stories are true. Instead, it suggests that truth is a subjective and complex concept. The novel blurs the line between imagination and reality, leaving readers to contemplate the intricate relationship between storytelling, belief, and the nature of truth.

Key Moments

• The Fictitious Author meets Mr Adirubasamy.
• The Author meets Pi, who tells him his story.
• Pi makes an outstanding introduction to his name on the first day of high school.
• Pi explores and embraces multiple religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.
• Pi’s family decides to move to Canada.
• Unexpected calamity befalls his life, and Pi loses his family in the shipwreck.
• Pi is in a lifeboat with a wounded zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a ferocious Bengal Tiger.
• Pi realizes the necessity and establishes dominance over Richard Parker to ensure his safety on the lifeboat. 
• Pi learns to communicate and coexist with Richard Parker.
• Pi and Richard Parker encounter a mysterious carnivorous island.
• After 227 days at sea, Pi and Richard Parker finally reach the coast of Mexico.
• Richard Parker disappears into the jungle.
• Pi recounts his remarkable survival story to Japanese officials investigating the shipwreck. 
• Pi tells an alternate version of events involving human characters instead of animals.

Writing Style / Narrative Technique

The writing style and narrative technique are crucial in capturing the readers’ imagination and drawing them into the protagonist’s extraordinary journey in any literary work. In ‘ Life of Pi,’  Yann Martel employs several literary techniques to create a captivating and thought-provoking narrative.

Narrating Style

The novel incorporates a Frame narrative and First person narrative. The frame narrative is used in the Author’s note at the beginning, where the fictitious author elaborates on how he happens to come across Pi’s story, and in the end. Besides, a major part of the story is narrated in the first-person perspective of the protagonist, Pi Patel. These multiple narrative styles allow the readers to intimately experience the story’s events through Pi’s eyes, thoughts, and emotions. It creates a deep connection between the readers and the protagonist, making the journey more personal and relatable.

Writing Style

Yann Martel’s writing is rich with vivid descriptions of the settings, characters, and events. Whether it’s the lush landscape of Pondicherry, the desolate expanse of the Pacific Ocean, or the intricate behaviors of the animals, the author’s use of sensory details brings the story to life and enhances the readers’ immersion.

The tone in ‘ Life of Pi ‘ shifts seamlessly between adventure, humor, suspense, and introspection. These shifts contribute to the dynamic nature of the story, keeping readers engaged and emotionally invested throughout the novel.

Elements of Magical Realism

In ‘ Life of Pi, ‘ Martel blends elements of realism and fantasy to a certain extent. The presence of the Bengal Tiger throughout his journey, his survival at sea under extreme conditions, dreamlike description of the sea, and two versions of the story add to this perspective. Above all, the most prominent example is the mysterious island. The island initially seems idyllic and provides food and water for Pi. However, it is revealed that the island has carnivorous plants that consume animals at night, and the island turns out to be predatory in itself. This surreal aspect of a floating, self-sustaining island challenges the boundaries of reality.

Symbols and Allegory

The symbolism and allegory in ‘ Life of Pi ‘ contribute to the novel’s complexity and depth. They offer multiple layers of interpretation, encouraging readers to reflect on the human condition, the mysteries of existence, and the significance of faith and storytelling in navigating life’s challenges.

The Animals on the Lifeboat

The animals on the lifeboat symbolize various aspects of human nature and survival instincts. Mainly, Richard Parker represents Pi’s personality’s raw, instinctual, and primal side, embodying the struggle for survival in the face of adversity.

The Lifeboat and the Ocean

The lifeboat and the vast ocean represent life’s isolated and unpredictable journey. The lifeboat becomes a microcosm of the world, where Pi must confront the harsh realities and challenges of existence. With its immensity and uncertainty, the ocean symbolizes the vastness of the unknown and the constant flux of life.

The Carnivorous Island

The carnivorous island is a powerful allegory that symbolizes illusion, temptation, and the dangers of complacency. Appearing as a safe haven, it lures Pi with its abundance of food and fresh water. However, it soon reveals its true nature as a threat to his survival. The island serves as a reminder that what may seem perfect and appealing could have hidden dangers.

Pi’s Multiple Religions

Pi practicing multiple religions symbolizes the human search for meaning and understanding in the face of the unknown and the unexplainable. His eclectic religious practices reflect the universal human quest for spiritual fulfillment and the desire to find answers to life’s most profound questions.

The mysterious whale that appears near the novel’s end can be seen as an allegory for the enigmatic and unfathomable nature of the universe. Its appearance adds a sense of wonder and awe, leaving readers with an understanding of the vastness and complexity of existence.

The Colour Orange

The color orange is a recurring symbol in the novel, representing hope, survival, and resilience. The orange lifebuoy, Orange Juice (the Orangutan), and the orange lifejacket become vital symbols of hope and survival for Pi’s journey.

The Theme of Storytelling

The novel itself is an allegory for the power of storytelling and imagination. Pi’s ability to tell different versions of his journey challenges the notion of absolute truth and emphasizes the importance of narrative in finding meaning and understanding in life.

What is the recurrent message in Life of Pi?

The story of ‘ Life of Pi ‘ is a testament to the strength of human will and the capacity to find hope and meaning in the face of adversity. Initially awaiting his impending death, Pi soon finds hope and learns to survive and coexist with the tiger.

How does Pi Establish Dominance over Richard Parker?

Pi Patel gradually establishes dominance over Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger, as he navigates the challenges of survival on the lifeboat. Some of the key behaviors Pi uses to gain authority include Territory Management, Eye Contact and Confidence, Vocal Assertiveness, Training and Conditioning, Learning Tiger Behavior, and others .

What does Orange Juice (the Orangutan) symbolize?

Orange Juice’s maternal and nurturing instincts symbolize motherly love and protection. She represents the comfort and security that a mother figure can provide, especially in times of distress.

How does Martel portray the human-animal relationship in Life of Pi?

‘ Life of Pi ‘ presents the human-animal relationship as a multifaceted and emotionally charged bond that transcends simple notions of dominance or hierarchy. It explores the mutual dependency, emotional depth, and transformative power that can emerge from the encounter between humans and animals, encouraging readers to reflect on their own relationships with the animal world and the intrinsic value of all living beings.

What is a frame narrative?

A frame narrative, also known as a “frame story” or “framing device,” is a literary technique where a story is presented within the context of another story. It acts as a narrative framework surrounding the main story, providing context, structure, and a perspective through which the inner story is conveyed.

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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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Meaning, Faith, and the Life of Pi

A conscious choice between hopelessness and faith is the spine of this story..

Posted November 26, 2012 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

• "Life of Pi" is not actually about wrestling with a physical tiger, but a metaphoric one—with questions of meaning and faith.
• The characters in "Life of Pi," like in any dream because film is essentially collective dreaming, are all actually components of the self.
• The most important component of the self represented in "Life of Pi" is the raft, which represents the main character's faith.

Based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, this bold and remarkable film is an adventure set in the realm of magical realism and centers on an Indian boy named Pi Patel, the son of a prudent and cautious zookeeper. The film is directed by Ang Lee, who brought us the breathtaking romantic swordplay in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" —which won 10 Oscar nominations, becoming the first Asian film and only the seventh foreign-language offering to ever get a nod for Best Picture.

But first, for the very few who haven't seen the film or read the book—spoiler alert! Don't read this unless you've seen or read the Life of Pi.

In the story, which starts with the obligatory cute prologue about an precocious boy, the family decides to move from India to Canada, bringing many of the animals with them. When the freighter carrying the family hits a storm, the stage is set for the main act—Pi is left adrift on a 26-foot lifeboat, lost in the Pacific Ocean, in the company of a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker—all vying in a grim competition for survival. It should be noted that this project has long been considered unfilmable due to the concept, as a long line of directors (including M. Night Shyamalan) were attached to the project and every single one jumped ship.

In terms of production challenges and a tightly constrained budget, Ang Lee was forced to wrestle with a tiger of his own. Shooting on water can literally drown a production in problems, delays, and cost overruns—just look at the tribulations of Kevin Costner, who flopped with Waterworld after burning through a $175 million budget. To pull off the film’s extensive aquatic sequences, the filmmakers had to build the world's largest self-generating wave tank.

Now, here’s the masterstroke of innovation —Lee decided to embrace 3D, even after a relatively fruitless foray into special effects with The Hulk franchise. Here’s why it was a spectacularly gutsy move to rely so heavily on computer graphics—3D has always lent a subtle artificial quality to imagery that prevents the suspension of disbelief.

In the computer animation business, the most pronounced form of this effect is called the “ Uncanny Valley .” It’s a hypothesis by Japanese robotics professor Masahiro Mori, who proposed that when human replicas look and act almost, but not quite perfectly, like actual human beings, it causes an enteric response of revulsion; the "valley" refers to a dip in a graph of the comfort level of human observers.

However, the success of CG in films like Rise of Planet of the Apes likely encouraged Lee to bet that the technology would be ripe for animating subtle emotional reactions in animals. That bet paid off. Not only were the orangutan and tiger exquisitely portrayed in terms of facial emotions, like an orangutan pensively looking over the sea thinking about a lost child. The filmmakers even did motion capture on four real-life tigers who were on set. Also, 3D is ideally suited for rendering a hypnotically beautiful roiling sea.

As a result, the film dramatically renders the distance between Pi and the tiger, the restricted space of the lifeboat, and the overwhelming endless horizons of the ocean all around them. For this reason, this rare film adaptation is actually more entertaining than the book. However, Lee never tries to show off with those digital effects; he controls them with a firm hand, forcing them to serve the telling of the story unobtrusively. Incidentally, I’ve sailed, and no film has better captured the suffocating, claustrophobic feeling of a storm or the perfection of a graceful night sailing through a warm and welcoming sea.

The director treats us to some truly magical images filled with majestic whales and the reflection of a tapestry of stars over a calm and peaceful sea. This is computer graphics taken to the level of visual poetry, a demonstration of what the medium can do if you let your imagination run free, that goes far past Avatar and Hugo . This film is an artistic triumph that rivals masterpieces like Kurosawa’s Dreams and Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty in terms of cinematic genius.

Just as the exquisite beauty of the ocean is revealed just beneath the drama unfolding on the lifeboat, the true meaning of the film lies gently beneath the surface of the story. The story is so moving that even President Barack Obama, in a letter to the author, described it as "an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling."

To understand the jewel of wisdom buried deep within the story, which is pronounced to be “a story that will make you believe in God,” we need to understand that the story is actually about wrestling not with a physical tiger, but metaphoric one—with questions of meaning and faith. This story is a Gedankenexperiment for the worst-case scenario, a modern-day story of Job, all about how you can find spirituality and the meaning of life in the throes of all that is horrible and terrible in the world today. It is by surviving and making sense of all that goes wrong in the world, that uncovers the meaning of man.

The moral of the story is pretty clear and revealed at the end when Pi is forced to tell an alternate version of the story to Japanese investigators—with a sailor with a broken leg, a French cook, Pi, and Pi’s mother. Eventually, we realize that the zebra is the sailor, the hyena is the cook, and the orangutan is Pi’s mother, and the tiger, Richard Parker, is actually Pi. The details of cannibalism and savagery are gruesome. Finally, Pi simply asks the author, “Which story do you prefer?”

Clearly, Pi preferred the better story, a massive extrapolation of positive thought, that leads him to make sense of things, and that carries him to a new life with a loving wife and family. The other story, where humans are reduced to primal terror, could lead only to a brutally shattered life. In this story, you could see the entire story as an abandonment by God; but at the same time, it becomes evident that God was actually present at every moment. And in the end, he realizes that Richard Parker is actually his savior.

Richard Parker’s real name, lost due to a clerical error, is “Thirsty.” And where else, besides being lost in a life raft in the middle of the ocean, can you be surrounded by water and still die of thirst? In the same way, God is actually all around us, and still, so many of us are unable to receive the manna of heaven. In Hindu culture, water symbolizes the "ocean of life,'" with all living creatures existing as one contiguous body. The sea torments Pi with waves, threatens him with sharks, and even robs him of his family. At the same time, the sea also gives him life. It rains flying fish upon him, it grows a magical garden of algae, and in the end, bestows the gift of wisdom. Even Pi’s proper name, Piscine, is after a swimming pool—an object built to hold water, the water of spirit and God.

The characters in the Life of Pi, like in any dream because film is essentially collective dreaming , are all actually components of the self. At a higher level, the Tiger is Pi’s primal self, the orangutan represents universal love—as demonstrated by a protective mother, the brutal hyena is the malevolent cook who is the shadow, and the timid zebra is a young sailor with a broken leg, which represents the innocence of youth and the first to die. All are essential for becoming who we are.

However, the most important component of the self is the raft, which represents his faith. It is something that he has to construct by himself to be effective. The throughline, the spine of this tale, is that it is his raft that never forsakes him. More than any other part of the tale, it is the invisible force that finally brings him to safety and the force that transforms him into the individual he finally becomes.

Our challenges are what help to define us; what guides us to become more. What greater challenge can there be than trapped with a ferocious tiger? More so if that tiger is your own fear , anxiety , depression , desolation, and despair. It is our faith that helps us cross the cruel and endless sea. This is a message for all entrepreneurs and innovators as well, never give up your faith—faith in yourself, faith in your vision, faith in a better world.

In the final analysis, just as pi is a mathematical construct that can never be fully comprehended, the Life of Pi is essentially unfathomable; as is the battle between religion, science, and spirituality. However, just as Pi finds peace within— “Solitude began. I turned to god. I survived” —perhaps the final message of the film is one that simply urges us to find peace within as well.

Moses Ma, a partner at Next Gen Ventures, is co-author of the book Agile Innovation.

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Life of Pi Themes

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Life of Pi: Theme Analysis

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A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Author’s Note

Part 1, Chapters 1-12

Part 1, Chapters 13-24

Part 1, Chapters 25-36

Part 2, Chapters 37-48

Part 2, Chapters 49-60

Part 2, Chapters 61-73

Part 2, Chapters 74-85

Part 2, Chapters 86-94

Part 3, Chapters 95-100

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Part 1, Chapters 1-12 Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “toronto and pondicherry”, part 1, chapters 1-12 summary.

The novel begins with Pi reflecting on his life and declaring that his suffering had left him dejected. It is not yet clear the reason for Pi’s suffering and despondent state, but Pi tells us that his academic studies and the “mindful practice of religion” rejuvenated him (3). He attended the University of Toronto, where he double majored in religious studies and zoology. His thesis for religious studies centered on the cosmogony theory of Isaac Luria, a 16th-century Jewish mystic from the Levant region of Ottoman Syria. His zoology thesis, meanwhile, was an anatomical analysis of the thyroid gland of the three-toed sloth. He says that he chose the sloth for its “calm, quiet, and introspective” manner, which “did something to soothe [his] shattered self” (3). Seemingly opposites, Pi believes religion and zoology are closely related.

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Life of pi themes, belief in god.

Belief in God is clearly a major theme in Life of Pi , and has been the most controversial in reviews of the book. Throughout the novel, Pi makes his belief in and love of God clear—it is a love profound enough that he can transcend the classical divisions of religion, and worship as a Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. Pi, although amazed by the possibility of lacking this belief, still respects the atheist, because he sees him as a kind of believer. Pi’s vision of an atheist on his death bed makes it clear that he assumes the atheist’s form of belief is one in God, without his realizing it until the end. It is the agnostic that truly bothers Pi; the decision to doubt, to lack belief in anything, is to him inexcusable. This is underscored in that essential passage in the novel when Pi asks the Japanese officials which of his two stories they preferred—he sees no reason why they should not believe the better story.

Pi’s devotion to God is a prominent part of the novel; it becomes, however, much less prominent during his time aboard the lifeboat, when his physical needs come to dominate his spiritual ones. Pi never seems to doubt his belief in God while enduring his hardships, but he certainly focuses on it less. This in turn underscores the theme of the primacy of survival.

The Primacy of Survival

The primacy of survival is the definitive theme in the heart of the book, Pi’s time at sea. This theme is clear throughout his ordeal—he must eat meat, he must take life, two things which had always been anathema to him before his survival was at stake. Survival almost always trumps morality, even for a character like Pi, who is deeply principled and religious. When Pi tells the second version of his story to the Japanese men, this theme is highlighted even more vividly, because he parallels his survival instincts in the second story to Richard Parker in the first—it is he, when he must survive, who steals food, he who kills the Frenchman. If the first version of the story is seen as a fictionalized version of the second, the very fact that he divides himself from his brutal survival instinct shows the power of that instinct.

Storytelling

The act of storytelling and narration is a significant theme throughout Life of Pi , but particularly in the narrative frame. That Pi’s story is just that—a story—is emphasized throughout, with interjections from the author, Pi’s own references to it, and the complete retelling of the story for the Japanese officials. (This is not to mention chapter ninety-seven, which contains two words: “The story.”) By including a semi-fictional “Author’s Note,” Martel draws the reader’s attention to the fact that not only within the novel is Pi’s tale of survival at sea an unverified story, but the entire novel itself, and even the author’s note, usually trustworthy, is a work of fiction.

This is not to say that Martel intends the reader to read Life of Pi through a lens of disbelief or uncertainty; rather, he emphasizes the nature of the book as a story to show that one can choose to believe in it anyway, just as one can choose to believe in God—because it is preferable to not believing, it is “the better story.”

The Definition of Freedom

The true definition of freedom becomes a question early in Life of Pi , when Pi refutes the claims of people who think that zoos are cruel for restricting animals’ freedom. Pi offers evidence against this, questioning the very definition of freedom. An animal in the wild is “free” according to the opponents of zoos, and it is true that that animal is not restricted in its movement by a physical cage. It is, however, profoundly restricted by its survival needs and its instincts. If that animal is guided solely by its need for food, water, and shelter, is it really free? If it will never intentionally wander outside of the territory it has defined for itself, is it really free? In a zoo, where the animal’s needs are always provided, isn’t it more free?

The question of freedom arises again as Pi finds himself in a fight for survival at sea. He is without responsibility to anyone else, he is without any need to be anywhere in the world, he is perpetually in motion; yet he has probably never been less free, for he must always be putting his survival above all else. An example of this is that he can no longer choose to be a vegetarian—he must eat meat to stay alive. Throughout Life of Pi , the primacy of survival, of life, greatly restricts “freedom,” and thus redefines the very word.

The Relativity of Truth

The relativity of truth is not highlighted as a major theme in Life of Pi until the last part of the novel, when Pi retells the entire story to make it more plausible to the officials who are questioning him. He then asks the officials which story they liked better, since neither can be proven and neither affects the information they are searching for—how the ship sunk. This question implies that truth is not absolute; the officials can choose to believe whichever story they prefer, and that version becomes truth. Pi argues to the Japanese officials that there is invention in all “truths” and “facts,” because everyone is observing everything from their own perspective. There is no absolute truth.

Science and Religion

The theme of science and religion as not opposed but in concert with each other is present primarily in the framing of the narrative. It is exemplified in Pi’s dual major at the University of Toronto of Religion and Zoology, which he admits he sometimes gets mixed up, seeing the sloth that he studied as a reminder of God’s miracles. Similarly, Pi’s favorite teacher, Mr. Kumar, sees the zoo as the temple of his atheism. The theme of the connection between science and religion also is related to Pi’s respect for atheists, because he sees that they worship science as he worships God, which he believes is not so very different.

Loss of Innocence

The theme of loss of innocence in Life of Pi is closely related to the theme of the primacy of survival. Its significance is reflected in the geographic structure of the book—in Part 1, Pi is in Pondicherry, and there he is innocent. In Part 2, Pi is in the Pacific Ocean, and it is there that he loses his innocence. That Part 2 begins, not chronologically with the Tsimtsum sinking, but with Pi inviting Richard Parker onto the lifeboat, also reflects this, for it represents Pi reaching out for what Richard Parker symbolizes—his own survival instinct. And it is this survival instinct that is at the heart of Pi’s loss of innocence; it is this survival instinct that drives him to act in ways he never thought he could.

Throughout Part 2 there are other representative moments of a loss of innocence, besides the symbolic one of bringing Richard Parker onto the lifeboat. The most important of these is the death of the Frenchman, which Pi describes as killing a part of him which has never come back to life. That part can certainly be read as his innocence.

Life of Pi Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Life of Pi is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

how pi describe the hyena

"I am not one to hold a prejudice against any animal, but it is a plain fact that the spotted hyena is not well served by its appearance. It is ugly beyond redemption. Its thick neck and high shoulders that slope to the hindquarters look as...

What is flight distance? Why is this important for zookeepers to know?

Flight distance is the amount of space that one animal will allow another animal before fleeing. Zookeepers need to be aware of this distance in order to keep from frightening the animals.

Please state your question.

Study Guide for Life of Pi

Life of Pi is a novel by Yann Martel. Life of Pi study guide contains a biography of author Yann Martel, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Life of Pi
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Essays for Life of Pi

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.

• Living a Lie: Yann Martel’s Pi and his Dissociation from Reality
• A Matter of Perspective: The Invention of a Story in Martel’s Life of Pi
• Religion as a Coping Mechanism in Life of Pi
• Hope and Understanding: Comparing Life of Pi and Bless Me, Ultima
• Religious Allegories in Life of Pi

Lesson Plan for Life of Pi

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Life of Pi
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Life of Pi Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Life of Pi

• Introduction

“Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” Novel Analysis” Essay

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Introduction

Theme explored, works cited.

The literature of any country has its distinctive features, and animals are one of them for Canada. Authors from this state like depicting various living creatures to convey some messages. Being a representative of such writers, Yann Martel also draws specific attention to animals in his works. One of them, Life of Pi, is a suitable example of how the author can incorporate both animals and people in the same setting and show a complicated relationship between them. Even though the literary work under analysis has a simple plot, it manages to cover an essential topic. Thus, the theme of Life of Pi is to show the difference between a human being and an animal and to indicate that no conditions can make it disappear.

As has been mentioned, the plot of this novel is not complicated. The literary work tells a story of a young Indian man, Pi, who finds himself in an unusual setting. Pi’s childhood was closely connected with animals because his father owned a zoo. As a result, the hero knows how to behave and cooperate with these creatures. Since it is not calm in India, and the Prime Minister declares martial law, Pi’s family decides to leave the country and head for Canada. Thus, they sell most of their animals and board a cargo ship. However, it is wrecked, and Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger. Soon, the hyena kills the orangutan and the zebra, while the tiger, named Richard Parker, kills the hyena. Also known as RP, the tiger is the only companion of Pi, and the latter has to train the animal to allow the two to survive.

It has already been stated that the novel addresses the difference between human and animal nature and how the environment can affect a relationship between them. The following paragraphs will present some information that will support the claim above. Thus, the discrepancy under consideration becomes evident for the first time when Pi talks with his father. The older man explains that it is a mistake to believe that people and animals are equal. While he does not insist on the superiority of human beings, the man tries to convey the thought that animals should face a specific behavior. When in a zoo, some of them can have human-like traits, but people still should not forget about their true nature.

The previous idea is further elaborated when Pi’s father states that “every animal is ferocious and dangerous” (Martel 50). This belief is essential for the zookeeper and his son because it can help them save their lives. To demonstrate it, Pi’s father makes his son watch a tiger kill a goat. Pi mentions that the sound of the killing “was enough to scare the living vegetarian daylights out” of the hero (Martel 47). Even though one can say that such an experience is harmful to a young boy, Pi manages to benefit from it. Thus, the main character learns how violent and dangerous animals can be. This lesson is of significance for the hero, who then understands that it is necessary to be careful when dealing with wild living creatures.

At the same time, the author does not attempt to state that people are harmless. Father demonstrates it with the help of a particular trick. In the zoo, there is a question on the wall concerning the most dangerous beast in the zoo; the inscription has an arrow that points at a mirror (Martel 40-41). The idea behind this trick is that a human being can be even more dangerous than all animals. However, the question and the mirror do not mean that the discrepancy between animals and people disappear. They are still different because the former ones act according to their instincts, and the latter behave to obtain some advantages. Thus, the second variant is more harmful to the environment because it is challenging to predict individuals’ behavior.

As has been stated, animals can get some human qualities, and the zoo helps them succeed here. However, this humanization is of limited scope, and the case with the tiger and the goat has proved it. Even the fact that the predator has a human name, Richard Parker, does not mean that it is equal to people or can act like a human being. At the same time, people can lose their human nature when they are outside a civilization. Thus, the difference between Pi and RP becomes less evident when the two are entrapped on the boat, but it does not disappear at all. Even though the goal of the two is to eat and survive, which is a characteristic trait of animals, Pi uses his previous experience to domesticate the tiger and cope with the task. While on the boat, the man feels connectedness to the tiger, which allows Pi to believe that appropriate conditions can make the animal obtain a portion of human nature.

However, Pi’s beliefs entirely vanish when the two are saved. On the Mexican coast, RP “moved forward and disappeared forever from life” of Pi (Martel 285). The hero expected that his companion would demonstrate its human nature, but the tiger failed to say goodbye as it is usual for people. That is why, Aslani argues that anthropomorphism, “attribution of human characteristics to non-human beings,” is a leading theme of the novel (93). In addition to that, Martel is said to convey a message that animals can get human qualities under some conditions. However, it does not mean that these traits will outweigh their instincts. Furthermore, Aslani states that the theme of the novel is that “there are two natures which can never be unified – human and animal nature” (95). Thus, no conditions can result in the fact that an animal becomes equal to people.

Life of Pi is an unusual piece of literature, and it is possible to summarize its plot in a single sentence. However, it does not mean that the simplistic plot does not address essential issues. Thus, the principal theme of the novel is the relationship between people and animals. Martel demonstrates that animals can have some human features, just as people can sometimes act like animals. This idea is supported by the claim that a man is the most dangerous creature in a zoo. At the same time, it does not denote, for example, that a tiger can eliminate its wild nature under appropriate conditions. In conclusion, animals and people are significantly different creatures, and no external circumstances can make this discrepancy disappear.

Aslani, Stella. “Yann Martel’s Life of Pi as a Reflection of the True Self.” Central European Journal of Canadian Studies, vol. 10/11, 2016, pp. 91-106.

Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. Canongate Books, 2012.

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Bibliography

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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.

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