Life of Pi

[Elanor]

I just started reading this book. Found it on my sister's shelf and just took a break to come online for a few minutes. It seems very interesting, with lots of philosophical and religious ideas. Also very exciting as it features a kid who floats through the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger as his only companion. Has anyone else read this? What did you think? I'll return to sum up my opinions when I've finished it...

[Lotesse]

Hi Elanor - I found a cool book review about this "Life of Pi", I think I'd like to read this book...

http://www.powells.com/fromtheauthor/martel.html

[hectorberlioz]

My dad checked it out in spanish (he likes to keep practice). I didn't really look into it that much. I read the back cover

[Linaewen]

I love Life of Pi! It's one of my favourite books. You should read it, HB. It's amazing, IMO.

[tolkienfan]

It is such a good book! It's really interesting and funny and sad and confusing.

[Jabberwock]

Life of Pi is a great book. A cool fact about it is that it is going to be M. Knight Sh......'s, (the guy who made Sixth Sense and the Village) next movie. I don't know who's in it, but it'll be cool, I'm sure.

[littleadanel]

Great book! I loved it go Elanor, I really wonder what will you say when you finish it...

[hectorberlioz]

Originally Posted by Linaewen

I love Life of Pi! It's one of my favourite books. You should read it, HB. It's amazing, IMO.

Hmm...I just might. (not in spanish, that would take too long).
Shamalan making a movie of it eh?

[Nurvingiel]

I love Life of Pi! It's totally fascinating. What a great read... it seems like it might just have happened somewhere (then your brain says, noooo it's too fantastical) then the character is so compelling....

So... is everything that happened literally true, or it was a thirst-induced hallucination... or somewhere in between?



They're making a movie out of this book? *boycotts*

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

So... is everything that happened literally true, or it was a thirst-induced hallucination... or somewhere in between?

That's what I want to know...a bit confuzzling isn't it? I like to believe it's true though it is pretty fantastical. Obviously Martel did take some liberties when writing it, after all he only met Pi a few times and the descriptions are mind-blowingly vivid. It was probably between a hallucination and the truth (though I won't say it's the version without animals because that version's not as interesting )

[Elanor]

Well, I actually finished it the same day I started, but forgot to come back and share my opinion as I promised. Sorry! For any of you who haven't read the book, you may find a few spoilers herein! But it will still be a fun read, even if you get a little spoiled.

This was a very interesting book. I've actually met several people who remind me of the character Pi, with his multiple religions. They're almost as interesting as he is. Almost! I also learned a lot about animal behavior and zookeeping, though how much of it is true I don't know.

Like many other books (Princess Bride, Utopia, Frankenstein), it was written as if the author really met the main character or heard or read the story somewhere and simply retold it, adding his own interpretation. I am quite sure that no part of this story ever happened, but it's fun to suspend disbelief and ask yourself "Is Pi telling the truth? Was he hallucinating? Did he make up the story to assuage his feelings of guilt?" There's the strange alternate story with the cook, the sailor, and his Mother, where the Japanese people wonder if the animal story is symbolic. Like the Japanese guys in the end, I too prefer the animal story. But what about the French guy in the lifeboat? What is the significance of Richard Parker if he represents Pi himself? Does the carnivorous island have any symbolic meaning, or is it just weird? We are meant to wonder about these things, and it actually irritates me slightly that the author so successfully manipulates us!

The underlying theme of the book seems to be the existence of God. In this way it greatly reminds me of a scene from C.S. Lewis' The Silver Chair. In this book, the marshwiggle Puddleglum gives a stirring speech in the defense of Aslan (God).

"Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narria. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say."

Compare this to Life of Pi (I thought this scene was hilarious, by the way, with Pi hiding the cookies under his sheets!):

"You cant prove which story is true and which is not. You must take my word for it."
"I guess so."
"In both stories the ship sinks, my entire family dies, and I suffer."
"Yes, that's true."
"So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can't prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?"
Mr. Okamoto: "That's an interesting question.. "
Mr. Chiba: "The story with animals."
Mr. Okamoto: "Yes. The story with animals is the better story."
Pi Patel: "Thank you. And so it goes with God."

The argument for both Pi and Puddleglum (and it seems to be for Lewis and Martel) is, to paraphrase, "We believe in God and you don't. But the existence of God is a happier reality than not, so why not believe?"

For the record, I do believe in God, but not for this reason (because it makes a "better story"). I believe in God because I have seen his hand in my life, and felt the influence of his spirit, and anyone can find out the truth by simply asking God to give you evidence. And then listen for the answer.

[Elanor]

Oh, and if M. Night Shyamalan makes a movie of this it would absolutely rock! Can't wait.

[Elanor]

Wow, once again I have gone about a year without posting. Tempus Fugit. This movie is still in pre-production, but M. Night Shyamalan is no longer involved, apparently. Sad, but I'm sure it will still be good.

Sorry if I scared anyone away from this thread with my religiousness...

[tolkienfan]

No, you didn't scare me away Elanor I liked your post #11 a lot actually.
I don't know about a movie, I doubt if they could ever get the ending right. And I wonder how they would tell the story? Because in the book it was like the author was telling the story of Pi, so I wonder if they would have the older Pi narrating it or something.
I would see it; actually I do hope they make a movie of it. If they did it right it could be incredible.