Life of Pi by Yann Martel

[April Lyn]

Does anyone want to read this with me? I noticed it is on lots of to-read lists (I think 7 pages of people came up when I searched the other day) and the theme read for August is "animals" so I thought it was fitting. I would start it sometime next week.

[Janie]

Sure. I'll read it with you. Thanks for asking.

[Barbara]

I read it a few years ago. It's a great book.

[Jessica]

April Lyn - this finally came in at the library! I'm starting it today. It wasn't on my dusty list for this year but I have been wanting to read it forever :). Have you started yet?

[Jessica]

I am on pg 94 in the Mass MArket paperback. This novel is STUNNING. And so funny, which I wasn't expecting. Hurry and start April Lyn :) I want to discuss spoilers with you.

I was confused at who exactly was speaking in chapter 2, but I read the sparknotes on it and it's the author. Pi is actually narrating the whole thing. Am I naive that totally I thought this was non-fiction?? LOL If it didn't say fiction on the back of my book I would be convinced that this was the most interesting true story EVER.

(view spoiler)[ if I have spoilers I will use the spoiler tag.. (hide spoiler)]

[April Lyn]

Jessica wrote: "Hurry and start April Lyn :) I want to discuss spoilers with you."

hahaha sorry. I'm such a fail. This was my idea and ah. It's been a busy week for us - I know everyone says that, but my husband and I applied to be foster parents (yay! :D) and it requires a lot of fingerprinting and interviews and house cleaning, etc etc.

But I promise I'm starting tonight!! I'm so glad to hear that you're liking it. I kept putting it off thinking it would be a slow read.

[Jessica]

I take my books everywhere with me... and this book made me feel guilty taking it to the bar. Why? Because eventually I left him alone on the lifeboat.

[Jessica]

PS. Read Max and the cats because plagiarism was under foot.........

[April Lyn]

Jessica wrote: "I take my books everywhere with me... and this book made me feel guilty taking it to the bar. Why? Because eventually I left him alone on the lifeboat."

haha! love it! I'm only 36 pages in so he's not in a boat yet... but I loved the intro! Did everyone else read that? Where the author talks about meeting the old dude in the little restaurant in India?

[Jessica]

April Lyn - Wow congrats on being foster parents! That's way more important than reading a book with me. :) Sorry I was impatient - it's so good and I'm dying to talk to you about it. The pace is actually pretty good - the plot isn't whizzing by but it's very interesting and flows really well. I wouldn't say that it's slow at all. But you'll have to tell me what you think. Don't think you have to rush. the nice thing about online book clubs is we can both read at our own pace. :)

[April Lyn]

Jessica wrote: "April Lyn - Wow congrats on being foster parents! That's way more important than reading a book with me. :) Sorry I was impatient - it's so good and I'm dying to talk to you about it. The pace i..."

haha! We posted at the same time :)

[Jessica]

April - Yes I totally thought it was true and this was non-fiction! Sparknotes burst that bubble for me....and the big word "Fiction" on the back cover. Very cool way to start the book though. I thought it made it very interesting.

haha! We posted at the same time :)

LOL how did that happen?

[Jessica]

Whoa. I've been wondering since the beginning who richard parker was. He was NOT who I thought he was going to be.

[April Lyn]

Jessica wrote: "Whoa. I've been wondering since the beginning who richard parker was. He was NOT who I thought he was going to be."

What page are you on? I am on page 149, so if you're at least that far, this won't be a spoiler.

(view spoiler)[I was under the impression that Richard Parker was the tiger. And I guess I still think that..? (hide spoiler)]

Also, who knew this book was going to be so religious/philosophical? Call me ignorant, I had NO idea. It's not a quick, mindless read.

[Jessica]

(view spoiler)[Richard Parker just didn't seem like a name for a tiger. I thought it was the name of a guy that stranded him on the boat or something (hide spoiler)]
I didn't know it would be so religious either. I have to say, I absolutely love the idea of being a Hindu, Muslim and Christian at the same time.

I'm on Chapter 64 which is pg 242 in the Mass market paperback version.
I agree it's not a mindless read but I'm not finding the writing really difficult to understand. I think the writing is beautiful and flows so well.

The thing I keep thinking about is if the boat is a zoo or freedom. ARe they free in the open ocean and they have plotted out this small territory for themselves to stay alive in the wild ocean or are they trapped in the boat and can't get out? I think it's kind of both in a weird way. Maybe that doesn't make sense....

[Alex]

I'm late to the table, but I'm starting tonight. Hope it's not too late to contribute to the discussion!

[Jessica]

Alexia - You're not too late. I'm only about half-way through. Can't wait to hear what you think!

[Createwithkas]

Just picked up the Life of Pi ... I hope I'm able to get started on it this weekend or at least the beginning of this week. I'm a fast reader, so I should be able to to catch up quickly to the discussions :)

[Jessica]

In Chapter 76 (mild spoiler) (view spoiler)[ I think it's really interesting how much Richard Parker is acting human by being ashamed of his feces while Pi is acting like an animal by handling and sniffing Richard Parker's feces. Also Richard Parker is a human name and Pi sounds more like an animal name. Sparknotes said Pi could be short for pisces which means fish. (hide spoiler)] It's been really interesting to see how blurry the line is between human and animal.

I had a random question - why do you think the author made Pi vegetarian?

[Jessica]

Miamikel - Yay! Thanks for joining us :)

[Jessica]

I just finished it yesterday. WOW. It was amazing. I'm so glad we are having this group because I have a ton of questions about the end. Major ending spoiler (view spoiler)[Which story do you believe? The one with animals or the one without? I find the story with animals totally believable, but I bet if I re-read it, I would see the humans that represent the animals and the tiger representing the animal part of Pi that worked so hard to survive. This whole story could be a fable. That completely blows my mind. Does this story make you believe in god like the intro said it would? Do you think religion is "the better story" that makes our lives more bearable? I was a religious person before, but this story shows how story-telling can almost be essential for our mental survival. Without the story with the tiger, I don't think Pi would have survived the ordeal mentally. (hide spoiler)] What an amazing, thought provoking story. Never read anything like it.

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

Hurrah! I feel like I can join in now! The following is JUST for Jessica (and anyone else who has read the book):

(view spoiler)[I TOTALLY believe the story without animals. After reading the book for a second time I read it with the intention of looking for the non-animal story within the animal story. It's pretty obvious when you're looking for it.

The ONLY thing that I can't explain is that island. I just don't get it. I remember the first time I read this I discussed with someone who thought it represented the garden of Eden, but... I dunno. Thoughts?

I also love the end where Pi says "Neither of these stories answer your question, so which is the better story?" and the Japanese men agree that the animal story is the better story. For me, this makes me think of religion. Everybody dies. It's just a fact of life. Nothing we do during our lifetime will change that fact. So if nothing is going to change the fact that we die, why not live the "better story" by finding a religion that makes us happy? (hide spoiler)]

[April Lyn]

Jessica wrote: "I just finished it yesterday. WOW. It was amazing. I'm so glad we are having this group because I have a ton of questions about the end. Major ending spoiler [spoilers removed] What an amazing, t..."

You finished it already! I'm only about halfway through.. really liking it though.

I will say that I thought of Thalia (and some others) who said they didn't want to read Water for Elephants because of animal cruelty. This is so much harder to read!! Although some of the animal violence is more "natural" it's still hard to stomach. Ech.

[Jessica]

Enna:
Spoilers of the ending galore (view spoiler)[ I would love to re-read this in a couple months and look for the story without the animals. Do you mean it's obvious how the animals act like the people they represent when you are looking for it?

The ISLAND. It's like the opposite of Eden. The forbidden fruit was human teeth. I can't figure out what the island would be in the non-animal story either. Maybe a mirage like people see when they are lost in the desert? The island represents some interesting things. He could have stayed there, but his life wouldn't have had meaning or a story. It would have slowly eaten him alive mentally AND physically. It's one of those things that is so far-fetched and can't be explained away that makes the animal story the one that is more real to me. I like how the Japanese guys at the end can't figure out the island, either LOL. I think the reason it doesn't make sense is because you have to have faith in either the animal story or the non-animal story. Neither one of them can be completely explained.

I agree. Religion is the better story. It gives your life more meaning and even entertainment than the cold hard facts do. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

April Lyn - I know what you mean. It's hard to read. And Pi eating animals raw is hard to stomach, too. I don't know if I would have such a strong will to live that I would do that.

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

Woah. Your comment just made me think of something. But it's too late for me to get into it now, so I'll just leave myself this clue and come back to explain tomorrow: worldly.

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

All right. I'm back. And here we go.

(view spoiler)[ Jessica, you said "could have stayed there, but his life wouldn't have had meaning or a story. It would have slowly eaten him alive mentally AND physically." This made me think something. I may be WAY off base here, but I thought it was an interesting thought.

Perhaps the island is a physical representation of worldly living? When we live religious lives we have hope for something after death. We we are athiestic or worldly then we believe that death is just the end. Just like the island. Pi was happy on the island. It had food, water, company, shelter. Everything a person could ask for! But death was always nearby. And as he said, eventually you would just die in the tree and then all that would be left is your teeth.

This makes me think of people who just live life with abandon. No heed for consequences until it's too late. And then they believe that when they die, all that is left is their rotting corpses.

Whereas, when we live life with religion, or even just with charity, our life has "meaning or a story."

Thoughts? Am I way off base here? (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Enna:
(view spoiler)[I think you are totally right! It's the dry, yeastless version of life (like he calls it in the book) full of the bare minimum. No story, no nothing. If your life didn't have a story like religion, it would be just like the island - eat, sleep and drink. Interesting thoughts Enna! You are quite the deep thinker :) (hide spoiler)]

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

Jessica:
(view spoiler)[Why thank you. It's only taken me 4 years to come to that conclusion, and only because of what YOU said. :D (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

sushi

[April Lyn]

Ahh! 80% done and I'm so sad that I can't read any of your messages because they're all spoilers!! Must.. finish.. soon...

[Jessica]

I can't wait to hear what you think - this is one of those books that makes for really good discussion :)

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

Yes! Please hurry and finish!

[April Lyn]

I finished it last night! I haven't read your comments yet, because I didn't want them to affect mine. But my thoughts were (in this order):

1. WTF

2. Okay... okay... okay. (recovery from shock)

3. I need to read it again!

[Jessica]

Ha ha that sounds like my thoughts exactly!! Is it too soon to read it again??

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

I waited four years before reading it again! But I don't think it'd hurt to just dive right back in!

[April Lyn]

I had a thought this morning... I had lots of thoughts, but only one that hadn't been mentioned yet in this thread so I wanted to bring it up before I forgot.

(view spoiler)[I was wondering why Pi chose to depict himself as the tiger (as opposed to any other animal), and it got me thinking about the tiger's backstory. I think the tiger was in the zoo because he - Thirsty - had been with his mother when she'd been shot. She hadn't been killed immediately, but later we assume she drowns when Thirsty/Richard Parker gets away. Pi is just as motherless as the tiger when his mother is killed. And obviously, the name Thirsty. (hide spoiler)]

[April Lyn]

Enna Isilee (Squeaky Books) wrote: "But I don't think it'd hurt to just dive right back in!"

pun intended?

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

April Lyn wrote: "I had a thought this morning... I had lots of thoughts, but only one that hadn't been mentioned yet in this thread so I wanted to bring it up before I forgot.

[spoilers removed]"

Hm... I think there may be a problem in that deduction.
(view spoiler)[Richard Parker's mother doesn't die. She's tranquilized and them they are both brought to the zoo. Yes?

Or do you mean that RP's mother drowned with the boat? He's now an adult tiger, so I doubt he was being kept with his mother. But now I'm curious about why he picked a tiger. (hide spoiler)]

[April Lyn]

Enna Isilee (Squeaky Books) wrote: "April Lyn wrote: "I had a thought this morning... I had lots of thoughts, but only one that hadn't been mentioned yet in this thread so I wanted to bring it up before I forgot."

(view spoiler)[
No, you're right.. she's tranquilized. I mean that she dies later and he's left to grow up on his own. But maybe I'm assuming that. I guess I thought she was in the boat with the rest of the zoo animals when maybe she was already dead from old age or something. Also, I was thinking about the part when Orange Juice is shown acting "human like" and Pi says he knows that she's looking out over the ocean mourning her dead sons. That is a believable description of Pi's mother, looking out over the ocean mourning her dead son/husband. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

April Lyn -

(view spoiler)[ So what do you think about the meerkat island? Do you have any theories on what it is or if it was real?

I liked your question on why he chose himself to be a tiger. The other animals fit the people really well. Maybe it has something to do with being scared by his dad watching the tiger eat a live goat. Maybe it's a way for him to face all his fears at sea to become an animal that seems fearless to him.

Also I just realized that it doesn't make sense that the animals would have gotten out of their cages. When the ship was sinking that fast no one would bother to go around and unlock the cages. It's something I didn't even notice until just now. (hide spoiler)]

[April Lyn]

Jessica wrote: "April Lyn - "

You know, that is the one thing that I immediately couldn't figure out, and as I was reading through all the notes here, it seems that no one can figure out.

(view spoiler)[ I mean, I get the Eden/religion idea, but I don't like it. It's just not concrete enough for me. I want everything to be symbolic of something physical, but maybe it's not. Just my reader bias. (hide spoiler)]

I'd like to read it again and see if that gives me any additional insight.

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

(view spoiler)[I get that it's not concrete enough. But I think the island may be a BIG part of why we got so much religious background in the beginning. And after reading it a second time, I STILL have no idea what it is. Perchance it might be an amalgamation of religious ideas, and since I'm only familiar with Christianity, I don't recognize them. I might just cop out and look it up online. :P (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

April Lyn

(view spoiler)[ I agree. The religion idea does not explain it in the symbolic version of the story at all. And I can't wrap my head around the man eating trees in the animal version either. It baffles me really. Gah! Maybe it's just there to make which story is the "Real" one ambiguous. (hide spoiler)]

[April Lyn]

This morning as I was getting ready for work, I had some more kind of random thoughts.

(view spoiler)[1. Assuming that the animal story is untrue (because I am), what were the "meerkat bones" that were found in the bottom of the boat? Animal? Human? Fish?

2. What was the significance of the tiger running away "without a backward glance," without a goodbye? Since that was actually Pi, was it a part of himself leaving? A religious part? A childish part? Something else?

3. If there wasn't a hyena in the lifeboat (remember the Chinese men were pointing at something in the boat, and chose not to hop in themselves), what was there that scared them? If it was just the cook, his being mean wouldn't be enough for them to choose death by drowning over possible salvation in a lifeboat with a meanie.

4. Why teeth? There has to be something with the teeth. Is this Yann person still around? We need to talk. (hide spoiler)]

[Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee)]

All right. Here I go. I will just ATTEMPT to answer your questions. I doubt they're the correct answers.

(view spoiler)[1. I would assume that they were rats from the boat.

2. I think he left because (for me, at least), RP represents "the animal within" that we all have. Our survival instinct, if you will. And the whole book is about Pi struggling to hold on to his humanity as he goes through this horrible ordeal. Therefore, as soon as he gets to land he no longer needs RP, and he leaves.

3. I don't know. It also doesn't make sense because in the "real" story, Pi isn't thrown into the boat. He's lost in the water and it's the cook that pulls him into the boat. So maybe all of that was just fabrication?

4. I don't know why teeth. But Yan is definitely still alive. He's 49 years old. (hide spoiler)]