Life of PiLife of Pi

by Yann Martelby Yann Martel

““A story to make you believe in the soul-A story to make you believe in the soul-sustaining power of fiction”. sustaining power of fiction”.

- Los Angles Times Book Review- Los Angles Times Book Review

Introduction ~ AuthorIntroduction ~ Author

Yann Martel Yann Martel – Born June 25, 1963 in Salamanca, Spain Born June 25, 1963 in Salamanca, Spain – Canadian Canadian

Travelled in Iran, Turkey and India Travelled in Iran, Turkey and India Studying philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough, Studying philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough,

Ontario, Ontario, Started writing at age 27Started writing at age 27 To write To write Life of PiLife of Pi……

– Six months spent in India visiting mosques, temples, churches and Six months spent in India visiting mosques, temples, churches and zooszoos

– An entire year reading religious texts and castaway storiesAn entire year reading religious texts and castaway stories– Actual writing: two more years Actual writing: two more years

““I have a story that will make you believe in God.”I have a story that will make you believe in God.”

Introduction ~ The BookIntroduction ~ The Book

First published by Knopf Canada in First published by Knopf Canada in September 2001September 2001

Won:Won:– Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2002Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2002– Boeke Prize, a South African book prize, in Boeke Prize, a South African book prize, in

2003 2003

A film adaptation in 2011A film adaptation in 2011

Story OverviewStory Overview

The protagonist The protagonist Piscine ("Pi") Molitor Piscine ("Pi") Molitor PatelPatel

An Indian boy from PondicherryAn Indian boy from Pondicherry Exploring the issues of religion and Exploring the issues of religion and

spirituality from an early age spirituality from an early age His survival story: 227 days shipwrecked His survival story: 227 days shipwrecked

with a tiger in the Pacific Ocean with a tiger in the Pacific Ocean

““If we citizens do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our If we citizens do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up

believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.”believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.”

CharactersCharacters

Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi)Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi)    – The protagonist of the story The protagonist of the story – The narrator for most of the novelThe narrator for most of the novel– His account of his seven months at seaHis account of his seven months at sea– His unusual name from the French word for His unusual name from the French word for pool pool – A pool in Paris in which a close family friend, Francis A pool in Paris in which a close family friend, Francis

Adirubasamy, loved to swimAdirubasamy, loved to swim– A student of zoology and religionA student of zoology and religion– Deeply intrigued by the habits and characteristics of Deeply intrigued by the habits and characteristics of

animals and people animals and people

CharactersCharacters

Richard ParkerRichard Parker  – The Royal Bengal tiger sharing a lifeboat with PiThe Royal Bengal tiger sharing a lifeboat with Pi– His captor, Richard Parker, named him ThirstyHis captor, Richard Parker, named him Thirsty– A shipping clerk reversed their namesA shipping clerk reversed their names– From the Pondicherry ZooFrom the Pondicherry Zoo– Weighing 450 pounds and about nine feet longWeighing 450 pounds and about nine feet long– Kills the hyena on the lifeboat and the blind cannibalKills the hyena on the lifeboat and the blind cannibal– Acts as an omega, or submissive, animal respecting Pi’s Acts as an omega, or submissive, animal respecting Pi’s

dominancedominance

CharactersCharacters

The AuthorThe Author  – The narrator of the (fictitious) Author’s Note The narrator of the (fictitious) Author’s Note – Inserting himself into the narrative at several Inserting himself into the narrative at several

points throughout the textpoints throughout the text– Never identified by nameNever identified by name– Yann Martel Yann Martel

He lives in CanadaHe lives in Canada Published two booksPublished two books Inspired to write Pi’s life story during a trip to India Inspired to write Pi’s life story during a trip to India

““But religion is more than rite and ritual. There is But religion is more than rite and ritual. There is what the rite and ritual stand for.”what the rite and ritual stand for.”

CharactersCharacters

Francis AdirubasamyFrancis Adirubasamy  – The elderly man The elderly man – Telling the author Pi’s story during a meeting in Telling the author Pi’s story during a meeting in

a Pondicherry coffee shopa Pondicherry coffee shop– Taught Pi to swim Taught Pi to swim – Bestowed upon him his unusual monikerBestowed upon him his unusual moniker– Arranges for the author to meet PiArranges for the author to meet Pi– Pi calls him Pi calls him MamajiMamaji (Indian: (Indian: respected uncle)respected uncle)

CharactersCharacters RaviRavi  

– Pi’s older brotherPi’s older brother– Teases his younger brother mercilessly over his devotion to three religionsTeases his younger brother mercilessly over his devotion to three religions

Santosh PatelSantosh Patel  – Pi’s fatherPi’s father– Runs the Pondicherry ZooRuns the Pondicherry Zoo– A worrier by natureA worrier by nature– Teaching his sons not only to care for and control wild animals, but to fear Teaching his sons not only to care for and control wild animals, but to fear

them them – Decided to move his family to CanadaDecided to move his family to Canada

Gita PatelGita Patel  – Pi’s beloved mother and protectorPi’s beloved mother and protector– A book loverA book lover– Encouraging Pi to read widelyEncouraging Pi to read widely– Speaking her mindSpeaking her mind– Taking the place of Orange Juice on the lifeboat (in Pi’s another version of Taking the place of Orange Juice on the lifeboat (in Pi’s another version of

his story to his rescuers)his story to his rescuers)

““Tree took account of road, which was aware of air, which was mindful Tree took account of road, which was aware of air, which was mindful of sea, which shared things with sun. Every element lived in harmonious of sea, which shared things with sun. Every element lived in harmonious

relation with its neighbour, and all was kith and kin.”relation with its neighbour, and all was kith and kin.”

CharactersCharacters

Satish KumarSatish Kumar– Pi’s biology teacher at a secondary school in PondicherryPi’s biology teacher at a secondary school in Pondicherry– A polio survivorA polio survivor– Odd-looking man, with a body shaped like a triangleOdd-looking man, with a body shaped like a triangle– Devotion to the power of scientific inquiry and explanation Devotion to the power of scientific inquiry and explanation – Inspiring Pi to study zoology in collegeInspiring Pi to study zoology in college

Father MartinFather Martin  – The Catholic priest The Catholic priest – Introducing Pi to Christianity Introducing Pi to Christianity – Preaching a message of lovePreaching a message of love– Disagrees about whose religion Pi should practice Disagrees about whose religion Pi should practice

CharactersCharacters

Satish KumarSatish Kumar  – A plain-featured Muslim mystic A plain-featured Muslim mystic – With the same name as Pi’s biology teacherWith the same name as Pi’s biology teacher– Working in a bakeryWorking in a bakery– A strong effect on Pi’s academic plansA strong effect on Pi’s academic plans

His faith leads Pi to study religion at collegeHis faith leads Pi to study religion at college

The Hindu PanditThe Hindu Pandit  – One of three important religious figures One of three important religious figures – Outraged when Pi begins practicing other religionsOutraged when Pi begins practicing other religions– Quieted by Pi’s declaration that he just wants to love God Quieted by Pi’s declaration that he just wants to love God

““I felt like a small circle coinciding with the center of a larger one.”I felt like a small circle coinciding with the center of a larger one.”

CharactersCharacters The HyenaThe Hyena  

– Ugly and intensely violent Ugly and intensely violent – Controlling the lifeboat before Richard Parker emergesControlling the lifeboat before Richard Parker emerges

The ZebraThe Zebra  – A beautiful male Grant’s zebraA beautiful male Grant’s zebra– His leg broken jumping into the lifeboatHis leg broken jumping into the lifeboat– Tormented by the hyena and eaten aliveTormented by the hyena and eaten alive

Orange JuiceOrange Juice  – Maternal orangutan Maternal orangutan – Floating to the lifeboat on a raft of bananasFloating to the lifeboat on a raft of bananas– Suffering from almost humanlike bouts of loneliness and seasicknessSuffering from almost humanlike bouts of loneliness and seasickness– Fighting back valiantly when attacked by the hyena Fighting back valiantly when attacked by the hyena – Killed and decapitated Killed and decapitated

CharactersCharacters The Blind FrenchmanThe Blind Frenchman  

– A fellow castaway A fellow castaway – Meeting Pi by chance in the middle of the ocean Meeting Pi by chance in the middle of the ocean – Driven by hunger and desperationDriven by hunger and desperation– Trying to kill and cannibalize PiTrying to kill and cannibalize Pi– Richard Parker kills him firstRichard Parker kills him first

Meena PatelMeena Patel  – Pi’s wifePi’s wife

Nikhil Patel (Nick)Nikhil Patel (Nick)  – Pi’s sonPi’s son

Usha PatelUsha Patel  – Pi’s young daughterPi’s young daughter– Shy but very close to her fatherShy but very close to her father

““The presence of God is the finest of rewards.”The presence of God is the finest of rewards.”

CharactersCharacters

Tomohiro OkamotoTomohiro Okamoto  – An official from the Maritime Department of the Japanese Ministry An official from the Maritime Department of the Japanese Ministry

of Transportof Transport– Investigating the sinking of the Japanese Investigating the sinking of the Japanese TsimtsumTsimtsum– Interviews Pi for three hours Interviews Pi for three hours – Highly skeptical of Pi’s first account of the shipwreckHighly skeptical of Pi’s first account of the shipwreck

Atsuro ChibaAtsuro Chiba  – Okamoto’s assistantOkamoto’s assistant– More naïve and trusting of the two Japanese officials More naïve and trusting of the two Japanese officials – His inexperience at conducting interviews His inexperience at conducting interviews – Agrees with Pi that the version of his ordeal with animals is the Agrees with Pi that the version of his ordeal with animals is the

better than the one with peoplebetter than the one with people

““Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu, Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu, how good to see you Richard Parker!”how good to see you Richard Parker!”

Characters Characters The CookThe Cook  

– The human counterpart to the hyena in Pi’s second storyThe human counterpart to the hyena in Pi’s second story– Rude and violent and hoards food on the lifeboatRude and violent and hoards food on the lifeboat– Kills the sailor and Pi’s motherKills the sailor and Pi’s mother– Pi stabs him and he diesPi stabs him and he dies

The SailorThe Sailor  – The human counterpart to the zebra in Pi’s second story The human counterpart to the zebra in Pi’s second story – Young, beautiful, and exoticYoung, beautiful, and exotic– Speaks only Chinese Speaks only Chinese – Very sad and lonely in the lifeboatVery sad and lonely in the lifeboat– His leg broken and infected after jumping off the ship His leg broken and infected after jumping off the ship – His leg cut off by the cookHis leg cut off by the cook– Dies slowly Dies slowly

Organization of the BookOrganization of the Book Three parts: Three parts:

– First section: an adult Pi Patel’s rumination over his First section: an adult Pi Patel’s rumination over his childhoodchildhood

– Second section: a blend of a detailed and realistic Second section: a blend of a detailed and realistic survival memoir and a fantastic allegory in a medieval survival memoir and a fantastic allegory in a medieval stylestyle

– Last section: Last section: The report to the Japanese governmentThe report to the Japanese government A choice to actually choose the story version the readers prefer A choice to actually choose the story version the readers prefer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQhwAvW2nWA

““I know what you want. You want a story that won’t I know what you want. You want a story that won’t surprise you. That will confirm what you already know. surprise you. That will confirm what you already know.

That won’t make you see higher or further or differently.”That won’t make you see higher or further or differently.”