Life-of-PI - Oral presentation on the novel Life of Pi PDF

Preview

Summary

Oral presentation on the novel Life of Pi...

Description

Life of Pi

Fantasy is a fiction genre set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events or people from the real world. There are many supernatural elements. Magic and magical creatures are very common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fantasy does not rely on natural laws or history. Some authors rely on folklore and mythology. For others, the real fantasy includes supernatural elements. Fantasy has often been compared with science fiction and horror because they are the major categories of speculative fiction. But there is a difference because fantasy is distinguished from science fiction by the plausibility of the narrative elements. A science fiction narrative is unlikely though seeming possible through logical scientific or technological extrapolation, whereas fantasy narratives do not need to be scientifically plausible. Authors rely on the reader’s suspension of disbelief (willingness to suspend one’s critical faculties and believe the unbelievable; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment. Despite both genres heavy reliance on the supernatural, fantasy and horror are distinguishable. Horror primarily evokes fear through the protagonists’ weaknesses or inability to deal with the antagonists. There are many subgenres of Fantasy: comic fantasy, historical fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary fantasy, heroic fantasy and so on. I think that Life of Pi is a mixture of contemporary fantasy, which means that it is set in the real world but involving magic or other supernatural elements and heroic fantasy, because the main protagonist is put in a position in which he has to deal with very hard situations. The protagonist is responsible for the outcome of the events. He is put to several tests- spiritually and physically. Yann Martel is a Spanish-born Canadian author best known for his novel Life of Pi. It is an international bestseller sold in more than 50 countries. In the book of Yann Martel we have an Indian boy Piscine Patel (Pi). He survives 227 days after a shipwreck on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Life of Pi is told from two alternating viewpoints; the main character and the author, who is the visiting writer interviewing Pi many years after the accident but is not Yann Martel himself. The narration of the author brings credibility to the story whereas the narration of the main character takes us to an unrealistic island. Thus, the reader is left to contemplate whether the story is real or not. It elevates the story to the level of a fairytale that can communicate both events, beliefs about religion, adventures and miracles. As I said I think the story is a mixture of contemporary fantasy and heroic fantasy. It also includes real historical events. For example the Patel family discusses the Emergency period in India in the 1970s when Indira Ghandi’s administration ruled by decree curtailed press freedoms and imprisoned political opponents. The town Pondicherry is also a former French colony in India. The author talks about real places and events but the story is a fantastical one. After the shipwreck Pi is on a boat together with a zebra, an orangutan and a hyena. The hyena kills the zebra and the orangutan. She tries to attack Pi as well but then all of a sudden a tiger comes from the bottom of the lifeboat and kills the hyena. From then on Pi has to share the boat with a wild animal. This is why he devises a raft. We have a fantasy story and still the animals do not talk which brings credibility to the story. Then, we have a totally unbelievable story about a magical island which Pi reaches just when he is on the verge of giving up life. It is a floating island of algae, which is inhabited by hundreds of meerkats. There Pi and his companion Richard Parker regain strength. But soon the boy discovers the carnivorous nature of the island. This is a sign that makes him go back to the ocean. One of the main themes of the book is believability. In the beginning of the book Pi promises the author that by the end of his story he will manage to make him believe in God. At the end of the story he also states that “Life is a story ... you can choose your story… A story with God is the better story”. Pi finds the island as help from god and the tooth in the plant as a sign from God to keep moving forward with his life.

Pi is an Induist but he explores Christianity and Islam as well. The great stories provide meaning to his life. This is why throughout the whole story he emphasizes the importance of choosing the better story. For him, the better story is the one with God. God inspires him as a child and helps him sustain his life while at sea. Pi realizes that all religions have the same foundation; belief in a loving higher power. Another major theme in the book is Pi’s growth. It is a kind of bildungsroman, a story about maturation. When he is a child, Pi has his parents who take care of him. His only concern is preventing his classmates from mispronouncing his name and learning more about religion. But when the ship sinks Pi is left alone in the world. Now he’s the one who has to take care of himself and the Bengal tiger. He must become self-sufficient and overcome the weaknesses. He learns how to catch fish, finds an emergency guide and provisions and manages to go on with his life despite the horror he’s lived through. Throughout his adventure, he prays regularly. This is again a reminder that faith in something greater can help you cope with difficult situations....