Novel review
Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a wonderful adventure about the courage and ingenuity of an Indian boy stranded alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with only a Bengal tiger for company. The novel begins slowly and establishes the character of the protagonist named Pi Patel. Despite being a Hindu, Pi is fascinated with other beliefs and becomes familiar and even intimate with the three monotheistic religions - Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Each in turn teaches him more about the world and gives him a different perspective on life. This interplay of the three religions is very interesting and is referenced throughout the novel like when Pi alludes to the color of Islam - green - as being the same as the green color of the trees and algae on the island he visits.
Pi and his family travel by ship from India to Canada. Along the way, the ship is caught in a vicious storm and capsizes. Martel pictures the chaos of the capsizing ship perfectly allowing one to easily visualize the terror and the panic as the ship sinks. He also masterfully describes the shock and then despair of Pi as his hope fades with every passing day, and he finally realizes that his family has truly perished and that he will not be rescued. Martel takes readers on Pi's journey through the wide expanse of ocean and really captures the feelings that one would feel on such an arduous and lonely journey. He also masterfully interweaves themes about loneliness, loss, growing up, and the will to survive. By adding just enough hope along Pi's journey, Martel draws readers into the plot and creates suspense that keeps the story going on its journey across the Pacific. Martel creates a simple adventure story into an elaborate sojourn that everyone can relate to one way or another.
Yann Martel, with his novel Life of Pi has established a timeless novel containing interwoven themes that everyone across the globe can understand and connect with. Martel creates an enthralling story that has true substance and many thematic elements that give it much more significance. Life of Pi is a great novel for people of any age and contains many themes that allow people to derive deeper meaning and significance from the book.
Pi and his family travel by ship from India to Canada. Along the way, the ship is caught in a vicious storm and capsizes. Martel pictures the chaos of the capsizing ship perfectly allowing one to easily visualize the terror and the panic as the ship sinks. He also masterfully describes the shock and then despair of Pi as his hope fades with every passing day, and he finally realizes that his family has truly perished and that he will not be rescued. Martel takes readers on Pi's journey through the wide expanse of ocean and really captures the feelings that one would feel on such an arduous and lonely journey. He also masterfully interweaves themes about loneliness, loss, growing up, and the will to survive. By adding just enough hope along Pi's journey, Martel draws readers into the plot and creates suspense that keeps the story going on its journey across the Pacific. Martel creates a simple adventure story into an elaborate sojourn that everyone can relate to one way or another.
Yann Martel, with his novel Life of Pi has established a timeless novel containing interwoven themes that everyone across the globe can understand and connect with. Martel creates an enthralling story that has true substance and many thematic elements that give it much more significance. Life of Pi is a great novel for people of any age and contains many themes that allow people to derive deeper meaning and significance from the book.