The Life of Pi, a Novel by Yann Martel

Some may think that having more than one religion is a taboo but Piscine Molitor Patel sees it as a way to love God in his many ways. “Bapu Gandhi said, ‘All religions are truer’ I just want to love God” . He seems to be a deeply religious person, right from the start. Also as a charming character with all his little quirks and captivating thoughts, Pi is not an average fourteen year old with a nickname like Pi “Pissing” Patel.

Life ofPi is a very palpable and thought provoking book when it comes to its many themes of humanity, survival, and religion. These somewhat sensitive topics are often difficult to discuss but Martel managed to coax open the walls in between with his portrayal of his teenage character.  This novel first opened up with Piscine’s childhood back in Pondicherryr I found it confusing to read, especially the expositions and time skips.

Martel has written this novel in such a way that it’s often perplexing to distinguish present and past time as he alternates promptly within his short chapters, Maybe reading it twice would help pick out extra things that may have been skimmed over.

Unlike other books with point of views that switch constantly between other characters, this one was difficult with flashbacks and occasional tidbits of italicized short stories/excerpts In first person, it’s very easy to open insight on Piscine‘s thoughts and mindset but not on the ideas of others. Whole pages of the excerpts/author‘s notes turn out to be tedious to decrypt its meanings.

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It was almost pointless but I knew that they played an important role developing the novel. “His house is a temple. Shrine in the kitchen,..book on bedside table is a Bible”. His visits to cultural places have probably inspired the airy lightness around the settings in the book despite the harrowing trip of survival.

They turned out to be very descriptive and wonderfully written about Indian culture but are lengthy with words Hindu at birth and later on, a Christian and Muslim by curiosity, it wasn’t long before Pi realized how important religion was to him. He‘s very devoted to each one but his parents, mentors, and peers often outrage at how one person can believe in so many conflicting ones. He makes it no excuse though, firmly believing with no doubts,“‘Religion will save us .Since when I could remember, religion had been very close to my heart”. In his times of struggle on the sea, he reflected back on his faiths. As a believer of God and a Buddhist at the same time, I find myself in the same conflict that P1 was in with dual beliefs and everyone who judgesr He is bound to his many faiths with praises, worshiping, and pleading to all the Gods in his times of helplessness.

Without motivation and a will to live, he probably wouldn‘t have been able to survive in the wide open Pacific for two hundred and twenty seven days with a tiger, Richard Parker, on the same lifeboat. Despite Pi’s rough childhood, this was only a slice of his life, At fourteen, he made some life changing choices along with major changes in his life. Aboard the Tsimtsum ship for Canada, it sank and left Pi to fend for himself with his skills and a desire to live. “Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen”. Martel managed to keep me reading with the theme of survival by not giving up on life with Pi, Not knowing what will happen next, I will continue to put my confidence in Pi and his intriguing life story.