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Life of Pi Essay FULL essay

English - home language - mandatory, hoërskool rob ferreira - white river.

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Preview text, life of pi essay, “pi patel‟s life in pondicherry gives him a solid foundation for coping with, the hardships he faces as a castaway.”, introduction, 1. rephrase the topic sentence, 2. background information, 3. plan for the essay, information you can use in your essay:, (you must have at least 15 pieces of evidence if you are aiming for full, what pi experiences in, pondicherry, how his childhood, experiences help him on, the lifeboat, 1. mamaji taught pi how to swim, (chapter 3), 2. pi is able to swim to the, lifeboat and so start his, survival journey (chapters 37-, 3. pi grew up in a zoo and loves, nature and animals (chapter, 4. the beauty of his, surroundings distracts him, from his ordeal and calms him, down (chapter 59 & 67 & 85), 5. his faith helps him cope with, his ordeal (chapter 4), 6. pi adds god to his survival list, and clings to his faith, throughout his time on the, lifeboat (chapter 52 & 53 &, 60 & 74 & 93), 7. has knowledge of animal, training (chapter 5 & 13), 8. pi starts to train richard, parker – his goal is to live on, the lifeboat with rp (chapter, 61 & 62), 9. he knows to guard against, anthropomorphism (chapter, 10. pi knows not to underestimate, richard parker (chapter 53), discuss some of the things pi, learns/experiences in india as a child, which may help him on the lifeboat., discuss how pi’s knowledge and, experience helps him to cope on, the lifeboat., 11. knowledge of flight distance, with animals and how to, diminish it (chapter 9), 12. pi is able to diminish rp‟s, flight distance and move onto, the lifeboat (chapter 71 & 72), 13. knowledge of dominance in, animals and social hierarchy, (chapters 13 & 14), 14. pi claims his territory on the, lifeboat and asserts himself, as alpha male (chapter 59 &, 76 & 81), 15. pi‟s openness to experience, (has 3 religions) (chapters, 16. helps him to adapt to life on, the lifeboat (chapter 61) –, something inherent in pi, makes him fight for survival, (chapter 53), 17. pi is resourceful – changing, his nickname (chapter 5), 18. pi‟s practical nature helps him, to survive countless times, (chapter 40 & 51 & chapter, 19. has knowledge of good, zookeeping., 20. pi‟s preoccupation with co-, existing with richard parker, keeps him focussed on, survival (chapter 54 & 57 &, 80 & 81),  remember to pee:,  p - make your point,  e – explain your point,  e – give evidence for your point, 1. rephrase topic, 2. summarise essay in 1-2 sentences, 3. meaning (what have you learned about humans in general), pi‟s faith is also a valuable coping tool on the lifeboat. pi‟s, openness to new experiences is evident when he adopts three, different religions. this trait helps him to adapt to life on the, lifeboat, as he says “a person can get used to anything”. pi, clings to his faith during his ordeal. he adds god to his survival, list and mentions that in moments of utter despair he is able to, be amazed by the wonders of god, as he says, “the lower you, are, the higher your mind will want to soar.”, from this discussion it is clear that pi uses his practical skills,, knowledge and faith, which he acquired as a child in, pondicherry, to cope with the difficulties he faces on the, lifeboat. it is evident that one‟s experiences as a child, however, small, shape one‟s character, and might prove to be invaluable, at a later stage in one‟s life., background info: pi grew up in a zoo in pondicherry before, his family decided to move to canada due to political turmoil in, india. topic and plan: the focus of this essay will be on the, skills and knowledge that pi acquires during his childhood, as, well as how he uses this knowledge to his advantage during his, time on the lifeboat., point:some of the practical skills that pi acquires are: the, ability to swim, resourcefulness and proper zookeeping., mamaji teaches pi to swim. pi is able to keep afloat in the, water until he manages to climb onto the lifeboat and so his, journey of survival begins.  from the onset it is clear that pi is, resourceful. at the beginning, pi is saddened by the nickname,, pissing. he takes control of the situation and „trains‟ his class, mates to use another nickname.  this shows strength of, character and because of this pi is able to prioritise actions, necessary for his survival, e. despite the danger richard, parker presents, pi still searches for water on the lifeboat. , another ability pi gains in pondicherry is zookeeping which he, learns from his father.  pi cares for richard parker as he, would for an animal in the zoo; he cleans his living space and, provides fresh food and water. by keeping richard parker, alive, pi keeps himself alive. , point: some of the knowledge pi gains at the zoo is valuable in, helping him cope as a castaway. pi has knowledge of flight, distance in animals, and also how to diminish it.  on the, lifeboat this is a necessary skill as he realises he really should, be on the lifeboat with richard parker.  pi knows about social, hierarchy among animals and he knows that in order to safely, stay on the lifeboat, he has to assert himself as alpha male. , pi marks his territory on the lifeboat as an animal would.  pi, also makes use of his knowledge of animal training to get, richard parker to submit to him.  he knows “repetition is.

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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.

Is Life of Pi Based on a True Story? Exploring The Real Inspirations Behind The Novel

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Yann Martel's "The Life of Pi": Book Review

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The Theme of Dissociation from Reality in The Life of Pi

The character's development and controversial sacrifice in the life of pi, tiger as the best companion for pi in "life of pi", it is all about perspective: how the story is invented in the life of pi, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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Allusions in The Life of Pi

Reflection on the novel life of pi, coming of age in the "life of pi" by yann martel, physical and emotional survival in the life of pi, hope and understanding: comparing life of pi and bless me, ultima, life of pi: the contrast between words and visuals, comparative study of the films "life of pi" and "the great gatsby", richard parker character analysis, literary essay: life of pi by yann martel, life of pi: theme analysis, symbolism in life of pi, human story in yann martel's "life of pi", the multifaceted role of religion in "life of pi", the role of atheism in life of pi.

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: Key Characters, Plot, and Themes Essay

Introduction, key characters, plot summary, themes and personal opinion.

Life of Pi is a popular fantasy novel by Yann Martel, an author from Canada. It tells the story of Piscine, a boy who travels on a life raft with a tiger after surviving a shipwreck. After a series of hardships, the main character returns to civilization and manages to succeed in life. Martel raises several problems, ranging from the costs of survival to the details of religious self-expression.

The discussed novel is not short, but there are very few active characters that participate in the majority of critical events. Pi is a middle-aged Canadian of Indian descent, but he tells the story that happened when he was only sixteen (Palmer 2016). As a teenager, Pi believes in God, practices vegetarianism, and admires wildlife (Martel 2001). The author does not provide many details about Pi’s family. His father, Santosh, owns the Pondicherry Zoo and is skeptical about religion (Martel 2001). Gita, the main character’s mother, is a Hindu woman who implants the love of knowledge in Pi and supports him. Richard Parker also acts as a separate character – he is a three-year-old tiger named after a hunter by mistake. In this book, Richard serves as the symbol of physical power, beauty, and threat (Palmer 2016). Other characters, including Pi’s wife, brother, teacher, and children, are described in brief.

The book in question consists of three sections, each of which is devoted to the specific phase of the story. In the first part, the protagonist, known as Pi, reflects on his early life in Southern India and his relationships with parents and other family members (Martel 2001). In the first few chapters, some exciting details about Pi are revealed, including the origin of his full name, the experience of being bullied at school, and his father’s zoo and hotel businesses. Apart from these facts, Pi remembers the start of his spiritual journey when he wanted to practice three religions at the same time (Martel 2001). During the so-called Emergency period in India, Pi’s family decides to move to Canada to live in safety.

The next section is focused on Pi’s dangerous adventures during the trip to Canada. After a few days of overwater travel, “the Japanese cargo ship Tsimtsum” carrying the family and their animals runs into a gale and sinks (Martel 2001, 45). Serendipitously, Pi manages to survive and sails away with four animals on a life raft. The animals start killing each other, and Pi eventually finds himself left one on one with a “three-year-old adult Bengal tiger” named Richard Parker (Martel 2001, 47). He starts training the tiger with the help of food and tricks and becomes able to share the boat with Richard without obvious threats to life.

Different mental effects of lonely drifting with no hope of deliverance manifest themselves and make Pi approach the delirious state of mind. The tiger saves him from death a few times, and Pi wrongly assumes that they can communicate verbally. Pi and the tiger discover an island inhabited by suricates and other animals but return to the ocean due to dangerous plants. A few days after, they arrive at a Mexican beach, and the tiger runs away. In the final portion of the book, the narrator describes his communication with the Japanese authorities that investigate the case of Tsimtsum. He meets them in one of the hospitals in Mexico and tells his story, but the officials do not believe him. To avoid problems, he has to invent the second, a more realistic version of the tale by replacing animals with people.

The popularity of the novel is probably related to the number of essential ideas and issues that it raises. First of all, Life of Pi is about the need to change and the survival instinct and its manifestations in life-threatening conditions. In the first chapters, Pi is presented as a vegetarian and a person who never hurts animals. Still, as the story develops, he gradually becomes capable of hunting and eating anything to survive (Palmer 2016). Being alone with wild animals on the boat, Pi becomes an eyewitness of violence in nature when the hyena “plunges head and shoulders into the zebra’s guts” (Martel 2001, 58). This “ghastly, but natural, animal ferocity” urges Pi to challenge his ideals (Palmer 2016, 100). He has to choose between being guided by primal fear and death.

Another major theme is religion or, more specifically, Pi’s self-determination, understanding of God, and connections between religious movements. The reader is told that Pi has been raised as a Hindu but manages to understand the core ideas of the most practiced religions due to his clear-sightedness and love for God (Kuriakose 2018). Pi recognizes things that the adherents of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity have in common, thus demonstrating his “religious imagination” (Wagner 2016, 1). He believes the concept of God to be universal and describes Hindus as “hairless Christians,” Muslims as “bearded Hindus,” and Christians as “hat-wearing Muslims” (Martel 2001, 26).

In my opinion, the novel is unique since it makes totally different worlds coexist peacefully, and it does not refer only to religion. The author uses various writing techniques and proceeds from obviously fantastic scenes to naturalistic descriptions of what Pi observes during his long journey. To me, Life of Pi is among the books that can be understood in plenty of ways. It means that all people can learn more about themselves when going through a series of unexpected adversities with Pi and trying to imagine what they would do if they were him. From my perspective, Life of Pi encourages individuals to value life just like other shipwreck narratives do. It also teaches the readers that finding their inner strength in critical situations may require revising their views of life.

Personally, I am sure that the book also has a deep meaning when it comes to culture and religion. The author’s multicultural background enables him to make references to different traditions without raising conflicts (Kuriakose 2018). To some extent, the plot demonstrates that a person’s religious affiliation does not matter when his or her life hangs in the balance. From Pi’s inner dialogues, it becomes clear that religious rivalry stems from several artificial barriers between people. Conceivably, the book can make those believing in the superiority of their religion challenge their views, thus improving mutual understanding.

To sum it up, Martel’s novel raises many philosophical themes, including religious self-determination, God’s universality, and behavioral changes that people experience in the face of death. Being quite dynamic, the plot can be interpreted in a variety of ways and lead people to different conclusions. In my opinion, the book teaches the audience to build inner strength, value life, and avoid dividing people by religion.

Kuriakose, John. 2018. “Religious Pluralism in Yan Martel’s Life of Pi: A Case of Intertextual Correspondence with Swami Vivekananda’s Religious Philosophy.” Advances in Language and Literary Studies 9 (2): 138–145. Web.

Martel, Yann. 2001. Life of Pi . Toronto, Canada: Knopf Canada.

Palmer, Christopher. 2016. Castaway Tales: From Robinson Crusoe to Life of Pi. Middletown, NJ: Wesleyan University Press.

Wagner, Rachel. 2016. “Screening Belief: The Life of Pi, Computer Generated Imagery, and Religious Imagination.” Religions 7 (8): 1–22. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2019, December 3). Life of Pi: Key Characters, Plot, and Themes. https://ivypanda.com/essays/life-of-pi-key-characters-plot-and-themes/

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IvyPanda . 2019. "Life of Pi: Key Characters, Plot, and Themes." December 3, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/life-of-pi-key-characters-plot-and-themes/.

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Life of Pi Essay

Life Of Pi And Life Of Pi

hardships, that they have to overcome. Pi is a boy from The Life of Pi who got stranded in the middle of the ocean and Phillip Ashton is a man who was captured by pirates in 1722 but escapes and waits in the Caribbean until he is saved. In the novel Life of Pi, the main character Pi is similar to the castaway Philip Ashton because they both survive tragic incidents, lose their families, and have to face serious fears every day. In the novel Life of Pi, the main character Pi is similar to the castaway Philip

In “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel , Piscine Patel is the protagonist of this story, his rare name came from french word for pool and more specifically, from a pool in paris in which a close family friend loved to swim. An indian boy who is trying to discover who he is, as a kid his name “piscine” but was popularly use but instead classmates had convert it to “pissing” as like urine , Patel wasn't hurt or mad about it , but he didn't wanted people to remember him as “piss”, when the new year started

Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, is a story of a boy named Pi Patel. In the beginning of the story, Pi tells us how he is named after a swimming pool named the Piscine Molitor. His parent’s friend whom he calls “Mamaji” was a swimmer and tells Pi’s parents how that was the most elegant pool he has ever swam in therefore becoming his namesake. Piscine’s family was Hindu but as he explores more religions, he says he wants to practice two more, such as Christianity and Islam. Throughout the book

On both the individual and group graphic text of the novel, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the will to live was the dominant theme. Martel shows the astonishing things one does to survive through Pi, the main character in the novel. When ranking themes for the individual graphic text, I solely focused on the second part of the novel. I considered the first part an introduction to the story while part three a conclusion, and so the bulk of the plot and catastrophic events took place in part two. When

in science lack the ability to believe something on faith. Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a story of a young man named Pi shipwrecked at sea for seven months where his life is changed forever. After escaping the sea, Pi tells two stories of what happened during those seven months. Regardless which story is more believable or interesting, do the details of the story really matter if the outcomes are the same? Similarly both stories include Pi being shipwrecked with hungry individuals who must fight to

Yann Martel, Life of Pi is a fiction book about a young boy named Pi. His real name is Piscine, but he goes by Pi. This book is split into three parts of basically where the story is taking place. Part one is the intro to the story and it is called “Toronto and Pondicherry.” Part two is where the climax rises a lot and it is called “The Pacific Ocean.” Finally, Part three is when the climax is going down and it is called “Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico.” Of course, Pi is one of the main

compelling influences over humanity is that of storytelling. In fact, a skilled storyteller has the ability to entrance audiences and evoke powerful emotions that can even inspire action. Yann Martel takes full advantage of this in his fictional novel Life of Pi, in which a young Indian boy finds himself stranded in the Pacific Ocean alongside a Bengal tiger. He contrasts the imaginative retelling of Pi’s journey to the real story in order to reveal the full potential of storytelling. Weaving together several

his/ her choice. In the novel, Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, the protagonist of the story, Pi, also makes a few choices and loses some valuable things in his life. In the novel, Pi is a sixteen year-old Indian boy stranded on a lifeboat with a Royal Bengal Tiger, Richard Parker, in the Pacific Ocean who is trying to find a way to reach the shore. Firstly, Pi loses his entire family when the ship, Tsimtsum, sinks in the ocean. This loss is a result of the choice that Pi has made because he chooses to

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, is an extraordinary, magical, and emotional novel published in 2001. Named after a french pool, Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, is the novel's protagonist. Martel's novel tells the story of Pi, who is the son of an Indian zookeeper, born in Pondicherry. After selling their zoo in India and deciding to move to Canada, the Patel family (which consists of Pi, his brother Ravi, his father Santosh, and his mother Gita) boards a Japanese cargo ship called Tsimtsum,

your beats of hope? The movie I have chosen to analyze is Life of Pi. Life of Pi is a movie that revolves around courage, resilience and hope. The protagonist Pi Patel experiences an internal journey of resilience after the unfortunate shipwreck incident. Additionally, the strong bond built between the tiger and Pi generated some trust in each other and that strengthened the courage Pi had through the

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by Yann Martel

• Life of Pi Summary

Life of Pi tells the fantastical story of Pi Patel, a sixteen-year-old South Indian boy who survives at sea with a tiger for 227 days. Pi, born Piscine Molitor Patel , grows up in the South Indian city of Pondicherry, where his father runs the zoo. A precocious and intelligent boy, by the age of fifteen Pi—Hindu from an early age—has also adopted Christianity and Islam, and considers himself a pious devotee to all three religions.

Thanks to government upheaval that has long been distressing Pi’s father, the Patels decide to close the Pondicherry Zoo and move to Canada when Pi is sixteen. Pi, his mother, father, and brother Ravi all board the Tsimtsum along with the zoo’s animal inhabitants (who are on their way to be sold around the world).

An unexplained event causes the Tsimtsum to sink, and Pi is the only human to make it onto the lifeboat and survive. Along with Pi, the lifeboat contains a hyena, a zebra, Orange Juice the orangutan, and Richard Parker the tiger. The hyena kills and devours both the zebra and Orange Juice, before Richard Parker kills the hyena. Pi is left alone on a lifeboat with an adult male tiger.

There is no land in sight and the ocean is shark-infested, so Pi builds a raft which he attaches to the lifeboat, to keep himself at a safer distance from Richard Parker. Eventually, however, life on the raft proves too exhausting, and Pi realizes that if Richard Parker gets hungry enough, he will swim to it and kill Pi. So Pi decides that he must tame Richard Parker. Using a whistle, seasickness, and a turtle-shell shield, Pi manages to assert his authority over Richard Parker and delineate his own territory on the lifeboat, where he is comparatively safe from the tiger.

While at sea, Pi and Richard Parker face many challenges, traumas, tragedies, and miraculous occurrences. They never have sufficient food and fresh water, and the constant exposure is highly painful. A severe storm, which they miraculously survive, destroys the raft. Pi manages to capture and kill a bird. They are almost crushed by an oil tanker, which then passes by without seeing them.

During an especially severe period of starvation, Pi and Richard Parker both go blind. While blind, Pi hears a voice, and realizes that they have drawn near another lifeboat that contains a similarly starving and blind Frenchman. Pi and this man converse for a while, and bring their boats together. The Frenchman climbs onto Pi’s boat, and immediately attacks him, planning to kill and eat him. He doesn’t realize that there is a tiger on the boat, however, and accidentally steps into Richard Parker’s territory. The tiger immediately attacks and kills him. Pi, saved at the cost of his attacker’s life, describes this as the beginning of his true moral suffering.

Pi and Richard Parker come upon a weird island that is made of algae with trees protruding from it, teeming with meerkats but no other life. Pi and Richard Parker stay on the island for weeks, eating the algae and the meerkats, growing stronger, and bathing in and drinking from the fresh water ponds. They never stay on the island at night, however, Pi because he feels safer from the tiger in his delineated territory, and Richard Parker for a reason unknown to Pi. Pi eventually starts to sleep on the island, and while doing so realizes that the island is carnivorous—it emits acid at night that dissolves anything on its surface. Greatly disturbed by this, Pi takes Richard Parker, and they leave the island.

Pi and Richard Parker eventually land on the Mexican beach. Richard Parker immediately runs off into the jungle without acknowledging Pi, which Pi finds deeply hurtful. Pi is found, fed, bathed, and taken to a hospital. There, two Japanese men come to question Pi about what caused the Tsimtsum to sink. He tells his story, which they do not believe, so he offers them a more plausible version, with the animal characters replaced by other humans, which casts doubt on the original story.

Throughout the novel, the story is interrupted by the author’s notes on Pi as he is now, telling this story to the author. After recovering in Mexico he went to Canada, where he spent a year finishing high school and then studied Religion and Zoology at the University of Toronto. At some point, he got married, and he now has two children. He still thinks of Richard Parker, and is still hurt by his final desertion.

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
• Life of Pi Video
• Character List

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