Life+of+Pi

Please write a brief response to the book in which you provide a quote that you consider interesting, puzzling, or provocative, and create a question based on that quote that might provide meaningful discussion. Remember to place the quote in context the way you would in a summer reading journal.

__Life of Pi i__s an intriguing novel were fantasy and reality are intriguingly intermingling to a point where the reader in unclear what is real and what was a delusion. It brought up many questions about God and how many religions want the same thing but go about it in different ways and how people are just trying to figure out which religion is correct. The part that puzzles me about this books at the end it is revealed that everything was a symbol for something else but what was the island of algae was it a symbol or was it a real island. Pi realizes that "The island is carnivorous" is it implying that there is an island like that or is it a symbol. What were the meerkats and what did they represent? -Ryan Brown

__Life of Pi__ reads like an elaborate parable; its exciting story is used as a relatable example to prove that the existence of God is both a reasonable and exhilarating conclusion. The meaningful maritime misadventures of Pi begin only in the second part of the novel. Part One, though unable to quench the cravings of action-seeking readers, holds a number of metaphors diving into philosophical questions that reemerge later in the book. In one such intricate metaphor, Martel compares the freedom of zoos to religion. “Would you rather be put up at the Ritz with free room service and unlimited access to a doctor or be homeless without a soul to care for you” (18)? He goes on to declare, “I know zoos are no longer in people’s good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both” (19). And so pious Pi would argue that the rules of religion set people free. My question to the discerning reader: Do rules and stipulations have the ability to grant freedom? -Josie Griffith

//Life of Pi// is an amazing fictional novel that has certain characteristics that almost make it plausible. This exciting book brings up questions of survival, religion, and companionship. Part 2 consists of Pi's quest for survival with a Bengal Tiger as his first mate. Together, Pi and the 400+ pound tiger work and overcome many obstacle. In the first part, the story revolves around Pi's life prior to the incident at sea. Intrigued with learning, Pi became involved with three religions. With obvious reason, the heads of each religion believed that Pi had to choose to practice one. Unable to force Pi to choose, the three heads went to Pi's father. "Mr. Patel, Piscine's piety is admirable. [...] But he can't be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim. It's impossible. He must choose." Pi felt that there was no issue with practicing all three religions because it was all for the sake of loving God. Pi's goal was to make God an important part of his life. In his mind, Pi believed that more religions gave him more connections to God. The great question that is brought up from this story is: Is it acceptable for a single person to be involved in the practices of multiple religions? -Seth __Life of Pi__ is an excitng novel about an indian boy named Piscine Molitor who is stranded on a boat with a bengal tiger for an extended period of time. At first Pi is terryfied by the tiger, but he feeds it and nourishes it until he asserts himself as the alpha being on the boat. They continue to drift through the ocean when they come upon another castaway, who tries to killl and eat him. Richard Parker kills the man in defense of Pi. This is when we really the bond between the two beings become a physical truth. "Without Richard Parker, I wouldnt be alive today to tell you my story," says Pi about half way through the book, commemorating the odd, but intense bond between a skinny indian boy and an enormous bengal tiger. -will paroli

//Life of Pi// is a captivating novel telling the story of a young indian boy who struggles against nature, and a Bengal tiger for survival. His most inopportune prevents him with the nearly impossible task of surviving. In the first few days three of the four animals are eaten, and Pi is bound to be next on the list. But Pi manages to survive the tiger, near starvation, and another man trying to kill him. But the reader must wonder: How is he still alive, through all of these trials. Could it be his experience at the zoo and his way with animals? Or his survival skills to obtain food? Well Pi says that "A germ of religious exaltation, no bigger than a mustard seed, was sown in me and left to germinate. It has never stopped growing since." So maybe the answer to this question is that Pi has a guardian angel on his side. Pi practices christianity, judaism, and islam, so one of these three faiths must be providing him with some sort of protection. -Will Herring

//Life of Pi// is a fictional novel that establishes a connection between the spiritual realm and reality. Pi finds solace in religion yet is still confused which religion it is that comforts him in his times of need. When Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with three things that, ". . . never have come together in your narrow, limited experience, you refuse to believe that they might." By relaying this to the reader Pi displays how today’s society approaches many instances and possibilities with a closed mind. Pi believes by his study and practice of three religions he has gained experience from the ages, and he also relishes his experience as one that taught him to be open to endless possibilities. Yet conventional wisdom throughout the ages says that an individual can only practice one religion. Pi's desire to learn stimulates his involvement in three religions, but the three religions contradict each other's teachings. Where does Pi draw the line between the religions, and which one does he rely most heavily on? - Boyce Campsen

Life of Pi is an intriguing novel that makes the reader ask certain questions pertaining to science, religion, and life itself, then allows the reader utilize his or her own knowledge and opinion to formulate answers to these somewhat unanswerable inquiries. Pi has a great devotion to God throughout the novel, but we see how it becomes less important to him as his time on the boat continues. In Pi's eyes during his time on the life boat, life trumps spirituality; he never actually doubts his religious beliefs, but the longer he remains on the boat, the more he must focus on survival skills rather than praying to be saved. Instead of comparing this ordeal to some religious text, Pi says, "It is like an end game in chess, a game with few pieces. The elements couldn’t be more simple, nor the stakes higher." Pi must do two things while on the life boat that his morality and religious beliefs have frowned upon; he must eat meat, and he must take life. Pi does survive in the end, but we are left asking ourselves: Do Pi's survival instincts actually save him or was it religion that was keeping him alive all along? - Robert Ferira //Life of Pi// is a novel that questions not only the reader's beliefs on the intricate balance of life, but also on the intricate relationship that the reader may or may not have with a higher power. At the onset of his time on the boat, Pi displays an immense reliance on God to help him persevere through this seemingly-impossible journey. As time progresses, Pi begins to realize that, although keeping his faith in God and trusting God's plan is important, it would be foolish to expect salvation by merely sitting around and waiting for the miracle that would never come. Early on in Part One, Pi says, "I know zoos are no longer in people's good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both." Pi upholds this belief by proving that, like an animal in the wild, he must take action in order to survive and be free. An animal that is caged in a zoo becomes tame, as they are handed their food. An animal in the wild is free, free to hunt and take what is necessary for their survival. - Will Bennett

__Life of Pi__ is an unusually written tale. Part 1 of this book chiefly sums up the author's views on Pi Patel’s early experiences in life, generally focusing on the mystery of religion and its metaphorical connection with zoos. Pi wants something to believe in, but he cannot seem to come to a consensus. Part Two is a collection of Pi’s drifting adventures throughout the Pacific that reflect back on ideas expressed in Part One of this account. As Pi recounts his extraordinary tale to his interrogators at the conclusion of this story, he states distastefully, “I know what you want. You want a story that won’t surprise you. That will confirm what you already know. That won’t make you see higher or further or differently.” (302) This quote is reminiscent of people’s views on religion, which is a significant part of __Life of Pi__. Many people refuse to take a religion or do not believe in religion for the sheer idea that it is impossible that such a deity could exist; they refuse to expand their thoughts on the subject and stay stubborn to their opinion that no such thing could possibly exist. The reporters share the same belief of Pi’s story. It is quite an unbelievable story; however, it is necessary to expand one’s beliefs in life and think in the big picture. A question I propose to the reader: Are we as humans an open-minded society, or do we continue stubbornly refuse to open our minds and consider new possibilities, perhaps for the reason that we simply do not want to? ~Parker Rink~

//Life of Pi// is a fictional story about a boy named Pi Patel struggling to survive a shipwreck. As he is faced with insurmountable obstacles in his quest for survival the question of belief is weighed upon heavily. This book questions the beliefs of science, nature, and religion. Who should we believe? Why should we believe? What should we believe? Pi points out that it is a struggle to believe in something. He says, "If you stumble at mere believability, what are you living for? Isn't love hard to believe? [...] Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer" (297). Pi not only believed in the religion of Christianity but also in the religions of Judaism and Hinduism. During his hardships he turned to these religions to calm him and help him proceed in the fight for his life. It can be supposed that his beliefs helped him survive his near death. – Ansley Thomson

Life of Pi is a novel that tells the story of a boy name Pi who is struggling to survive in the middle of the ocean in a small life raft. He is shipwrecked and stuck on a small boat with a hand full of exotic animals from his parents’ zoo. Ultimately all of the animals die, expect for a Bengal tiger. Pi spends a total of 227 days on the boat, and although he is delusional during much of this time from lack of food and water, he thinks about his religion, and others. Pi releases that “You must make adjustments if you want to survive. Much becomes expendable. You get your happiness where you can. You reach a point where you’re at the bottom of hell, yet you have your arms crossed and a smile of your face, and you feel you’re the luckiest person on earth. Why? Because at your feet you have a tiny dead fish”. While Pi struggles to survive he contemplates religion and spirituality. He chooses parts of three religions (Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam) that make him the happiest. Is the purpose of religion happiness? -Catherine Sherer

Life of Pi is a story that follows the main character, Pi, on his unlikely path for 227 days in the pacific ocean. Originally he is with four other animals, but eventually the hyena eats the crippled zebra and the obnoxious monkey; then the tiger eats the hyena and we are left with only two animals left, Pi and Richard Parker. My two favorite conflicts in this book are Pi's religious struggles and his relationship with a Bengal tiger. I'm not sure why I am calling it a religious struggle because he never really struggles with his understanding, but I don't know how else to describe it. I like the fact that rather than giving in and settling with one he opts to go with the three that he stumbles upon. I especially like his responses to his father, where he tells him that christianity has been in India for hundreds of years, and to the three religious leaders where he tells them that he just wants to love God. My favorite quote was when Pi says "Without Richard Parker, I wouldn’t be alive today to tell you my story." This is interesting to me because Richard Parker doesn't really do all that much to keep him alive. It could be argued that he saved his life from the cannibal and the hyena but the tiger never helps catch food or collect water or really do anything to keep him alive, He just occupies the shaded area. Overall I thought this was a book that really gets you thinking about things like religion and thankful for how much we have. -Angle Skelly

Life of Pi traces a young boy’s journey across the sea and across spiritual parameters. Part One begins with Pi Patel converting to not only Christianity but also Islam, while remaining true to his initial Hindu faith. Pi Patel keeps all his religions separate and unaware of each other, but when they become aware of each other, as in inevitable, Pi persists that he only wants to love God. Although each religious leader protests that it is contradictory to be a Christian, a Hindu, and a Muslim, they find themselves without an answer when Pi wants to know what is wrong with wanting to know God, and all sides of him. Pi insightfully points out that “You can’t reprimand a boy for wanting to love God. The three wise men pulled away with stiff grudging smiles on their faces” (69). This makes it clear that Pi isn’t doing this for shock value or to be rebellious or even contradictory, he genuinely believes that you can practice all three religions at once faithfully. That poses the question, is it possible for us to acknowledge all religions as not only valid but acknowledge that they can coincide? Can exploring several religions further ones understanding of God and spirituality without being contradictory, but harmonious? -Flora Boatwright

Life of Pi tells the story of a boy's struggle to survive out in the Pacific Ocean while sharing a life-boat with a number of animals, mainly a large Bengal tiger. Inintially it seems that the animals of the story represent figures and ideas from Pi Patel's life and past. These animal characters have static personanas for the most part, but in a scene on page 320 a different side of the tiger is seen. Pi believes that he is hearing voices but later discovers that another castaway has drifted near to him. He speaks to this man about food and survival and invites him to stay on his boat, forgetting the prescense of the tiger. "I tried to hold him back. Alas, it was too late. Before I could say the word alone, I was alone again. I heard the claws against the bottom of the boat, no more than the sound of a pair of spectacles falling to the floor, and the next moment my dear brother shreiked in my face like I've never heard a man shreik before. He let go of me... This was the terrible cost of Richard Parker. He gave me a life, my own, but at the expense of taking one"321. Richard Parker, the tiger, spared Pi. This is some development in the tigers character, the fact that Pi was left alone means that if Richard Parker represents some element of humanity, it is a concept that Pi alone can deal with. If not, than who is Richard Parker, other than a 450lb tiger. -Jeb Hines

Life of Pi tells a story of a boy lost in the Pacific Ocean sharing a raft with a Bengal Tiger, he is on this boat for 227 days, while also proving the exhilarating existence of God. Pi never "crosses" Religions with each other, but he still has 3 main Religions: Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. Although this seems very unconventional, his only purpose for doing this is to love God, the quote that epitomizes the depth of peace that can be experienced by practicing more than one Religion is, "I entered the church, without fear this time, for it was now my house too. I offered prayers to Christ, who is alive. Then i raced down the hill on the left and raced up the hill on the right -to offer thanks to Lord Krishna for putting Jesus of Nazareth, whose humanity i found so compelling, in my way" (58) Pi was able to feel God's presence in these two religions as well as Islam, as he considered a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion. The question is, is it acceptable for someone to have faith in more than one religion? I believe that exploring more than one religion enhances you're understanding and you're pilgrimage through life in the search for what is good, right, and moral in life. -Alex