Saturday 25 August, 2007

Life of Pi - Yann Martel


Yann Martel,the canadian author revealed his inspiration and motives for this novel saying “I was sort of looking for a story, not only with a small ‘s’ but sort of with a capital ‘S’ – something that would direct my life”. He spoke of being lonely and needing direction to his life. This novel became that direction and reason to his life.

The story starts with the Piscine Patel who is teased by his school friends as Pissing patel self-christens his name as Pi Patel (pi=3.14).Pi's father is the owner of a zoo and Pi grows up watching and living with the animals,with his clocks based on animal activities .The first part of the story is in the zoo and when Pi is studying in the school .He is interested in every religion and in following them .For him,religion is faith.He is equally enthralled by science ,accepts his agnostic father and feels a kinship towards his atheistic biology teacher.

Atheist : Religion is darkness.
Pi: Darkness is the last thing religion is.Religion is light.Was he saying "Religion is darkness", the way he sometimes said in class things like "Mammals lay eggs " to see someone would correct him?("only platypuses ,sir")

"It was my first clue that atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith and everyword they speak,they speaks of faith.Like me ,they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them and then they leap"
Agnostics are different .They play with doubts.
"Doubt is useful for a while.If Christ spent an anguished night in prayer,if He burst out from the Cross,"My God,my God,why have you forsaken me?" then surely we are also permitted doubt.But we must move on.To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transpotation"
Other than these spiritual things ,the story enlightened me about the zoo ,animals in zoo ,zoo-keeping .
"Do u know which is the most dangerous animal in the zoo ? "an arrow pointed to a small curtain Behind it was a mirror. :)
Another misinformation we all have is wild animal life is simple,noble and meaningful whereas for zoo animals, the happiness is dashed by wicked men and these animals mightily yearns for freedom .Being denied its freedom for too long the animal becomes a shadow of itself ,its spirit broken.The truth is not so .
Imagine you go to a home,kick the people out into the street and tell them that they are free .they would ask us "With what right do you throw us out ?This is our home"
Dont we say "thers's no place like home .thats certainly animals feel...Animals are territorial..They ask us to stay out and we ask them to stay in .This balance keeps the zoo working.I think the author makes more sense.Next time I visited the zoo,my perception got changed .I dint feel pity for the caged peacock and bored tigers..I felt they enjoy getting attention and even try to impress us.
The story enters a twist when Pi's family had to move to Canada through sea along with all their properties ,the animals.The ship sank and Pi was stranded in a life raft with an orangutan, Zebra, Hyena and a large Bengal tiger for company.
Then the faith and determination of Pi kept him alive midst of the sorrow of his missing family members ,through out the days of journey in the ocean with animals which exhibited different characteristics ,searching for the sight of land.
Once Pi's father gave them a terrific demo of tiger to show its ferocity so that his kids will not peek or touch the cage of it .But in the second part Pi had to live with Richard Parker,the large bengal tiger as his only company.How he takes over control of Richard parker by drawing its territory and playing its master role , though he dreads that animal implies so many things related to our life.(Its upto the reader).
Carnivorous island which attracts animals and fish through algae ,desalinates the sea water to kill the salt-water fish , secretes acid to eat them is another scary yet impressive part.
I read the story by installments every night desperately hoping that he would find the land that night and the night (day for him) he reaches the land,barely strong to be happy about it..I felt emotionally overwhelmed and happy for him and closed my eyes and said "You did it my boy..You proved the reason for survival is faith" and I regretted the botched farewell by his company Richard parker as well .
And in the part 3 ,the author again narrates the entire voyage story in an alternate way when humans doesnt agree with the unbelievable part 2 .He asks them to take the one which they believe.After all its about faith.
Through out the novel , the reader needs to apply the imagination and find the analogies to fully enjoy the novel.The ability to relate it with our life can even create a feeling that we are reading our own story.
Though I started reading this novel cribbing that it was boring (not every novel starts with a curator murder ) , it is one of the most meaningful book which I read.Thanks goes to Pangali for gifting it.

3 comments:

Blade bala said...

When I first heard of this book I thought it was a popular science book about the number Pi. But it turned out to be a great novel.
I should admit that you have made a lovely summary of the novel.
I totally agree on the zoo part! After reading the book I somehow got the confidence to take a job as a zoo-keeper!!!

Amba K said...

zoo-keeper?

what next?

Vinod Kumar Devi said...

Am glad u enjoyed the novel. As Vidya had commented earlier, there are different layers to the onion and as you peel one you see another. And that analogy extends to your appreciation of this novel, thankfully minus the tears!