Life of Pi
Chapters 1-4
What animal
are you?
Objective: Activity to improve your
understanding of the novel
• Understand the role and
importance of animals in the novel
• Understand anthropomorphism in
literature
• Understand the use
of anthropomorphism in the novel
• Explore own ideas of
anthropomorphism
1. What is anthropomorphism?
1. What is anthropomorphism?
• Animals don't usually....
...but people do!
1. What is anthropomorphism?
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviors to animals or
other non-human things (including objects).
1. What is anthropomorphism?
• It suggests that certain human characteristics are universal—
shared by all creatures.
• It can be used to add a symbolic dimension to a character,
and thereby make a story more allegorical.
• In Animal Farm, for example, the pigs represent the ruling
class because pigs are associated with greed.
1. What is anthropomorphism?
How is ANTHROPOMORPHISM different to PERSONIFICATION?
Discuss, with examples
2. Anthropomorphism in fiction
• What other examples
of anthropomorphism in
fiction do you know?
3. Anthropomorphism in Life of Pi
• Find examples
of anthropomorphism in
the novel
• How is this used?
• What characteristics is
the author describing?
4. What animal are you?
• Each student identifies two
animals:
• An animal that they feel their
personality is closest with
• An animal they feel opposite of.
• Write a short text (2 paragraphs)
on why they chose each animal.