Feng
Jonathan Feng
Mrs. Emma Richardson
University English II
19 November 2007
Life of Pi: Faith in God
Elaborated Thesis: The Life of Pi presents a gripping and credible case for
religious faith because of Pi’s embracing of major religions, Pi’s encounters
with animals as religious symbols, and Pi’s religious faith and will to live at
sea.
I. Pi’s embracing of major religions
A. Hinduism
1. Experienced a Hindu rite of passage at birth
2. Believes that universe makes sense through Hindu eyes
3. Has deep reverence to Hindu gods
4. Makes references to Hinduism throughout book
B. Islam
1. Introduced to Islam by first observing a Muslim pray
2. Feels deep religious contact in a mosque and with its formality of prayers
3. Loves Arabic and the Qur’an
C. Christianity
1. Met Jesus Christ on a holiday
2. Is fascinated by the concept of love in the story of Christ
3. Drawn by the idea of a mortal God
i
Feng ii
4. Wishes to be baptized
II. Religious and spiritual symbolism in animals
A. Pi’s consolation in zoology in conjunction with religion
B. Pi’s upbringing in the Pondicherry Zoo
C. Enthrallment with the uniqueness of animals
D. Animals aboard the lifeboat
1. Marvelous body of Richard Parker as both an image of God and a sign
of the brutality of the world
2. Zebra as suggesting martyrdom for the senseless brutality of life
3. Suffering and bloodshed as representing Christian values of patience and love
III. Pi’s religious faith and will to live at sea
A. Constant prayer
1. For consolation and aid
2. For the animals
B. Steadfast faith in God, which results in his strong will to live
1. Promises early on that he will change miracles into everyday occurrences
2. Centralizes love as a value and implies the power of faith to overcome
apparent impossibilities
C. Breaks lifelong bonds to survive at sea
1. Breaks bond of a vegetarian
2. Breaks vow not to kill another being
Feng
1
Jonathan Feng
Mrs. Emma Richardson
University English II
19 November 2007
Life of Pi: Faith in God
Yann Martel’s 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, along with cages full of zoo animals. The ship,
however, sinks, leaving Pi and the tiger Richard Parker bobbing 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 flees. Pi’s story is a
unique, high-seas adventure with many underlying themes. At its core is the idea of
religious faith. As a practitioner of Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, Pi is a remarkably
religious youth. He has a sophisticated perspective of the world and finds consolation in
both zoology and religion. With only a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker
and a throng of sharks to keep him company in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Pi must
rely on his own faith and devotion to God to retain his hope of survival and selfpreservation. Pi’s story investigates faith and love of God through the lens of a physical
world depicted as wondrous, brutal, and deeply mystifying. The Life of Pi presents a
gripping and credible case for religious faith because of Pi’s embracing of major
religions, Pi’s encounters with animals as religious symbols, and Pi’s religious faith and
will to live at sea.
Feng
2
Pi Patel has strong religious conviction, as evident in his simultaneous practice of
Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. Near the beginning of the novel, he poses a question
to the reader: “We are all born like Catholics, aren’t we – in limbo, without religion, until
some figure introduces us to God?” (Martel 47). In response to his own question, Pi
relates his personal experience involving his first encounter with religion. As a baby, Pi
experiences a “Hindu rite of passage” (47). Growing up, Pi becomes rooted in his Hindu
faith and claims, “It is my heart that commands me so. I feel at home in a Hindu temple”
(48). For Pi, Hinduism is “more than rite and ritual” (48); Hinduism is a way of life.
Jonathan Kiefer comments, “[Pi’s] spiritual affairs are rendered with loving care” (screen
1). Throughout the novel, Pi addresses the symbolism and meaning of religion. Not
limiting his religious devotion to attending services and daily worship, Pi attempts to
interpret the world through religion. He asserts, “The universe makes sense to me
through Hindu eyes. . . . With [Hinduism’s] notions in mind I see my place in the
universe” (48-49). He believes the gods of Hinduism to be the components of the
universe; for example, Brahman, the ultimate power in Hinduism, is said to be the world
soul whose clothes are space and time. Pi considers the Hindu gods as the path that
allows humans to touch their souls. Believing that the Hindu gods lead to liberation, Pi
expresses deep reverence towards them: “My heart still skips a beat when I catch sight of
the murti, of God Residing, in the inner sanctum of a temple” (48). His deep faith is also
shown through his various references to the Hindu gods and their stories. In Chapter 17,
Pi compares Jesus Christ to the Hindu gods by retelling many stories exemplifying the
gods’ powers. One story he relates concerns the god Krishna, who was once wrongly
accused of eating dirt when he was a baby. His foster mother, Yashoda, scolds him and
Feng
3
asks him to open his mouth. When Krishna obeys her, Yashoda “sees in Krishna’s mouth
the whole complete entire timeless universe” (55). In another story, Pi relates the
incarnation of Vishnu as Vamana the dwarf. In the story, Vishnu requests of demon king
Bali the ownership of the land he can cover in three strides. Bali scoffs and consents.
Vishnu instantly restores himself to his cosmic size: “With one stride he covers the earth,
with the second the heavens, and with the third he boots Bali into the netherworld” (55).
In another tale, Pi tells of Rama, most human of Hindu avatars, in his struggle to return
Sita, his wife, back from Ravana, the evil king of Lanka. Rama is said to have “strength
no man could have and weapons no man could handle” (55). In these stories, Pi
expresses his admiration for Hinduism and its chronicles. In Chapter 60, Pi describes one
night as being especially serene and enlightening. In his description, Pi declares, “I felt
like the sage Markandeya, who fell out of Vishnu’s mouth while Vishnu was sleeping
and so beheld the entire universe, everything that there is” (177). In another instance, Pi
thanks Lord Vishnu for the capture of a dorado: “Once you saved the world by taking the
form of a fish. Now you have saved me by taking the form of a fish. Thank you, thank
you!” (185). He once relates the labor demanded when trying to haul a sea turtle aboard
the lifeboat and mentions, “It was a labour that demanded feats of strength worthy of
Hanuman” (196). Evident through Pi’s constant referrals to Hinduism, the Indian youth
is reminded of his faith on daily occurrences.
Although a devout Hindu follower, Pi does not halt his religious pursuit with
Hinduism alone. He claims, “Lord Krishna led me to meet [Jesus Christ one holiday]”
(50). During a vacation to Munnar, Pi notices three religious houses crowning the top of
three hills. One afternoon, Pi ventures into the Christian church atop one of the hills. In
Feng
4
doing so, Pi first encounters a “torture scene” (53). He later learns that the scene depicts
the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The next afternoon, Pi speaks with the priest, Father
Martin, who relates the story of Jesus Christ. Pi, however, is befuddled: “What?
Humanity sins but it’s God’s Son who pays the price?” (53). Pi is not satisfied with the
story of Jesus Christ and asks Father Martin for another story. In reply, Father Martin
claims that Christianity “had one Story, and to it [Christians] came back again and again,
over and over” (53). Pi does not fully comprehend the significance of the story and
begins to question aspects of Christ’s death. Pi states, “Divinity should not be blighted
by death. It’s wrong” (54). The young boy ponders why God would wish death upon
Himself; why God did not leave death to the mortals; why God acted the way he did
when he was wrongfully accused; and why God, in human manifestation, did not bear
children to continue His work. Father Martin’s answer to Pi’s questions is love. Pi is
bewildered and states, “He bothered me, this Son. Every day I burned with greater
indignation against Him, found more flaws to Him” (56). However, Pi claims that “the
more [he] learned about Him, the less [he] wanted to leave Him” (57). It is this persistent
curiosity that ultimately leads to Pi’s desire to become a Christian. Before the departure
from Munnar, Pi expresses his wish to become a Christian to Father Martin. Father
Martin replies, “You already are, Piscine – in your heart. Whoever meets Christ in good
faith is a Christian. Here in Munnar, you met Christ” (57). Pi is overjoyed and thanks
Lord Krishna “for having put Jesus of Nazareth, whose humanity [he] found so
compelling, in [his] way” (58). Pi then wishes to become baptized. Pi describes the
water of his baptism having “the refreshing effect of a monsoon rain” (77). In this unique
Feng
5
perspective of the story of Jesus Christ, Martel presents to the reader a gripping case for
religious faith in his fresh outlook on religion.
Hardly a year after Pi embraces Christianity, Islam follows. In a Muslim quarter
near his father’s zoo, Pi meets a Muslim bread seller. After a short introduction, the
baker Satish Kumar leads Pi into his house to show him how to make his specialty
breads. While inside, both hear the nasal call of the muezzin, the Muslim crier, from the
mosque. In response to this call to prayer, Mr. Kumar excuses himself to retrieve a
prayer carpet from the next room. Pi then witnesses the Muslim pray by muttering
Arabic and bowing four times. The image of Muslim prayer instills itself into the mind
of Pi, who describes the prayer as “quick, necessary, physical, muttered, striking” (60).
After this first encounter with Islam, Pi visits Mr. Kumar and asks the baker about his
religion. Mr. Kumar replies, “It is about the Beloved” (60). Pi instantly feels drawn
towards Islam and comments, “I challenge anyone to understand Islam, its spirit, and not
to love it. It is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion” (61). Pi sees Islam as a
loving union between God and follower. He also finds the Muslim place of worship, the
mosque, very appealing for its “open construction, to God and to breeze” (61). In
addition, Pi claims to feel deep religious contact in the fashion of Muslim prayer: “It felt
good to bring my forehead to the ground” (61). Under the leadership of Mr. Kumar, Pi
prays and practices dhikr, the recitation of the ninety-nine revealed names of God. Mr.
Kumar proves to be an especially effective Muslim instructor to Pi because he is a hafiz,
one who knows the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, by heart. The language of Islam,
Arabic, also draws Pi, who declares to love its sound: “The guttural eruptions and long
flowing vowels rolled just beneath my comprehension like a beautiful brook. I gazed
Feng
6
into this brook for long spells of time. It was not wide, just one man’s voice, but it was
as deep as the universe” (62). He implies that Arabic is the language of God and with its
sounds, Muslims feel the gap between mortality and divinity shrink. From witnessing
Muslim prayer, Pi embraces the Muslim religion and proclaims the union of the gods of
Hinduism and Islam, “Atman met Allah” (62).
Pi’s belief in the union between religions is a manifestation of his dedication to
loving God. He claims that the “presence of God is the finest of rewards” (63).
Underneath the formality and differences in the three religions, Pi realizes the one theme
that binds the three together: love. Dina Georgis states, “Compelled by each of their faith
stories, Pi decides he cannot choose between the religions and instead follows all three
with much ease and synchronicity. Pi’s God is plural because he could not see the sense
in choosing between three good stories” (screen 3). The significance of Pi’s devotion to
God is exemplified in the novel when he loses everything and must rely on this faith to
live.
In addition to Pi’s embracing of major religions, another aspect of the novel that
presents a gripping case for religious faith is the spiritual symbolism in the animals. At
the start of the novel, Pi describes his double-major Bachelor’s degree in religious studies
and zoology. Pamela Cooper says, “The linking of religion and physicality--especially
the diverse physicality of animals--is established at the start of the novel, when the adult
Pi describes the double major of religious studies and zoology he took for his bachelor's
degree at the University of Toronto” (screen 5). Pi states that he finds consolation in
religion and zoology: “Academic study and the steady, mindful practice of religion
slowly brought me back to life [from my ordeal at sea]” (3). Justine Jordan comments,
Feng
7
“Faith and science, two marveling perspectives on the world, coexist throughout the book
in a fine, delicate balance” (screen 3). Pi’s fascination with the study of animals enables
him to discover their uniqueness. The uniqueness of animals enthralls Pi. When Pi is
working on his zoology thesis on the analysis of the three-toed sloth, he claims, “The
three-toed sloth, such a beautiful example of the miracle of life, reminded me of God”
(5). Pi sees the stagnant movement of the sloth and its ability to blend in with its
surroundings as testimony to the everyday miracles of life.
Pi’s upbringing in his father’s zoo in Pondicherry further captures the spiritual
blend of religion and zoology. In Chapter 4, as Pi relates his childhood upbringing in the
Pondicherry Zoo, he describes the unique characteristics of all the animals within the zoo.
He expresses his admiration for these animals: “I wish I could convey the perfection of a
seal slipping into water or a spider monkey swinging from point to point or a lion merely
turning its head. But language founders in such seas. Better to picture it in your head if
you want to feel it” (15). Jordan says, “Pi is a creature of faith (or faiths) who sees
eternally renewed wonder in God and his creation” (screen 2). When Pi expresses his
thoughts that animals appreciate their enclosed habitats in zoos as humans do their
homes, he claims that animals have more freedom within the zoos because of the lack of
predators, food shortages, parasites, and territorial conflicts. He says, “I know zoos are
no longer in people’s good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions
about freedom plague them both” (19). In this statement, Pi demonstrates how closely he
relates religion to zoology.
Pi not only learns from the animals of the zoo, but also from the people who visit
it. Mr. Satish Kumar, a regular visitor to the zoo, is an atheistic biology teacher who
Feng
8
becomes Pi’s favorite teacher in secondary school. Pi claims that it is because of Mr.
Kumar that he studied zoology at the University of Toronto. He says, “I felt a kinship
with him. It was my first clue that atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith,
and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason
will carry them – and then they leap” (28). Throughout the novel, this “leap of faith” is
presented as a challenge to the reader to have religious faith in a world full of uncertainty
and doubt. Even near the end of the novel, Pi indirectly begs the reader to take a leap of
faith: “Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist.
God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe?”
(297). In one scene at the Pondicherry zoo, Pi’s biology teacher and Pi’s Muslim
instructor, both named Mr. Kumar, visit the zoo and wonder at the figure of a zebra.
Cooper comments, “In a moving, sweetly comic scene, these two identically named yet
philosophically opposed father figures are united in their wonder at a zebra eating carrots
from their hands” (screen 7). In a brief exchange between Pi and the two men, they
express their admiration for the creature: “Mr. Kumar [says], ‘Equus burchelli boehmi.’
Mr. Kumar [says], ‘Allahu akbar.’ [Pi says], ‘It’s very pretty’” (84). Mr. Kumar the
biology teacher gives the scientific name of the zebra, while the other gives the Arabic
expression Allahu akbar meaning, “God is great.” Cooper describes, “This moment
captures the spiritual import of the physical body and suggests enchanted apprehension of
that body as a means of philosophical and theological reconciliation among people”
(screen 7). The zebra’s form is praised as a sign of God’s creation in the miraculous
powers of nature. The essence of spiritual wonder continues to promote religious faith,
even in conjunction with science.
Feng
9
Pi’s enthrallment with the animals from the zoo and in nature presents devout
faith in the miracles of life. A setting that further establishes the novel’s animals as
symbols of religious faith is aboard the lifeboat. Cooper says, “In the novel, the
marvelous body of the animal becomes both an image of God and a sign of the
inexplicable cruelty of the world” (screen 7). Apart from the sloth as an image of
divinity, the zebra is used to present a martyr. When the Japanese cargo ship Tsimtsum
begins to sink, Pi is thrown into a lifeboat. Shortly after landing, a large male Grant
zebra jumps from the cargo ship, “leaping with the grace of a racehorse” (105).
However, it “[lands] with a loud crash on the last bench, smashing it and shaking the
whole lifeboat” (105). The zebra breaks its rear leg and becomes a victim of the hyena
aboard the lifeboat. It is mauled by the hyena and becomes disemboweled, yet still clings
to life. Pi is appalled: “I was horrified. I had no idea a living being could sustain so
much injury and go on living” (128). In this violent scene, the zebra becomes a martyr to
the senseless brutality of life. Cooper says, “Martel uses the zebra’s suffering to
emphasize the Christian virtues of patience and love” (screen 7). The novel seems to
imply that in this brutal world, the endurance of pain, as evident by the story of Jesus
Christ and the zebra, has deep religious meaning.
The 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker is also evidence of animals as
religious symbols. The marvelous body of Richard Parker can be seen as both an image
of God and a sign of the brutality of the world. When Pi beholds Richard Parker aboard
the lifeboat, he describes the body of Richard Parker as a “display of mighty art” (151).
Pi marvels at the appearance of the tiger: “He was incredibly muscular . . . His body,
bright brownish orange streaked with black vertical stripes, was incomparably beautiful,
Feng 10
matched with a tailor’s eye for harmony by his pure white chest and underside and the
black rings of his long tail” (151). The beauty of Richard Parker gives the implication of
God’s might and splendor. Cooper emphasizes the importance of form: “The flesh,
incomplete and mortal, signifies divine completion and immortality; the pragmatic body
invokes the transcendental” (screen 6). However, the tiger also provides an alternate
view: a sign of the world’s brutality. Aboard the lifeboat with a hyena, an orangutan, a
zebra, and a young Indian youth, Richard Parker is easily the most powerful being of the
group. After a Darwinian-inspired struggle, Richard Parker, alone with Pi, is the only
remaining animal alive. He kills the hyena without a sound: “Richard Parker’s jaws
closed on the side of the hyena’s neck. Its glazed eyes widened. There was a noise of
organic crunching as windpipe and spinal cord were crushed. . . . It was over” (150-151).
This description demonstrates the brutal power of the tiger.
In addition to the visual and physical representations of Richard Parker as a
symbol of spiritual wonder, the tiger also paradoxically serves as a tangible form of faith
and hope for Pi. Pi confesses, “It was Richard Parker who calmed me down. It is the
irony of this story that the one who scared me witless to start with was the very same who
brought me peace, purpose, I dare say even wholeness” (162). Throughout Pi’s ordeal at
sea, Richard Parker maintains Pi’s sanity and will to live; thus, Pi decides to tame the
tiger. Pi expresses his gratitude for Richard Parker by admitting that a part of him did not
want him to die. Pi says, “If [Richard Parker] died I would be left alone with despair, a
foe even more formidable than a tiger. It I still had the will to live, it was thanks to
Richard Parker. He kept me from thinking too much about my family and my tragic
circumstances. He pushed me to go on living” (164). Pi is grateful and continues to
Feng 11
assert that, without Richard Parker, he would not be alive to tell his story. In Chapter 86,
as Pi and Richard Parker fail to catch the attention of a ship, Pi exclaims, “I love you,
Richard Parker. If I didn’t have you now, I don’t know what I would do. I don’t think I
would make it. No, I wouldn’t. I would die of hopelessness. Don’t give up, Richard
Parker, don’t give up. I’ll get you to land, I promise, I promise!” (236). Robert A.
Morace analyzes, “Pi [becomes dependent] on the tiger for a strange kind of
companionship that is as much spiritual as psychological” (screen 3). As evident in Pi’s
gratitude to the tiger, Richard Parker serves as Pi’s faith and hope.
Throughout the novel, the recurring theme of religious faith is presented in the
animals. Pi finds consolation in zoology and finds the uniqueness of animals as a sign of
the miracles of God. The animals aboard the lifeboat serve as religious symbols. The
zebra is the martyr for the world’s brutality, while Richard Parker implies the mighty
image of God. The symbolic meanings of the animals provoke religious faith in the Life
of Pi.
Along with Pi’s embracing of major religions and the animals as religious
symbols, the heart of the novel centers around Pi’s religious faith and will to live at sea.
Stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with only a 450-pound Bengal tiger and a
throng of sharks to keep him company, Pi clings to his love for God and partly relies on
religious rituals to prevent despair and the feeling of isolation. From the beginning of the
novel, Pi realizes that the main battlefield for hope is not the open ground of the public
but in the clearing of each heart. Cooper says, “His greatest trials, though, are
psychological and spiritual. He finds his worst enemies to be despair and fear, and his
true strength emerges in his efforts to combat these” (screen 9). Margaret Gunning
Feng 12
agrees, “We don’t truly begin to know Pi until the disaster at sea forces him to spend
months with a ravenous predator” (screen 2). Both human and animal are pushed to the
brink of their endurance, confronting insurmountable odds of isolation and starvation. In
Chapter 74, Pi gives an account of the religious rituals that he has adapted to the
circumstances: “solitary Masses without priests or consecrated Communion hosts,
darshans without murtis, and pujas with turtle meat for Prasad, acts of devotion to Allah
not knowing where Mecca was and getting my Arabic wrong” (208). He is comforted by
these rituals and, at times when he feels anger, desolation, and weariness, Pi tries to
elevate himself by proclaiming God’s ownership aboard the lifeboat. For example, Pi
would point to Richard Parker and say aloud, “THIS IS GOD’S CAT!” (209). Pi sees
faith in God as “an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love” (208). When
despair takes Pi, the young Indian claims he will go on loving God, who remains “a
shining point of light in [his] heart” (209). Pi is in constant prayer for consolation and aid
and for animals. Cooper comments, “Through his prayers [Pi] maintains a sense of
God’s presence despite his terrible solitude” (screen 9). He prays for God to spare his
life and to aid him in his ordeal at sea. He prays for hope and the strength to fight
hopelessness. Pi also prays for the suffering of the animals that he encounters. Aboard
the lifeboat, as the zebra is mauled by the hyena, Pi laments, “I have not forgotten that
poor zebra and what it went through. Not a prayer goes by that I don’t think of it” (120).
The first time that Pi must kill a fish, he weeps over the deceased soul. He grieves, “I
never forget to include this fish in my prayers” (183). In Chapter 63, Pi relates how
keeping himself busy was the key to his survival. He creates a routine that involves
inspecting the lifeboat, fishing, taking care of Richard Parker, and, especially, praying.
Feng 13
Early in his survival, Pi promises to survive: “I will not die. I refuse it. I will
make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived
so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen
every day. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I
will not die. Amen” (148). What follows is a brave and daring account of Pi assembling
a makeshift raft and organizing his survival. He also devises six plans to handle Richard
Parker that varies from pushing the tiger overboard to attacking the tiger with all
available weaponry. Finally, Pi decides to tame the tiger: “I had to tame him. It was at
that moment that I realized this necessity. It was not a question of him or me, but of him
and me” (164). Jordan comments, “Like a lion tamer in the circus ring, Pi must convince
the tiger that he is the super-alpha male” (screen 2). Gary Krist says, “[Pi] comes to
realize that survival involves knowing when to assert himself and when to hold back,
when to take the upper hand and when to yield to a power greater than himself. He
discovers, in other words, that living with a tiger ultimately requires acts of both will and
faith” (screen 2). Cooper concurs, “In his relationship with [Richard Parker], Pi finds a
sense of usefulness and the comfort of interdependence” (screen 9). With the Pacific
Ocean acting as the circus ring and a whistle as a whip, Pi is determined to tame Richard
Parker. Pi leans upon his will and spiritual faith to steel his nerves to accomplish the
impossible. Kiefer comments, “As Pi somehow finds the resources to sustain his life,
Martel finds the wherewithal to sustain the spirit and vitality of his narration. [He
instills] the sense that this is not a coincidence. . . . Martel puts his faith in the act of
storytelling” (screen 2). Pi’s sense of survival spurs him on to undertake this seemingly
Feng 14
impossible task. The reader can’t help but feel admiration for the religious faith of this
Indian youth whose life is destroyed by tragic events.
In his iron will, Pi breaks lifelong bonds to survive at sea. He breaks the bond of
a vegetarian and breaks his vow not to kill another being. To overcome starvation and
preserve his life, Pi must choose the way of a carnivore by surviving on sea life. Pi learns
how to fish to feed both himself and Richard Parker. Soon, Pi feeds from dorado fish, sea
turtles, crabs, barnacles, and other manner of seafood. Cooper comments, “More serious
for [Pi] is the setting aside of his vegetarianism and the nonviolence that it implies”
(screen 9). Pi surprises himself: “Lord, to think that I’m a strict vegetarian. . . . I
descended to a level of savagery I never imagined possible” (197). Pi believes that “all
sentient life is sacred” (183). However, he becomes used to the idea of hunting and
killing for survival. His grit and resolve push him to survive. He relates his success
when he asserts, “With time and experience I became a better hunter. I grew bolder and
more agile. I developed an instinct, a feel, for what to do” (195). Pi’s survival
centralizes his love for life as a virtue and asserts the power of faith to overcome apparent
impossibilities. In the midst of unremitting suffering, Pi turns to God. Gunning declares,
“It’s easy to fall in love with this quirky, oddly compelling book, biblical in scope,
oceanic in depth, yet intimate enough to speak directly to the human heart” (screen 4). In
his account of his survival at sea, Pi provokes religious faith by his dedication to religious
rituals and fighting will to live at sea.
The story of Pi Patel is an astounding story of courage and endurance in the face of
seemingly impossible odds. Throughout the novel, the theme of religious faith remains at
the heart of the novel. With Richard Parker aboard the lifeboat and the empty vastness of
Feng 15
the Pacific Ocean, Pi must rely on his own faith and commitment to God to preserve his
hope of survival. Pi’s embracing of major religions inspires religious sentiment and
draws out the promise of faith. Pi’s encounters with animals as religious symbols echoes
the image of God and the deep spiritual meaning of suffering and love in a world filled
with brutality and doubt. Finally, Pi’s religious faith and will to live at sea presents a
brave account of a youth clinging to the edges of life by loving God and retaining the
seeds of hope in his heart. The Life of Pi is a story that presents a gripping and credible
case for religious faith.
Feng 16
Works Cited
Cooper, Pamela. “Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.” Dictionary of Literary Biography,
Volume 326: Booker Prize Novels, 1969-2005 326 (2006): 334-341. Dictionary
of Literary Biography. Literature Resource Center. Mississippi U for Women
Lib., Columbus, MS. 27 Oct. 2007
<http://galenet.galegroup.com.libprxy.muw.edu/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&oldim=1
&locID=mag u muw&ste=135&docNum=H1220000951#MainEssaySection>.
Georgis, Dina. “Hearing the Better Story: Learning and the Aesthetics of Loss and
Expulsion.” Review of Education, Pedagogy & Cultural Studies 28.2 (Apr.
2006): 165-178. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOHost. Mississippi U for
Women Lib., Columbus, MS. 27 Oct. 2007
<http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=13&sid=7ad8af66-bfaf-4384ba4e-e5b4feb369d1%40SRCSM1>.
Gunning, Margaret. “Famously Adrift.” January Magazine Dec. 2002. 23 Sept. 2007
<http://www.januarymagazine.com/fiction/lifeofpi.html>.
Jordan, Justine. “Animal Magnetism.” The Guardian 25 May 2002. 23 Sept. 2007
<http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,6121,721434,00.html>.
Kiefer, Jonathan. “Fascinating ‘Life of Pi’ Gives Readers a Reason to Believe.” San
Francisco Chronicle 23 June 2002. 23 Sept. 2007 <http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/06/23/RV18924.DTL>.
Krist, Gary. “Taming the Tiger.” The New York Times 7 July 2002. 23 Sept. 2007
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E6DC123EF934A35754C
0A9649C8B63>.
Feng 17
Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. New York: Harcourt, 2001.
Morace, Robert A. “Life of Pi.” Magill’s Literary Annual 2003 2003. Literary
Reference Center. EBSCOHost. Mississippi U for Women Lib., Columbus, MS.
27 Oct. 2007
<http://webebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=2&sid=a3381e75-0ce0-469499a5-7d3115927e50%40sessionmgr3>.