“How did I think up the theme that reality is a story and we can choose our story and so why not pick "the better story" (the novel's key words)?” ~Yann Martell
Where do I begin? Perhaps I should simply start typing away. Don’t you love those books you cannot put down? Books with a plot that becomes it’s own character, captivating details, and a point to drive the reader mad with wonder in the end?
Life of Pi is that species of book. First, I must write a quick note (and don’t finish this sentence if you want to read the book someday): boo to the jacket designer/writer for describing the book in such detail even down to how there are two stories in the end. Although the book is broken in two parts really, it didn’t bother me, and neither did the first person voice speaking directly to the reader. The first half held it’s own and was a necessary background, thickening the plot-soup.
Here’s my synopsis. The first part of the book details Pi’s life growing up in India. His name is Piscine, yes a pool, and dons himself the nic-name Pi to replace the inevitable takes off it such as…well, nevermind. Pi, born a Hindu, converts to Christianity and Islam and practices all three. His father owns a zoo and much of this book is an animal book if nothing else. Eventually Pi, along with his father, mother and brother immigrate overseas taking some animals along to sell to other zoos. A shipwreck, a lifeboat, Pi and 4 surviving animals develop the remaining story.
*Stop reading here if you want to read this book and don’t want anything given away.*
I desperately want to believe the tiger version. And I do believe it as a story---the better story as Martell put it. Do I believe it as what happened, yes in ways. But, there are two unbelievable parts. First, a self-sufficient, flesh eating algae island floating unknown in the ocean with an enormous meerkat colony aboard? What is that? An escaped science project gone bad? I believe that the idea of aliens existing as possible, but reality? Please. As far as it made for a fantastic read, great! I love algae islands. But more unbelievable is a blind man and tiger floating in the Pacific ocean bumping into another blind man, no tiger. If they both had tigers, then I would think so. No, but really, for the Frenchman to enter the story it would have to be from the beginning.
What sheds so much light on this is a tidbit from a friend after I read the book. “Richard Parker” is not just a name but THREE different men (two REAL life people) who were killed and eaten by mates after a shipwreck in order to survive! Edgar Allen Poe wrote a story about one in 1837 and the other two were actually cases, one resulting in a huge legal case that basically now makes it murder to kill even in a survival situation whereas before it was not. So, could “Richard Parker” be another name for survival of the fittest? (Here’s what Martell has to say about this coincidence.)
So, with that little jewel of random information, review some key points in the story. Like when the Frenchman falls upon Pi to attack him and Pi cries, “Wait there is something you don’t know! There’s a tiger on board.” RP survival theory. The four photographs his Indian family friend sends Pi...why would he have a random photograph of any ol’ school group unless perhaps it was Pi’s class and there was RP looking away, non interested, RP being Pi himself? So, RP stands alone in several ways in my mind as a character---a tiger, a law of survival, and as a part of Pi himself.
The final chapter or two where Pi is being interview---completely hilarious! I laughed out loud.
I wish I would have put the book down the first few pages, ran to Barnes and Noble, bought a copy and then read this book with a pencil and pack of sticky notes.
This book is a highly intelligent read, well written, and carries tremendous flow. For a book to have just under 200 pages of ocean scene, it sure didn’t drag and I for one think that is a writing feat. Each sentence could stand alone, artful and relevant. Martell also used a variety of writing technique employed without expense the reader. For example, foreshadowing within paragraphs and chapters, usage of lists, signs, and flashback to convey information, and play-on-words and well know phrases.
Life of Pi for me was singularly informative and adventuresome. (Could you tell I really liked it?) Almost an adventure wildlife zoology textbook with a good splash of religion. A copy my friend checked out from the library had this written on the front cover, “This book will make you believe in God.” It could
