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Life of Pi

16 years ago

What did you think?

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Comments (2)

vickitg
16 years ago
One of my favorite books. We had a really good discussion about this several years ago. I don't know if anyone saved it or not.

What did you think?
sheriz6
16 years ago
We discussed this book back in 2002 when it was up for the Booker Prize. I've pasted it in below (was there more to this thread? This seems a little short to me but it's all I saved.) Like Sarah Canary, I really loved this book, and thought the ending was incredible.

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2002 RP discussion of Life of Pi

Posted by Martin (martin@mb.net) on Mon, Oct 7, 02 at 14:03
Ok, I know I'm not the only person who has read this. (Hi, Karen!)
This book has been short-listed for the Booker, and I'd love to see it win. I've rarely enjoyed a book so much. It's not a difficult read, but it's got enough in it to make anyone think. It's full of little twists, and some lovely touches of humour.
It's the story of a sixteen-year-old boy called Pi (as in 3.14159 - you'll have to read the story to find out why!). He and his family are on a cargo ship on it's way to Canada, carrying several large zoo animals; the ship is shipwrecked, and Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with a zebra with a broken leg, a hyena, an orang-utan - and a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Which makes for a bit of a tense atmosphere....
It's a book that is likely to be difficult to discuss without posting spoilers, so be careful when you read this thread if you haven't read the book. It really is one of those books where I envy anyone coming to it for the first time. I'm sure I'll read it again soon.
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
Â Posted by: Vicki T (vtgibbs@rcsis.com) on Mon, Oct 7, 02 at 15:07
Martin -- Thanks for posting this. This book is one I've been contemplating buying for several months. Thanks to your recommendation I think I'll get it. Do you think this would be a good read for my book discussion group?
Vicki T.
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RE: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel (warning: potential spoilers)
Â Posted by: Karen (karenmacmeek@yahoo.com) on Mon, Oct 7, 02 at 15:24
Hi Martin!
What a very good synopsis! I really loved this book as well, although some parts more than others. For example, the first third of the book was, to me, phenomenal! I loved the way Martel tied the three major religions to the natural history perspective and to one god of love. This is probably the closest representation of my own spirituality. The middle section of the book was very descriptive and powerful; however, I was hoping that the author would bring in more of Pi's spiritual growth into this part of the story. But, I felt the ending was wonderfully quirky and full of twists.
I must admit, I had a hard time with a couple of chapters - the one where Pi "meets" up with another (French and blind, I believe) shipwreck survivor, and the chapter of the algae island. I'm sure there is some deeper symbolism that I'm just not getting :)
Bottom line, this book was beautifully written, subtly humorous and enjoyable to read. I highly recommmend reading this book!
I'd love to hear...
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This was one of my all-time favorite books. I believe the following was from a second thread about LoP that was active in '03. I found the comments/interpretations very interesting. SPOILERS!!! RE: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel Â Posted by: Archie (GPedal@cox.net) on Sun, Apr 27, 03 at 2:57 How glad I am that I found some discussion on this book because I can't find any anywhere else! I just read it and I feel it is one of the better books I have ever read. Spoilers ahead!!!! First off, I was a bit disappointed with the "2nd story" because I was so in love with the 1st. I tend to enjoy the more colorful and fantasy like stories. But then it makes all those feelings you had while reading the 1st so vivid. I felt hate and sympathy and disgust reading about the deaths of the animals and when paralleled to the 2nd story, it makes so much sense. Being Pi was Vegan, do you think that the Island was a symbolic code for the life boat. An island that is a beautiful system of vegetation. A world floating in the ocean kinda like the life boat. With his rations, he was happy but the underlying evilness of him having to turn carnivore and all the feelings of shock a vegan would go through in eating meat represented in the discovery of the true nature of the island. A pure island of vegetaion...but being carnivorous to survive? The teeth representing the simple element of eating meat to survive paralleled to the seed for the continuation of life for the plant world. Haha-basically I am lost until my wife reads the darn book and we can talk about! So, if you have any feelings about my interps or would like to share yours, please email me! RE: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel Â Posted by: Jenny in Ireland (jnelso@hotmail.com) on Wed, Apr 30, 03 at 6:28 Hello fellow Life of Pi fans, * SPOILER ALERT * A possible explanation for the dichotomy of the story struck me when I read "and so it is with God" in the final pages, i.e., that God also prefers the use of parables to get His point across, rather than blunt statement of fact. Pi spoke a lot about sprituality in the first part of the book, then the middle part was a very symbolic parable, similar to the parables used by all three religions he expresses an interest in from the outset. Could it be that the entire story is a parable, which he explains in the end by giving us the "true story"? Of course that leaves most readers feeling somewhat dissatisfied with such a banal (and gruesome) explanation of a magical tale, so we opt to believe in the fantasy instead. Isn't this the same "Public Relations tool" used by all religions? I'm not a cynic, by the way, and I prefer the magical tale too, but this thought did strike me once I'd finished the book. What do you guys think? I have no idea about the island, but given the overall spiritual theme running through the book, I'd guess that there must be some spiritual connection there. I like the thought of him being relieved at not having...
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