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Life of Pi

Yann Martel

Start date: May 1, 2017

Finish date: May 31, 2017

Discussion: Monthly Group Reads

Why we're reading this: The topic/theme for May is Religion/Spiritual beliefs/Practices.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel Life
[close] The topic/theme for May is Religion/Spiritual beliefs/Practices.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel Life

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What Members Thought

Apr 25, 2017 Jeanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: religion-and-mindfulness, read-2017, read-around-the-world

What can you write about being lost at sea with a tiger? From my limited imagination, I would have said not much, so it took me years – and prodding from my book club, which is reading Life of Pi in May – to do so. I'm glad I did, but I'm also looking forward to talking with them about it, as this is, I suspect, a book that can be read on many different levels.

Because our May theme is religion and spirituality, I am perhaps primed to think about Life of Pi as a book about religion. On a superfic What can you write about being lost at sea with a tiger? From my limited imagination, I would have said not much, so it took me years – and prodding from my book club, which is reading Life of Pi in May – to do so. I'm glad I did, but I'm also looking forward to talking with them about it, as this is, I suspect, a book that can be read on many different levels.

Because our May theme is religion and spirituality, I am perhaps primed to think about Life of Pi as a book about religion. On a superficial level, it makes sense to draw this conclusion. Piscine grows up Hindu – in a secular household. As a teen, Pi became also Hindu and Muslim, horrifying his spiritual leaders in each group. His view of religion was all-embracing, as when he called Richard Parker, the tiger, to his lifeboat: “Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu, how good to see you, Richard Parker! Don’t give up, please" (p. 137).

Pi's perspectives on each religion are often characterized by a wry sense of humor that runs throughout this book. About Christianity:

The first thing that drew me in was disbelief. What? Humanity sins but it’s God’s Son who pays the price? I tried to imagine Father saying to me, “Piscine, a lion slipped into the llama pen today and killed two llamas. Yesterday another one killed a black buck. Last week two of them ate the camel. The week before it was painted storks and grey herons. And who’s to say for sure who snacked on our golden agouti? The situation has become intolerable. Something must be done. I have decided that the only way the lions can atone for their sins is if I feed you to them.” (p. 76).

Maybe another way of looking at looking at this book, though, is from the frame of the journey of the spiritual life, that Pi's religion helps him survive a very difficult time: I was alone and orphaned, in the middle of the Pacific, hanging on to an oar, an adult tiger in front of me, sharks beneath me, a storm raging about me (p. 151). Difficult indeed, yet it seems that is a good characterization of life. When we have tigers in front of us, sharks beneath us, and a storm raging all around, what do we do? Can we hang on with the courage, grace, perceptiveness, and humor that Pi did?

Yet another way of seeing Life of Pi, perhaps, is from a from a phenomenological perspective. Do we expect and accept only one story or recognize more than one? Do we recognize ourselves as meaning-making beings? If so, what stories do we tell about our lives? Do these stories help us carry on or make doing so more difficult? Will we, as Pi asked, lack imagination and miss the better story (p. 92)?
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May 26, 2015 Martha rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016, fiction

This is an average sized book that took me NINE DAYS to read. It might not sound that remarkable but given that I can usually finish a book in three days, this one just dragged on and on.

I've given it three stars because I can appreciate the lyrical beauty of Martel's writing and it was certainly an incredible story, and one that I didn't dislike enough to abandon before the end

However

Any motivation to push through is quickly diminished when you find out, very early on, (view spoiler) This is an average sized book that took me NINE DAYS to read. It might not sound that remarkable but given that I can usually finish a book in three days, this one just dragged on and on.

I've given it three stars because I can appreciate the lyrical beauty of Martel's writing and it was certainly an incredible story, and one that I didn't dislike enough to abandon before the end

However

Any motivation to push through is quickly diminished when you find out, very early on, (view spoiler)

Finally, I liked Pi's approach to his religious faith and the idea of being Hindu, Muslim and Christian also once was entertaining - because why not?! I liked that his desire to be closer to God was the route of it, and highlighted the arbitrary nature of some of the divides between the religions. On the other hand, I didn't like the idea that this was a story that would "make you believe in God" - it really could not, and did not deliver on such a ludicrous promise.

A well-written, but ultimately disappointing read. ...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Hannah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Without revealing anything, all I can say is that the novel is very good, but it ends on a bittersweet note. Be forewarned: this is not for the faint of heart. There is unexpected (at least by me) brutality in this book. These parts stay true to the situation, but they are difficult to read. That being said, I'm glad I read the book. I probably would not have picked this out myself--I read it for a book group I'm in--but it was an interesting and unique read, and I actually learned a lot of basi ...more

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