Yann Martel's Life Of Pi
Life of Pi Analysis Essay: #1
“How does the organizational structure of Life of Pi affect the meaning of the overall work?” The author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel, uses a lucid and vibrant language to tell his gripping tale of the survival of a young, shipwrecked boy. This allegoric story is split up into three distinct parts, each with its own purpose. At first, these parts just seem to be a way to spilt up the book: The first tells of Pi’s background, the second tells the story of his survival, and the last explains Pi’s rescue and includes a recount of interviews with Pi on the cause of the shipwreck. It is not until the very end that the reader finally notices how the parts interrelate and tie the whole book together. Once the reader is aware of the book’s delicate balance the true meaning of the work is revealed: is there such thing as truth? Does our unique way of viewing the world affect what we …show more content…
It is the section in which Pi is rescued and interviewed, and in which the reader revealed to both the “better story” point, and the true meaning of the work. When Pi reveals the second story, this time with humans in place of the animals, the reader finally realizes the traumatic events he went through. This trauma, forces Pi to believe in the first story, with the animals. One can even argue that Pi wants to believe in God, faith, and the goodness of mankind so badly that he has tricked himself into thinking the first story is true. Because the truth is never full revealed, the reader is left to choose which is the “better story.” The placement of Part Two is crucial to this point. Since the story with the animals came first, and is much less traumatic, it makes you not want to believe the second story. Whatever story the reader picks to be true is a reflection upon how they view the world, relating to the true meaning of the work. At the end, one is forced to ponder whether Pi’s story is just an allegory of another set of
“How does the organizational structure of Life of Pi affect the meaning of the overall work?” The author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel, uses a lucid and vibrant language to tell his gripping tale of the survival of a young, shipwrecked boy. This allegoric story is split up into three distinct parts, each with its own purpose. At first, these parts just seem to be a way to spilt up the book: The first tells of Pi’s background, the second tells the story of his survival, and the last explains Pi’s rescue and includes a recount of interviews with Pi on the cause of the shipwreck. It is not until the very end that the reader finally notices how the parts interrelate and tie the whole book together. Once the reader is aware of the book’s delicate balance the true meaning of the work is revealed: is there such thing as truth? Does our unique way of viewing the world affect what we …show more content…
It is the section in which Pi is rescued and interviewed, and in which the reader revealed to both the “better story” point, and the true meaning of the work. When Pi reveals the second story, this time with humans in place of the animals, the reader finally realizes the traumatic events he went through. This trauma, forces Pi to believe in the first story, with the animals. One can even argue that Pi wants to believe in God, faith, and the goodness of mankind so badly that he has tricked himself into thinking the first story is true. Because the truth is never full revealed, the reader is left to choose which is the “better story.” The placement of Part Two is crucial to this point. Since the story with the animals came first, and is much less traumatic, it makes you not want to believe the second story. Whatever story the reader picks to be true is a reflection upon how they view the world, relating to the true meaning of the work. At the end, one is forced to ponder whether Pi’s story is just an allegory of another set of