Life of Pi Review

[Taylor]

Life of Pi is an interesting book from the very beginning. Piscine Molitor Patel is a young boy living in Pondicherry, India. He is the son of two zookeepers, knowing animals better than he knows other people, practically. His life has been inhabited mostly by the zoo and its workings until he discovers on a visit to another city the allure of religion. He becomes enamored with Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam all at once. He is faced with a true test of his faiths, however, when as his family is moving their zoo to Canada, their ship encounters mechanical issues and sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Only Pi and several animals including a tiger named Richard Parker survive. From there, his life turns into a constant battle to stay alive and stay sane. Pi constantly battles with trying to stay motivated. Many times he finds himself unable to continue on due to the heat and the isolation, but cannot bring himself to die or even try to. His fear of Richard Parker grows to fondness, admiration, and then tolerance as the tiger proves to be his only companion. Pi’s journey proves to him his amazing strength as a person, as well as humbles him in the face of God to a point evoking of emotional apotheosis.
I found this book to be a powerful novel through and through, however not in the average way. Amongst books, it has many taboos within it that would turn many readers away; Pi’s polytheism, his views on the world and how they change, and inevitably the nature and reasons for his actions. However it is for these reasons that I grew to enjoy, relate, and even admire Pi over the course of the story. The chapters are surprisingly short, so it was very easy to trick myself into reading further and further. Some parts may be longer than others, but they are longer for a reason, and when that reason is revealed, it is worth every word read. The author had stated that one of the biggest elements of the Life of Pi was the nature of believability of a story, and it shows. Pi’s language is rich, yet understandable. He speaks much like a sixteen-year-old would and thinks very much like one as well. His faith is commendable, especially as he wavers between fully believing and questioning the nature of his many Gods. And then, he finds strength within them. Pi’s relationship with Richard Parker is one of the highlights of the story. He at first is afraid of Richard Parker, he despises him, and tries to stay away from him. However as the tiger becomes the only one he has, he tries to accept him and form a relationship. He even learns to love the tiger, despite the fact that they never intimately interact. It’s truly heartwarming and equally heartbreaking as both are faced with uncertain futures in their isolation at sea.
The book is worth five stars, if not any more could be offered. It is raw, somber, joyous, exciting, and strengthening. It is not about the male spirit, the teenage spirit, or even the religious spirit that truly drives this book. It is the spirit of humanity and the true nature of humans in their darkest, most hopeless moments, explained in a way so vibrant and exuberant that once you realize what you have just read, you will be left in silence.

[Kdrake1]

Terrific detail, Taylor. I hope you enjoyed this journey and helped you see human nature in a way that makes us even more human when obstacles become more massive than we ever realized. Thank you for your passion about learning.