Page 26 - Magazine

Entry #6 – Theme’s Life of Pi

Religion

Here's a protagonist who believes passionately in both zoology and religion. What about
the fact of multiple faiths? Don't these faiths contradict each other, cause wars, and other
problems? Here's a protagonist who is Muslim, Christian, and Hindu – all at the same time.
The book defends not only the common spirit behind these three religions, but the rituals
and ceremonies of each. It's as if all three religions find harmonious common ground in
this character. Seems unlikely, but then again, the protagonist argues passionately that the
miraculous happens in our darkest moments.

Man and the natural world

There's an interesting blurring of divisions between man and the natural world in Life of Pi.
Human beings become more animalistic; animals become more human. The novel warns
against projecting human values onto the animal world. However, the novel also admits it's
impossible to experience anything without a way-of-being. The trick, therefore, is to make
concessions to other species. Animals in the zoo, while essentially retaining their instincts,
take on certain domestic, human-like traits. Human beings in the wild, while still retaining a
few human traits, become more animalistic. Through this exchange human beings may
learn – dare we say it – a spiritual truth or two about themselves and the natural world?

Literature I – Magazine