Tuesday, October 16, 2007
"... a terrific book. It's fresh, original, smart, devious, and crammed with absorbing lore."
The Life of Pi is a novel unlike any other. The characters mainly consist of Pi and his family who own a zoo in the small town of Pondicherry, India. His mother is a very understanding woman who loves to read. Pi’s father is a man of business and has no interest in religion. As well, he seems to worry much more than he should. Ravi is a typical older brother who teases Pi. There are many figures in this story that have a great impact on Pi’s life. Such mentors are his religious leaders, a family friend who inspired Pi’s full name, and a teacher. Pi is forced to spend much of his time with several animals during his journey through the Pacific, and though they are animals, they each have very unique traits. In addition, two very impatient and cynical Japanese men are introduced during the end of the story. Each and every character contributes, not only to the novel, but to Pi's personality as well.
The life of a simple, religious Indian boy is changed forever as Piscine Molitor Patel and his family venture across the infinite Pacific in hopes of a better life in Canada. However, they receive the exact opposite after the cargo ship they are on sinks, leaving Pi and his lifeboat journeying through the unforgiving ocean. In spite of this, he isn’t completely alone. Shipwrecked and seasick, Pi’s companions include a zebra with an injured leg, an unsightly hyena, a motherly orang-utan, and a fully-grown Royal Bengal Tiger. This isn't the ideal group of mammals to be stranded on a lifeboat with. The expedition seems as endless as the ocean as Pi uses his cleverness and resources, which range from knowledge of animals to marine life, to survive. On his trip, he encounters numerous hardships and discomforts, a carnivorous island and a French cannibal. The ocean brings Pi many journeys; some of which are not physical journeys but insightful odysseys of the mind. As a result of a trying experience, Pi comes to many realizations about his religion and life that stay with him for the rest of his life. That is, if he survives this calamity…
o01. "It's Pissing Patel!
o02. "You're the next goat"
o03. "We'll sail like Columbus!"
o04. "You think you're Noah or something?"
Monday, October 15, 2007
o05. 'His paws were like volumes of Encyclopaedia Britannica'
The Pacific Ocean seems to go on forever as Pi manages to survive on the lifeboat for a third day. At this point, Pi is beginning to lose faith as he comes to the tragic realization that he and his family will never reunite. In an attempt to protect the defenceless orang-utan from the bloodthirsty hyena, Pi leaves the safety of the edge of the boat and steps in to help. It is at this point that Pi makes a discovery that will completely altar the rest of the journey, and adds on to the danger that the sea and hyena already bring. Just inches below Pi’s feet, separated by merely a bench seat, Pi finds an unwanted and unexpected acquaintance. Richard Parker was on board the entire time. A rancorous tiger was in close enough proximity to kill Pi this entire time. This discovery gives Pi quite a scare, but once he regains a grip on things, Pi searches the boat for emergency equipment; he hasn’t had anything to eat or drink for three entire days. When Richard Parker finally makes a move and attacks the hyena, it motivates Pi to make a crude raft and create an almost impassable gap between Richard Parker and himself. While on his seemingly insecure raft, Pi devises ways of getting rid of the tiger. How will Pi be able to survive with such a deadly creature on board? Will he manage to get rid of Richard Parker? And how will his raft hold up considering the rough conditions at sea?