Life of Pi Study Notes

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‭LIFE OF PI STUDY NOTES‬ ‭ r.

Kumar, the‬
M ‭Mr. Kumar, a baker by trade, is the Sufi and mystic who introduces Pi to Islam‬
‭baker‬
‭Character‬ ‭Description‬
‭ r. Kumar, the‬
M ‭Mr. Kumar is Pi's biology teacher in India who is an atheist.‬
‭Pi Patel‬ ‭ i Patel's full name is Piscine Molitor Patel. He is an Indian academic and‬
P ‭teacher‬
‭zookeeper's son who immigrated to Canada at age 16 in a lifeboat. Pi is the novel's‬
‭Mr. Okamoto‬ ‭ r. Okamoto is the official at the Japanese Ministry of Transport who interviews Pi in‬
M
‭main character and, for most of the book, the narrator.‬
‭Mexico to figure out why the Tsimtsum sank.‬
‭Richard Parker‬ ‭ ichard Parker is the Bengal tiger who crosses the ocean in the lifeboat with Pi. He‬
R
‭Orange Juice‬ ‭ range Juice is the orangutan in the lifeboat with Pi after the shipwreck. Orange‬
O
‭got his human name from a clerical mix-up at the Pondicherry Zoo.‬
‭Juice is one of Pi's favorite animals in the zoo, and he's comforted by her presence.‬
‭Visiting Writer‬ ‭ he visiting writer is never named, though he shares traits and experiences with‬
T ‭She's killed by the hyena.‬
‭Yann Martel, the book's author. He narrates the Author's Note and the italicized‬
‭The pandit‬ ‭The pandit is the leader of the Hindu worship services Pi attends.‬
‭sections of the book. Originally from Canada, he becomes intrigued by Pi's story on‬
‭a visit to India. The writer's thoughts provide the frame for the larger narrative.‬ ‭Meena Patel‬ ‭Meena is Pi's wife. A fellow Indian immigrant, she works as a pharmacist in Canada‬
‭Mr. Patel‬ ‭ r. Santosh Patel is the owner of the Pondicherry Zoo and Pi's father. He decides to‬
M ‭Nikhil Patel‬ ‭Nikhil is Pi's teenage son, who goes by Nick.‬
‭move the family to Canada as a response to dissatisfaction with Indian politics in‬
‭1977. He dies in the Tsimtsum's wreck.‬ ‭Usha Patel‬ ‭Usha is Pi's young daughter, a shy four-year-old who enjoys playing with her cat.‬
‭Mrs. Patel‬ ‭Mrs. Gita Patel is Pi's mother. She dies in the Tsimtsum's wreck.‬ ‭The priest‬ ‭The priest is the leader of the Christian worship services Pi attends.‬
‭Ravi‬ ‭ avi is Pi's older brother by three years. He's known for his charisma and athletic‬
R ‭Auntie Rohini‬ ‭Auntie Rohini is Pi's mother's sister, who introduces young Pi to Hinduism.‬
‭ability. Ravi dies in the Tsimtsum's wreck.‬
‭The sailor‬ I‭n Pi's second story to the Japanese officials, the sailor is a Tsimtsum employee who‬
‭Blind Frenchman‬ T
‭ he blind Frenchman, who is also a castaway, meets Pi in the Pacific Ocean when‬ ‭survives the shipwreck with a broken leg. He is similar to the zebra in his physical‬
‭he is temporarily blinded. Since the Frenchman is starving, he attempts to kill and‬ ‭loveliness and vulnerability.‬
‭eat Pi, but Richard Parker kills the Frenchman first.‬
‭The zebra‬ ‭ he zebra is in the lifeboat with Pi after the shipwreck. Pi describes the zebra as "a‬
T
‭Mr. Adirubasamy‬ M
‭ r. Francis Adirubasamy is an old friend of the Patel family; Pi is named after the‬ ‭lovely animal." His leg is broken, and he doesn't live long before the hyena eats him.‬
‭man's favorite pool in the world, the Piscine Molitor in Paris, France. He introduces‬
‭the visiting writer to Pi and his story.‬

‭Auntieji‬ ‭ untieji is Pi's Québecoise foster mother when he moves to Canada after his arrival‬
A
‭in Mexico. Pi calls her Auntieji, an Indian term of affection‬

‭Babu‬ ‭Babu is a zookeeper at the Pondicherry Zoo.‬

‭Mr. Chiba‬ ‭ r. Chiba is an assistant at the Japanese Ministry of Transport who helps Mr.‬
M
‭Okamoto interview Pi in Mexico.‬

‭The cook‬ I‭n his second story to the Japanese officials, Pi describes the ship's cook as a‬
‭"brute" similar to the way he describes the hyena. Pi feels love for the cook because‬
‭of the forced companionship of the long journey. But when the cook kills Pi's mother‬
‭in a fight over food, Pi murders him in retaliation‬

‭The hyena‬ ‭ he hyena is one of the animals in the lifeboat with Pi. Like other hyenas, he is‬
T
‭vicious and will eat anything. Pi is also struck by the hyena's physical ugliness. He‬
‭kills and eats the zebra and Orange Juice, but is killed by Richard Parker.‬

‭The imam‬ ‭The imam is the leader of the Muslim worship services Pi attends‬
‭PLOT SUMMARY‬
‭ art 3, Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico‬
P
‭Pi is the Tsimtsum's only survivor, and two shipping company employees, Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba,‬
‭ art 1, Toronto and Pondicherry‬
P ‭question Pi about the shipwreck in an interview transcribed by the visiting writer. Mr. Okamoto and Mr.‬
‭In 1996, a Canadian writer flies to Bombay, India, where he plans to write a novel. His attempt fails, and‬ ‭Chiba don't believe Pi's story of survival on the lifeboat. Pi grows agitated and asks them if they need to‬
‭he goes to the south of India in search of a better story. In the town of Pondicherry, the visiting writer‬ ‭see to believe. At their prompting, he tells another version in which he lands on the lifeboat with a cook,‬
‭meets an elderly man, Mr. Adirubasamy, in a coffeehouse. Mr. Adirubasamy claims to have "a story that‬ ‭a sailor, and his mother, who are all murdered. Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba realize the humans in the‬
‭will make you believe in God." He connects the visiting writer with Pi Patel, a 42-year-old Indian scholar‬ ‭second story act similarly to the animals in Pi's first story. Pi asks them which story they prefer. They‬
‭living in Toronto, Canada. Pi narrates his life story, beginning with his academic studies in religion and‬ ‭prefer the version with the animals.‬
‭zoology and his mysterious past. The first part of the novel recounts Pi's childhood as the son of a‬
‭zookeeper who is surrounded by and fascinated with animals. His father shows him and his brother a‬
‭tiger attack to demonstrate how dangerous animals can be. After being teased in school because of his‬
‭first name, Piscine, Pi renames himself after the mathematical symbol. In contrast to Pi's secular‬
‭upbringing, Pi becomes intrigued by religion through a series of chance encounters. A youthful visit to a‬
‭temple causes Pi to fall in love with Hinduism; talks with a priest in a church interest Pi in Christianity;‬
‭and meeting a Muslim mystic leads Pi to Islam. As a result Pi begins to practice all three religions, and‬
‭despite pressure to choose one, he claims he needs each religion to understand God.‬
‭In 1977 when Pi is 16, his parents decided to move the family, along with many of the zoo animals, to‬
‭Canada on a cargo ship because of political unrest in India. In several chapters, the visiting writer‬
‭narrates and reveals his impressions of the adult Pi. Happily married with two children, Pi fills his home‬
‭with religious iconography and stuffs his cupboards with vegetarian food. But Pi, to his distress, has few‬
‭photos of his parents and brother. Pi points out a photo of the tiger, Richard Parker to the visiting writer.‬

‭ art 2, The Pacific Ocean‬


P
‭Pi narrates his passage across the Pacific Ocean. The cargo ship carrying his family and their animals,‬
‭the Tsimtsum, sinks without warning. Pi ends up on a lifeboat with only animals for company—a hyena, a‬
‭zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger. The hyena kills the already injured zebra and eats the orangutan, while‬
‭Richard Parker, the 450-pound Bengal tiger, eats the hyena. Pi fears for his life and mourns his family.‬
‭During Pi's first week at sea, he hopes for rescue. He takes stock of his supplies and builds a raft to give‬
‭him space from Richard Parker. Eventually, Pi realizes he must tame Richard Parker and keep the tiger‬
‭alive if he hopes to survive himself. Pi uses his knowledge of animal behavior to claim space and‬
‭authority, making Richard Parker obedient to him. A vegetarian, Pi is forced to slaughter fish and turtles‬
‭to survive. Months pass on the lifeboat. Pi suffers from thirst, loneliness, and despair. He relies on his‬
‭faith for comfort. He notices both the beauty and the menace of the ocean. One night, Pi is near death‬
‭and temporarily blinded from malnutrition. He hears a voice and responds, realizing slowly that he's‬
‭talking to another human castaway. The two men meet. The other man, a blind Frenchman, tries to kill Pi‬
‭for food. Instead, Richard Parker kills the blind Frenchman. Soon afterward, Pi and Richard Parker find‬
‭an island made of algae. Pi is delighted by the land, vegetation, and fresh water. Several meerkats live‬
‭on the island as well. He stays on the island happily until he realizes the algae ponds are carnivorous‬
‭and have killed another human being. Reluctantly, he returns with Richard Parker to the lifeboat. Pi‬
‭finally reaches Mexico. Richard Parker wanders away, devastating Pi, but he is glad to return to land. Pi‬
‭is cared for by some village women, and a police car transports him to a nearby hospital.‬
‭TIMELINE‬ ‭1977‬ t‭hat a black dot grows in his vision until he too is unable to see. They are both in a very‬
‭bad physical condition (skin and bones).‬
‭Date‬ ‭Literal Plot‬ ‭ 7 October‬
2 ‭ he Frenchman Pi is weak and when he hears a voice, he decides to talk to it. At first‬
T
‭1977‬ ‭they talk about food but Pi is delusional and thinks that Richard Parker is talking to him,‬
‭1961‬ ‭Birth of Pi‬
‭so he asks the man some questions and finds out that he killed a man and a woman.‬
‭He is named after a glorious swimming pool in Paris called the Piscine Molitor.‬
‭When he hears the French accent, he realises that it is a person. The man boards Pi's‬
‭1968‬ ‭ i learns to swim. He is seven years old and a family friend, Mamaji, gives him his first‬
P ‭lifeboat, and tries to kill him. Richard Parker kills the Frenchman.‬
‭swimming lesson in the ocean.‬
‭ 9 October‬
2 ‭Returning Vision Pi regains his vision as he continues to rinse his eyes with seawater.‬
‭1975‬ ‭ eligion Pi grew up in a Hindu family, but he stumbles upon a church and decides to be‬
R ‭1977‬
‭a Christian as well. The following year he walks into a mosque and adds Islam to his‬
‭ 4 December‬ ‭Algae Island Pi and Richard Parker come across the algae island.‬
1
‭collection of religions. Once the heads of the different faiths find out, they want him to‬
‭1977‬
‭choose just one (or in other words, their own belief) and they place immense pressure on‬
‭him. However, Pi continues to practise all three religions‬ ‭ 5 January‬
0 ‭ he Fruit Pi encounters a tree with some fruit. He climbs the tree and notices that it has‬
T
‭1978‬ ‭several stems and as he picks it up what seems to be fruit, is actually very light and not‬
‭21 June 1977‬ R
‭ eason for his voyage When Pi is a teenager (16), his father decides to close the‬
‭fruit at all but human teeth covered in leaves. There are 32 "fruit" - an entire human set.‬
‭Pondicherry Zoo and to emigrate to Canada because of political uncertainty in the‬
‭As he steps onto the algae at night, a searing pain shoots up his feet and he realises that‬
‭country. Pi, his mother, father, and brother Ravi all board the Tsimtsum, along with the‬
‭the island is carnivorous.‬
‭zoo animals, who are to be sold along the way.‬
‭ 6 January‬
0 ‭ i and Richard Parker leave the island They leave the island together. They take some‬
P
‭02 July 1977‬ ‭ hipwreck Pi hears a noise in the night and goes on deck, only to find a storm raging.‬
S
‭1978‬ ‭algae (tied on a rope behind the boat) and as much food as will fit in the lifeboat. Pi is‬
‭When he gets back to the cabin that he shares with his brother, Ravi, he notices there is‬
‭filled with grief, heartache and the pain of endurance so he turns to God.‬
‭water on the floor. He then returns to the deck where he is thrown into a lifeboat.‬
‭ 4 February‬
1 J‭ ourney on the sea ends As they land on a beach in Mexico, Richard Parker leaves the‬
‭09 July 1977‬ ‭ ills his first fish Pi kills a flying fish by breaking its neck. This saddens him but soon‬
K
‭1978‬ ‭boat and goes straight into the forest. Pi never gets a chance to say goodbye. He is‬
‭after, he kills the dorado - by beating it with an axe hilt - and he feels ecstatic and proud.‬
‭found some hours later. Pi survives at sea for 227 days.‬
‭“... a person can get used to anything, even killing.”‬
‭ 9 February‬
1 ‭ enito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlán, Mexico Two men (Mr Okamoto, and Mr Chiba) visit Pi‬
B
‭ 7 August‬
1 ‭ topped looking for ships 6 At this stage, Pi stops looking for a rescuer almost entirely.‬
S
‭1978‬ ‭in hospital, to investigate the sinking of the Tsimtsum. Pi is asked to tell his story. The‬
‭1977‬ ‭After expending all of his flares (which happen to smell like cumin), he realises the very‬
‭men are not convinced by Pi’s story as they do not believe that bananas float, they do‬
‭high improbability of being rescued by a ship.‬
‭not believe in the carnivorous island and they are unconvinced about the tiger in the‬
‭ 0‬
2 ‭ o more raft Pi gets under the tarpaulin with Richard Parker, during a brutal storm. The‬
N ‭story. “Don't bully me with your politeness! Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is‬
‭September‬ ‭raft breaks free and the lifeboat is slightly damaged.‬ ‭hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your‬
‭1977‬ ‭problem with hard to believe?” “I know what you want. You want a story that won't‬
‭surprise you. That will confirm what you already know. That won't make you see 8 higher‬
‭ 0‬
3 ‭ i trains Richard Parker Pi wants to be able to get onto the lifeboat more often, so he‬
P ‭or further or differently. You want a flat story. An immobile story. You want dry, yeastless‬
‭September‬ ‭starts to assert his dominance by blowing a whistle loudly while rocking the boat and‬ ‭factuality.”‬
‭1977‬ ‭making Richard Parker feel seasick. He is finally able to gain complete dominance over‬
‭Richard Parker during a staredown, over a dorado fish.‬ ‭ 9 February‬
1 ‭…dry, yeastless factuality" Pi decides to tell the Japanese officials a different story. This‬
‭1978‬ ‭ ne, however, replaces the animals with actual people. After the ship sinks, he falls into‬
o
‭ 2 October‬
0 ‭ ortality Pi is reminded that Richard Parker is not as all-powerful as he appears to be as‬
M ‭the water and is pulled aboard with a lifebuoy thrown by the French cook. There is‬
‭1977‬ ‭a Maco shark that Pi unwittingly throws onto the lifeboat, attacks Richard Parker.‬ ‭already a Chinese sailor, who has broken his femur (upper leg) while jumping onto the‬
‭lifeboat. They find Pi's mother floating on a pile of bananas. The Frenchman is a vulgar‬
‭ 0 October‬
1 ‭ he Oil Tanker Pi and Richard Parker finally encounter a ship they think is close enough‬
T ‭man who wants to cut off the sailor's leg, to use for bait. The sailor suffers long and‬
‭1977‬ ‭to see and rescue them. Pi becomes absolutely distraught when they nearly get run over‬ ‭excruciating pain from his wound, before he finally dies. After he dies, the Frenchman‬
‭and the flare he set off ricochets off the ship into the water. It is here that Pi declares his‬ ‭mutilates and cures the sailor’s flesh so that he can use it as bait and eat it as well. Pi’s‬
‭love and gratitude to Richard Parker.‬ ‭horrified mother slaps the Frenchman. He kills Pi's mother and throws her head at Pi.‬
‭The following day, fight and Pi stabs him to death.‬
‭25 October‬ ‭Pi and Richard Parker go blind Richard Parker is the first to go blind and then Pi finds‬
‭THEMES‬
‭Survival‬ ‭ uch of the action of Life of Pi consists of the struggle for survival against seemingly‬
M ‭ he Nature of‬ L
T ‭ ife of Pi begins with an old man in Pondicherry who tells the narrator, “I have‬
‭impossible odds.‬ ‭Religious‬ ‭a story that will make you believe in God.”‬
‭Pi is stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific for 227 days, with only an adult‬ ‭Belief‬ ‭Storytelling and religious belief are two closely linked ideas in the novel.‬
‭Bengal tiger for company.‬ ‭On a literal level, each of Pi’s three religions, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam,‬
‭Therefore, his ordeal involves not just avoiding starvation but also protecting himself‬ ‭come with its own set of tales and fables, which are used to spread the‬
‭from Richard Parker.‬
‭teachings and illustrate the beliefs of the faith.‬
‭Pi is soon forced to give up his lifelong pacifism and vegetarianism as he has to kill‬
‭and eat fish and turtles.‬ ‭Pi enjoys the wealth of stories, but he also senses that, as Father Martin‬
‭In a similar vein Orange Juice, the peaceful orangutan, becomes violent when facing‬ ‭assured him was true of Christianity, each of these stories might simply be‬
‭the hyena and Richard Parker submits to being tamed because Pi gives him food.‬ ‭aspects of a greater, universal story about love.‬
‭In this way Martel shows the extremes that living things will go to in order to survive,‬ ‭Stories and religious beliefs are also linked in Life of Pi because Pi asserts that‬
‭sometimes fundamentally changing their natures.‬ ‭both require faith on the part of the listener or devotee.‬
‭The struggle to survive also leads the characters to commit deeds of both great‬ ‭Surprisingly for such a religious boy, Pi admires atheists.‬
‭heroism and horrible gruesomeness.‬ ‭To him, the important thing is to believe in something, and Pi can appreciate‬
‭Pi finds an amazing resourcefulness and will to live within himself and he resolves to‬ ‭an atheist’s ability to believe in the absence of God with no concrete proof of‬
‭live peacefully alongside Richard Parker instead of trying to kill the tiger.‬ ‭that absence.‬
‭When he leaves algae island, Pi even waits for Richard Parker to return to the lifeboat‬ ‭Pi has nothing but disdain, however, for agnostics, who claim that it is‬
‭before pushing off.‬ ‭impossible to know either way, and who therefore refrain from making a‬
‭From the start, we know that Pi will survive his ordeal, as he is telling the tale as a‬
‭definitive statement on the question of God.‬
‭happy adult but his constant struggle to stay alive and sane maintains the tension‬
‭throughout the book.‬ ‭Pi sees this as evidence of a shameful lack of imagination.‬
‭To him, agnostics who cannot make a leap of faith in either direction are like‬
‭Storytelling‬ ‭ ife of Pi is a story within a story within a story.‬
L ‭listeners who cannot appreciate the non-literal truth a fictional story might‬
‭The novel is framed by a (fictional) note from the author, Yann Martel, who describes‬ ‭provide.‬
‭how he first came to hear the fantastic tale of Piscine Molitor Patel.‬
‭At the end of the novel, a transcript taken from an interrogation of Pi reveals the‬
‭possible “true” story within that story: that there were no animals at all, and that Pi had‬
‭spent those 227 days with other human survivors who all eventually perished, leaving‬ ‭RECURRING IDEAS‬
‭only himself.‬
‭Pi, however, is not a liar: to him, the various versions of his story each contain a‬
‭different kind of truth.‬ ‭ erritorial Dominance‬
T
‭One version may be factually true, but the other has an emotional or thematic truth that‬ ‭● Though Martel’s text deals with the seemingly boundless nature of the sea, it also studies the‬
‭the other cannot approach.‬ ‭strictness of boundaries, borders, and demarcations.‬
‭Throughout the novel, Pi expresses disdain for rationalists who only put their faith in‬ ‭● The careful way in which Pi marks off his territory and differentiates it from Richard Parker’s is‬
‭“dry, yeastless factuality,” when stories—which can amaze and inspire listeners, and‬ ‭necessary for Pi’s survival.‬
‭are bound to linger longer in the imagination—are, to him, infinitely superior.‬ ‭● Animals are territorial creatures, as Pi notes: a family dog, for example, will guard its bed from‬
‭Storytelling is also a means of survival.‬ ‭intruders as if it were a lair.‬
‭The “true” events of Pi’s sea voyage are too horrible to contemplate directly: any‬ ‭● Tigers, as we learn from Richard Parker, are similarly territorial.‬
‭young boy would go insane if faced with the kinds of acts Pi (indirectly) tells his‬ ‭● They mark their space and define its boundaries carefully, establishing absolute dominance over‬
‭integrators he has witnessed.‬ ‭every square inch of their area.‬
‭By recasting his account as an incredible tale about humanlike animals, Pi doesn’t‬ ‭● To master Richard Parker, Pi must establish his control over certain zones in the lifeboat.‬
‭have to face the true cruelty human beings are actually capable of.‬ ‭● He pours his urine over the tarp to designate a portion of the lifeboat as his territory, and he uses his‬
‭Similarly, by creating the character of Richard Parker, Pi can disavow the ferocious,‬ ‭whistle to ensure that Richard Parker stays within his designated space.‬
‭violent side of his personality that allowed him to survive on the ocean.‬ ‭● The small size of the lifeboat and the relatively large size of its inhabitants make for a crowded vessel.‬
‭Even this is not, technically, a lie in Pi’s eyes.‬ ‭● In such a confined space, the demarcation of territory ensures a relatively peaceful relationship‬
‭He believes that the tiger-like aspect of his nature and the civilized, human aspect‬ ‭between man and beast.‬
‭stand in tense opposition and occasional partnership with one another, just as the boy‬ ‭● If Richard Parker is seen as an aspect of Pi’s own personality, the notion that a distinct boundary can‬
‭Pi and the tiger Richard Parker are both enemies and allies.‬ ‭be erected between the two represents Pi’s need to disavow the violent, animalistic side of his nature‬
‭ unger and Thirst‬
H ‭ he colour‬
T ‭Hope and survival‬
‭● Unsurprisingly in a novel about a shipwrecked castaway, the characters in Life of Pi are‬ ‭orange‬
‭continually fixated on food and water.‬
‭ he colour‬
T ‭Islam, growth, fertility, nature‬
‭● Ironically, the lifeboat is surrounded by food and water; however, the salty water is‬ ‭green‬
‭undrinkable and the food is difficult to catch.‬
‭● Pi constantly struggles to land a fish or pull a turtle up over the side of the craft, just as‬ ‭Tsimtsum‬ ‭ ame of the ship.‬
N
‭he must steadily and consistently collect fresh drinking water using the solar stills.‬ ‭The word “tsimtsum” (or tzimtzum) describes an idea derived from the Jewish‬
‭● The repeated struggles against hunger and thirst illustrate the sharp difference‬ ‭Kabbalah teachings of Isaac Luria who is a mystic and a rabbi. This idea‬
‭between Pi’s former life and his current one on the boat.‬ ‭describes the process of creation.‬
‭● In urban towns such as Pondicherry, people are fed like animals in a zoo—they never‬ ‭Tzimtzum is a word used to describe “empty space”. The belief is that God‬
‭have to expend much effort to obtain their sustenance.‬ ‭retracted (removed) his light in order to create a space for finite things (like‬
‭● But on the open ocean, it is up to Pi to fend for himself.‬ ‭humans) to develop.‬
‭Through experiences, we grow in our faith and independence.‬
‭● His transition from modern civilization to the more primitive existence on the open sea‬
‭Pi experiences this growth in his journey‬
‭is marked by his attitudes toward fish: initially Pi, a vegetarian, is reluctant to kill and eat‬
‭an animal.‬ ‭Algae island‬ ‭ he Garden of Eden – biblical reference, offers Pi food, water and other‬
T
‭● Only once the fish is lifeless, looking as it might in a market, does Pi feel better.‬ ‭essentials but in reality it could kill him (the “forbidden fruit” with the teeth‬
‭● As time goes on, Pi’s increasing comfort with eating meat signals his embrace of his‬ ‭inside)‬
‭new life.‬
‭ itual‬
R ‭ uthor’s Note (Summary)‬
A
‭● Throughout the novel, characters achieve comfort through the practice of rituals.‬ ‭• The ‘author’ makes a journey to India in search of inspiration for a new novel‬
‭● Animals are creatures of habit, as Pi establishes early on when he notes that zookeepers can‬ ‭after the failure of his second novel.‬
‭tell if something is wrong with their animals just by noticing changes in their daily routines.‬ ‭• He meets Francis Adirubasamy who tells him that he has a story that “will‬
‭● People, too, become wedded to their routines, even to the point of predictability, and grow‬ ‭make you believe in God”.‬
‭troubled during times of change.‬ ‭• The story is about Piscine Patel, whom the author finds in Canada.‬
‭● While religious traditions are a prime example of ritual in this novel, there are numerous‬
‭others.‬ ‭• This line engages the reader’s attention and introduces some of the major‬
‭● For instance, Pi’s mother wants to buy cigarettes before traveling to Canada, for fear that she‬ ‭themes of the novel – religion and faith, belief, heart versus reason and the‬
‭won’t be able to find her particular brand in Winnipeg.‬ ‭nature of storytelling.‬
‭● And Pi is able to survive his oceanic ordeal largely because he creates a series of daily rituals‬
‭to sustain him.‬ ‭ uestions‬
Q
‭● Without rituals, routines, and habits, the novel implies, people feel uneasy and unmoored.‬ ‭1. Why does the author travel to India?‬
‭● Rituals give structure to abstract ideas and emotions—in other words, ritual is an alternate‬
‭• He was looking for inspiration to write his next novel/He had little money and‬
‭form of storytelling.‬
‭a little money goes a long way in India. He was restless.‬
‭2. Why does the author mail his manuscript for the book about Portugal‬
‭SYMBOLS‬ ‭to a ‘made-up’ address in Siberia?‬
‭Pi Patel‬ ‭ ot just a shortened version of Piscine‬
N ‭• He had given up on it and found a way to get rid of it without destroying the‬
‭An allegorical figure with multiple levels of meaning.‬ ‭manuscript. .‬
‭= value of the circumference of a circle (related to the circle of life) –‬ ‭3. Discuss the strategies Francis Adirubasamy uses to arouse the‬
‭representing eternity‬ ‭author’s interest.‬
‭Pi is also an informal British term meaning “pious”. (devoutly religious)‬
‭• He engages the Author’s attention by telling him that he has a story that he‬
‭Piscine‬ ‭Piscine is related to “fish” in English as well as “pool” in French.‬ ‭will make him believe in God. The Author got suspicious. He uses suspense,‬
‭curiosity and suspicion.‬
‭CHAPTER SUMMARIES (PART ONE)‬ t‭heir names. Pi goes to the board and writes, "My name is Piscine Molitor Patel, known to‬
‭all as ... Pi Patel." He then writes the mathematical symbol for pi and the number 3.14‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 1‬
P ‭used to calculate the circumference of a circle in geometry. Soon his classmates all call‬
‭Pi Patel begins Part 1 by writing, "My suffering left me sad and gloomy," but adds‬ ‭him Pi or Three Point One Four. Pi feels relieved and reborn. Pi begins to use overt‬
‭academic studies at the University of Toronto and religious practice has helped his‬ ‭religious allusions, referring to Jesus's crown of thorns and the prophet Muhammed.‬
‭healing. His zoology thesis examined the three-toed sloth, an animal whose calm‬ ‭When he gives his name as "I am who I am" to the pizza place, it's another reference to‬
‭demeanor reminds him of meditative yogis and hermits. Pi does well in school, though he‬ ‭God. These references clearly frame his life and the way he sees himself: as a character‬
‭was beaten out for a competitive undergraduate award, a slight he calls "both unbearable‬ ‭in an unfolding story.‬
‭and trifling" after all he's been through. He loves Canada but misses India, as well as‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 6‬
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‭someone called Richard Parker. Pi references time spent recovering in a hospital in‬ ‭The writer joins the adult Pi for a meal, which Pi prepares. The writer praises Pi's‬
‭Mexico, and how he was astounded by its abundance of tap water. During Pi's first visit to‬ ‭vegetarian cooking and notices Pi's cupboards are packed with huge reserves of food.‬
‭an Indian restaurant in Canada, a waiter mocked him for eating with his hands and he lost‬
‭his appetite.‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 7‬
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‭ art 1, Chapter 2‬
P ‭Young Pi has several excellent teachers, including Mr. Satish Kumar, who teaches‬
‭The visiting writer recounts his first impressions of Pi. No older than 40, Pi is slim with‬ ‭biology. An odd-looking and intelligent man, Mr. Kumar is the first atheist Pi meets. When‬
‭graying hair and a parka despite the warm weather. Pi speaks quickly and earnestly.‬ ‭Mr. Kumar comes to the zoo, he tells Pi the zoo is his only temple. "Religion is darkness,"‬
‭he says, to Pi's confusion. Mr. Kumar believes science has all the answers mankind‬
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P ‭needs. Adult Pi cites Mr. Kumar as the reason he studied zoology. Pi admires atheists but‬
‭Pi explains the origins of his unusual name. One of Pi's father's business associates and‬ ‭dislikes agnostics—those who believe the existence of God is possible but unproven. He‬
‭a family friend was a man named Francis Adirubasamy, whom Pi called Mamaji (an Indian‬ ‭says they choose "doubt as a philosophy of life." This chapter gives the first indication of‬
‭term of affection). Mamaji, a former competitive swimmer, taught young Pi to swim.‬ ‭the political strife created by Mrs. Gandhi, or Bapu Gandhi, and the Indian people's‬
‭Mamaji had visited pools worldwide and described the Piscine Molitor in Paris as the most‬ ‭reactions to her leadership.‬
‭beautiful pool in the civilized world. Pi's parents name him Piscine Molitor Patel after the‬
‭French word for pool.‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 8‬
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‭Pi says most zookeepers know man is the most dangerous animal in the zoo. He‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 4‬
P ‭describes tortures humans have inflicted on animals. An even more dangerous animal,‬
‭In 1954 Pondicherry enters the Union of India. A portion of the Pondicherry Botanical‬ ‭however, is the animal seen through human eyes. Humans "look at an animal and see a‬
‭Garden is set aside for a zoo, which Pi's father runs. Flowers and wildlife fill the grounds,‬ ‭mirror," mistaking dangerous creatures for adorable pets. Young Pi's father plans an‬
‭and the zoo is "paradise on earth." Living in a zoo shows Pi the diversity and beauty of‬ ‭object lesson to teach his sons the dangers of zoo animals. He takes Pi and his older‬
‭animals. But for Mr. Patel, a former hotel manager, dealing with his new and unreasonable‬ ‭brother Ravi to see Mahisha, a 550-pound Bengal tiger in the zoo. Mr. Patel tells his‬
‭animal "guests" provides a daily challenge. Pi refutes the common notion of zoos as‬ ‭assistant Babu to release a goat into Mahisha's cage. Mahisha devours the goat‬
‭prisons. Animals in the wild, he says, are unhappy because they live lives dominated by‬ ‭immediately. Mr. Patel leads Pi and Ravi to the cages of other zoo animals, such as lions,‬
‭"compulsion and necessity," not real freedom. Animals are territorial and stick to patterns.‬ ‭hippos, camels, deer, and orangutans, explaining the harm each can do. As the third‬
‭A zoo environment provides animals with food, shelter, routine, and protection from‬ ‭prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi was a controversial figure. She successfully led‬
‭enemies. Animals often stay in zoo enclosures even if they can escape. Pi says he‬ ‭diplomatic efforts with Pakistan following the Indo-Pakistani War (1971), and she led a‬
‭doesn't mean to defend zoos. But he's noticed "certain illusions about freedom" affect‬ ‭Green Revolution that increased food supplies and created jobs. However, she was an‬
‭popular notions of both zoos and religion.‬ ‭authoritarian ruler, and corruption plagued her government. In 1984 she was assassinated‬
‭by members of a Sikh (monotheistic Indian religion; rejects idolatry and caste) separatist‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 5‬
P ‭movement. Her assassination led to anti-Sikh riots during which thousands died‬
‭Pi's unusual name, Piscine Molitor Patel, has always affected him. Fellow schoolchildren‬
‭mockingly call him "Pissing" instead of Piscine. The nickname sticks with him until he‬
‭moves from primary to secondary school. On the first day there the students each say‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 9‬
P ‭ ymbols, rites, and images that define his Hindu faith. Hinduism helps him "see my place‬
s
‭Pi explains techniques zookeepers use to get animals accustomed to humans.‬ ‭in the universe." He believes Christians, Hindus, and Muslims are all reflections of one‬
‭Diminishing the animal's flight distance, or the minimum distance at which it keeps‬ ‭another.‬
‭enemies, is key. Mr. Patel achieved this goal admirably by providing his animals food,‬
‭shelter, and protection.‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 17‬
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‭Pi tells how he became a Christian. He relates how at age 14 he goes on a family‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 10‬
P ‭vacation to Munnar and finds a Christian church. He's amazed by the church's beauty but‬
‭Animals will occasionally escape from zoos, Pi says, especially if the zoo habitat is‬ ‭confused by the notion of sacrifice associated with Christianity. Over time he gets to know‬
‭unsuitable. Besides, all living things have "a measure of madness" that sometimes saves‬ ‭Father Martin, the welcoming parish priest. Pi doesn't think Christianity's human and‬
‭them. He emphasizes animals escape "from something" instead of "to somewhere."‬ ‭vulnerable Jesus compares to Hinduism's magnificent gods, but he is still fascinated by‬
‭the faith and decides to become a Christian as well as a Hindu.‬
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‭Pi describes the case of a female black leopard that escaped from a Switzerland zoo. The‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 18‬
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‭leopard remained undetected in the Swiss winter for two months. This proves to Pi that‬ ‭Pi discovers Islam when he is 15. He explores the Muslim quarter of his town and meets a‬
‭escaped animals are only "wild creatures seeking to fit in." Pi says, for example, that‬ ‭baker. When the baker follows the Muslim call to prayer, Pi is intrigued watching him pray.‬
‭hundreds of exotic animals might be hiding in a large city like Tokyo. He laughs at the‬ ‭He compares Muslims kneeling for prayer to Christians kneeling at the cross.‬
‭possibility of trying to find an animal in the Mexican tropical jungle.‬
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‭ art 1, Chapter 12‬
P ‭Pi continues to visit the baker and learns more about Islam, which he calls "a beautiful‬
‭The writer notices Pi's agitation as he relates his story and worries Pi will want to stop.‬ ‭religion of brotherhood and devotion." He begins joining Muslims in prayer.‬
‭"Richard Parker still preys on his mind," the writer says. But Pi continues to talk and‬
‭regularly cooks meals for the writer, although the food is too spicy for his taste.‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 20‬
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‭The baker, named Mr. Satish Kumar like Pi's biology teacher, is a Sufi or Muslim mystic.‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 13‬
P ‭The two Mr. Kumars were "prophets of my Indian youth," says Pi. Mr. Kumar the mystic's‬
‭Pi explains the importance of territorial dominance to animals. A lion tamer in a circus, he‬ ‭humble living quarters feel sacred to him. One day coming home from school in India, Pi‬
‭says, succeeds by establishing his authority over the lions. Animals are usually hostile‬ ‭feels an incredible closeness with the divine. He feels the same closeness years later in‬
‭because of "social insecurity" or not knowing where they stand in a hierarchy. The circus‬ ‭Canada on a snowy day‬
‭trainer can tame an animal through psychological tricks such as an authoritative posture‬
‭and gaze.‬
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‭Pi notes the lion with the lowest social standing in the pride—the "omega animal"—is‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 21‬
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‭easiest to train. In general "socially inferior" animals will make better efforts to befriend‬
‭After spending an afternoon talking with Pi, the writer thinks about his story. He takes‬
‭their keepers.‬
‭notes on their dialogue. The writer notes an emphasis on "the moral sense" over intellect‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 15‬
P ‭in understanding the universe and on love as "the founding principle of existence." He‬
‭The visiting writer observes adult Pi's home, which he describes as "a temple." Pi has‬ ‭also contemplates "God's silence."‬
‭shrines to the Hindu god Ganesha and to the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, a Christian icon.‬
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‭His home is decorated with images of other Hindu gods, a Bible, a crucifix, a cloth with‬
‭Adult Pi imagines atheists and agnostics on their deathbeds. He thinks the atheist might‬
‭Arabic writing, and a prayer rug.‬
‭have a last-minute conversion to faith after seeing God, or love. The agnostic will have‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 16‬
P ‭the same sight but attribute it to failing oxygen in the brain. Pi thinks the agnostic misses‬
‭Pi believes we're all born in limbo "until some figure introduces us to God." He tells how‬ ‭"the better story" because of reliance on facts over imagination.‬
‭he went to a Hindu temple with his Auntie Rohini at a young age. Pi describes the‬
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‭Teenage Pi hides his practice of three faiths from his parents. Mr. Patel is secular, priding‬ ‭Pi describes the mid-1970s, the decade when he was a teenager, as "troubled times in‬
‭himself in his modern views. Mrs. Patel and Ravi are indifferent to religion. One day Pi is‬ ‭India." As a 16-year-old he didn't understand the extent of the political unrest. The Tamil‬
‭at a seaside walkway with his family. The family runs into a Christian priest, a Hindu‬ ‭Nadu government, the local government of Pondicherry, is overtaken by Mrs. Gandhi in‬
‭pandit, and a Muslim imam all at the same time. The three "wise men" have all seen Pi in‬ ‭1976. Pi's father considers this overthrow a troubling symptom of Mrs. Gandhi's dictatorial‬
‭their places of worship. When the priest, pandit, and imam all commend Pi's faith, they‬ ‭power over the country. Angry, he worries for the future of his zoo and the future of India.‬
‭are sure the others must be mistaken about which religion Pi practices. The three men‬ ‭Mr. and Mrs. Patel agree to move to Canada. They want a better life for both themselves‬
‭get into a heated argument over whose faith is superior. They insist Pi pick one religion.‬ ‭and their children. To Pi and Ravi, Canada seems impossibly far away.‬
‭Pi says he just wants to love God. His father says they're all trying to love God in their‬
‭own ways and takes the family out for ice cream.‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 30‬
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‭The visiting writer meets Pi's wife. She's a pharmacist who, like Pi, is Indian. The writer‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 24‬
P ‭never noticed Pi was married; Pi is a shy man who hides what's precious to him.‬
‭Ravi gently mocks Pi for his practice of three faiths at once. His confidence and‬
‭lighthearted approach to life in Part 1, Chapter 24 contrasts with Pi's earnestness and‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 31‬
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‭thoughtfulness. Despite Ravi's mocking he does seem to care about Pi, and Pi admires‬ ‭Mr. Kumar the baker comes to visit Pi at the zoo. They run into Mr. Kumar the teacher.‬
‭his older brother. They get along well as opposites.‬ ‭Both men feed the zebra (an animal the baker has never seen before).‬

‭ art 1, Chapter 25‬


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‭Pi notes the tendency of religious believers to rush to God's defense while they ignore‬ ‭Animals can come to unusual living arrangements if necessary, explains Pi, through a‬
‭humans in need. He feels they don't realize religion is about dignity. After the meeting on‬ ‭process called zoomorphism—where an animal treats another animal as one of its own‬
‭the esplanade, Pi is rejected by all three churches.‬ ‭kind. In the Pondicherry Zoo he's seen examples of the "freak suspension of the‬
‭predator-prey relationship." He attributes zoomorphism to the "measure of madness" in‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 26‬
P ‭all living things.‬
‭Teenage Pi tells his father he'd like to be baptized and receive a prayer rug. Both his‬
‭parents are mystified by Pi's religious enthusiasm. They tell him he can only pick one‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 33‬
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‭faith, and he doesn't need to practice faith at all. Pi is unconvinced. He compares‬ ‭The writer and Pi look through Pi's photo albums. Pi has many records of his wedding, his‬
‭religions to nations. People can have residencies in multiple countries, why not‬ ‭college graduation, and his student life. But he has few photos of his childhood in India‬
‭residencies in multiple faiths?‬ ‭and none of his family. Pi points out Richard Parker in one hazy, black-andwhite zoo‬
‭photo. Pi can't remember what his mother looks like, and he's distressed.‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 27‬
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‭Pi overhears his parents discussing him. They don't know what attracted him to religion.‬ ‭ art 1, Chapter 34‬
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‭The Patels consider themselves a secular, modern family of the "New India." They don't‬ ‭As they prepare to move to Canada, the Patels sell the zoo. They need to find homes for‬
‭revere Mrs. Gandhi, or Bapu Gandhi, as much as Pi appears to. They're particularly‬ ‭all the animals at other zoos around the world. The process is long and difficult. To make‬
‭puzzled by his interest in Islam, since Muslims are "outsiders" in India. Despite their‬ ‭matters worse, Pi and Ravi don't want to move to Canada. Many of the zoo animals are‬
‭reservations, Pi's parents conclude his religious obsession is a mostly harmless phase.‬ ‭finally sold to enthusiastic Americans.‬

‭ art 1, Chapter 28‬


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‭Pi receives a prayer rug, which he loves. He prays outside, ignoring his family's curious‬ ‭Pi's family embarks on a Japanese cargo ship named the Tsimtsum, headed for Canada,‬
‭looks. He can see an aviary and an open yard from the spot where he prays. The place‬ ‭on June 21, 1977. They say good-bye to friends and neighbors. Adult Pi imagines his‬
‭where Pi prays is important and described in loving detail, but the rug makes him feel he‬ ‭mother's sadness upon leaving and her curiosity about how life will be different in‬
‭can be "at home anywhere." He is also baptized, a ritual he describes as "slightly‬ ‭Canada. Teenage Pi is excited for the boat journey, which he's sure will be an adventure.‬
‭awkward" but cleansing. The baptism water trickling down Pi's neck has the effect of a‬ ‭As an adult he mentions things didn't turn out the way the family planned.‬
‭"monsoon rain."‬
‭ art 1, Chapter 36‬
P ‭ as survived Richard Parker's presence—until he notices the hyena. A hyena and a tiger‬
h
‭The writer is visiting Pi's house when he notices a teenage boy he's never seen‬ ‭can't share such a small space. He also realizes the ship's crew members threw the‬
‭before—Pi's son Nikhil, who goes by "Nick." The writer notices other residents for the first‬ ‭hyena overboard from the sinking ship, hoping it would kill Pi and save space for‬
‭time, too. Pi has a dog, an orange cat, and a young daughter named Usha. As Pi and his‬ ‭themselves in the lifeboat. The weather changes quickly. It is now sunny and warm on‬
‭daughter talk lovingly, the writer notes, "This story has a happy ending."‬ ‭the Pacific Ocean. Pi looks around again for other lifeboats but sees none‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 42‬
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‭CHAPTER SUMMARIES (PART TWO)‬ ‭Pi is happy to see the zoo's prized Borneo orangutan, Orange Juice, floating toward him‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 37‬
P ‭on "an island of bananas." He knows he and Orange Juice will both die soon, but he's‬
‭Part 2 begins with an overview of the events that Pi will retrace with more detail in the‬ ‭glad for the company. Orange Juice is surrounded by spiders and traveling on a nylon‬
‭following chapters. As Part 2, Chapter 37 begins, a ship sinks. Pi calls from a lifeboat to‬ ‭net. Pi says the net will later become one of his most precious possessions. He will also‬
‭Richard Parker, who's struggling in the water, to swim to the lifeboat. Pi hopes he's‬ ‭deeply regret not taking any of the bananas when he had the chance. Orange Juice joins‬
‭having a dream and will wake to safety on the Tsimtsum. But he knows he's not‬ ‭him on the lifeboat.‬
‭dreaming. He's lost his family and all their animals. Pi throws Richard Parker a life buoy.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 43‬
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‭As he pulls him in, Pi realizes what he's doing and begins to shove the cat away with an‬ ‭Seeing a patch of oil from the ship, Pi thinks some official must have been notified of the‬
‭oar. He's too late. Richard Parker climbs with him into the lifeboat. Pi steps over a zebra‬ ‭shipwreck and will be coming to save him. His family, too, must be alive. But the animals‬
‭and jumps overboard.‬ ‭with him aren't doing so well. Orange Juice is ill and in shock. The hyena leaps‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 38‬
P ‭menacingly above the tarpaulin and screams, running in circles. Pi assesses the threats‬
‭Before the Tsimtsum wrecks, the ship pushes bravely through all kinds of weather. Pi‬ ‭to his own existence. Orange Juice won't threaten him, but the unpredictable hyena‬
‭enjoys taking care of the animals and seeing new countries. But on his fourth day at sea‬ ‭might. The zebra simply lies in silence.‬
‭the ship sinks. An explosion wakes Pi, who wanders onto the main deck. It's raining and‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 44‬
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‭windy, but he's confident the well-built cable ship can withstand the weather. He feels‬ ‭Pi passes a day and a night on the lifeboat. He is surrounded by flies and growing more‬
‭adventurous and eager to get to Canada. When Pi sees a lifeboat and hears noises on‬ ‭anxious. When darkness falls, it obscures his vision. He lies awake all night, fearing for‬
‭the ship, he begins to worry. He runs to find the ship's officers. Pi finds three crew‬ ‭his life.‬
‭members and asks them to save his family. One crew member throws a life jacket at him‬
‭and tosses him overboard.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 45‬
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‭As day breaks Pi is cold but hopeful of rescue. He imagines the reunion with his family‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 39‬
P ‭but is interrupted by a horrible sight. The hyena is eating the zebra's broken leg. Queasy‬
‭Pi lands on the tarpaulin covering a lifeboat on the ship's side, losing the life jacket in his‬ ‭from seasickness, Pi notices Orange Juice also exhibiting humanlike seasickness‬
‭fall. The crew members toss a zebra out of the ship. It lands on a bench and injures‬ ‭symptoms. He considers the bizarre ecosystem of animals on the lifeboat. A sea turtle‬
‭itself; the added weight of the zebra causes the lifeboat to plunge into the water.‬ ‭butts up against the boat, and Pi tells it to go tell a ship where he is.‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 40‬
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‭Pi is now in the water, having jumped off the lifeboat to escape Richard Parker as‬ ‭Pi's second night at sea is one of the nights he suffers the most. Though the sunset is‬
‭readers saw in Part 2, Chapter 37. He sees a shark in the water and pushes an oar onto‬ ‭extraordinarily beautiful, he fears the sharks circling the lifeboat. Orange Juice doesn't‬
‭the boat's tarpaulin to get himself above the surface. Richard Parker, the tiger, is in the‬ ‭recognize him. Then worst of all the hungry hyena eats the zebra alive. Orange Juice‬
‭lifeboat under the tarpaulin. Holding onto the oar, Pi floats safely through the night.‬ ‭roars at the hyena, and Pi is shocked by this aggressiveness from the orangutan. Later‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 41‬
P ‭in the night Pi realizes his brother, father, and mother are most likely dead. He compares‬
‭Pi watches the cargo ship sink completely and scans his surroundings for survivors or‬ ‭his mother to the sun, a life-giving force, and thinks that Ravi was a potential lifelong‬
‭rescuers. He figures he's safe from the tiger below the tarpaulin if he stays out of Richard‬ ‭companion while Mr. Patel was Pi's foundation. He weeps.‬
‭Parker's vision. The zebra, still on the boat, has a broken leg. Pi can't believe the zebra‬
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‭When Pi wakes, to his astonishment, the zebra is still clinging to life, but it is dead by‬ ‭Despite his earlier happiness at finding supplies, Pi feels desperate when he wakes the‬
‭noon. He's sure Orange Juice will be next. Instead, however, the orangutan thumps the‬ ‭next day. He thinks of his oncoming death and laments the life he might have had. But a‬
‭hyena on the head as it makes a lunge at her. Orange Juice's self-defense surprises and‬ ‭voice from within urges Pi to hold onto life, to "turn miracle into routine," and tells him he‬
‭warms Pi, but not for long. The hyena then kills and beheads her. Now Pi is certain he's‬ ‭will survive. Pi realizes he has a fierce desire to live that will keep him going no matter‬
‭next to die. He glances below the tarpaulin and sees Richard Parker's head, confirming‬ ‭what. He builds a raft to give himself space from Richard Parker, who he believes won't‬
‭the tiger has been aboard the entire time. Pi collapses from fright.‬ ‭jump into the water. When Pi is almost finished, Richard Parker appears from under the‬
‭tarpaulin. Pi is mesmerized by the tiger's enormous size, grace, and majesty. He‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 48‬
P ‭describes the tiger in detail, emphasizing his size. Just as Richard Parker rears up to‬
‭Pi explains the story of Richard Parker's human name. A hunter in Bangladesh, hired to‬ ‭approach Pi, a rat appears, and Pi throws it at Richard Parker. The tiger eats the rat and‬
‭kill a panther that had been terrorizing humans, found a tiger and her cub. The hunter's‬ ‭then eats the hyena. Pi seizes the chance to finish his raft. As Pi eases the raft into the‬
‭name was Richard Parker. While the cub ran to the river to drink, the hunter immobilized‬ ‭water, he realizes it won't save him. The raft could sink too easily. However, he stays on‬
‭the adult tiger. Both tigers were sent to the Pondicherry Zoo. The hunter named the cub‬ ‭the raft until Richard Parker has disappeared below the tarpaulin again. While gathering‬
‭Thirsty, but a shipping clerk switched the hunter's name and the cub's name by accident.‬ ‭supplies from below, Pi accidentally makes a loud noise that startles the tiger, but the‬
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‭Convinced he can't possibly survive, Pi suddenly feels relieved. He wants to find his‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 54‬
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‭most immediate need—fresh water—on the boat, but he's afraid to move and invite‬ ‭It rains all night. Pi tries in vain to keep himself warm and dry. Awake and restless, he‬
‭Richard Parker's aggression. Pi moves slowly and carefully. He thinks the hyena's‬ ‭tries to decide how to deal with Richard Parker. Pi thinks of and dismisses several‬
‭reluctance to kill the zebra, and to kill Pi, came from fear of Richard Parker, the greater‬ ‭imperfect plans, including pushing the tiger off the lifeboat, killing him with morphine‬
‭beast. Pi owes his life to Richard Parker. He's curious why the tiger has been passive for‬ ‭syringes or weapons, choking him, poisoning him, and setting him on fire. The tiger is too‬
‭so long.‬ ‭strong for any plan to work. Pi eventually decides to hoard supplies such as food and‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 50‬
P ‭fresh water and let the tiger die—a "war of attrition."‬
‭Pi examines the lifeboat. He notes its length, width, and depth, both outside and inside.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 55‬
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‭Most of the equipment, including tarpaulins and life jackets, are orange. He mentions he‬ ‭At dawn it's still raining. Eventually, the rain stops and Richard Parker emerges. As Pi‬
‭noticed all the nuances of the lifeboat's equipment gradually as they became essential to‬ ‭remembers the details of his plan—to starve the tiger and let nature run its course—he‬
‭save his life.‬ ‭realizes this is the worst idea of all. Richard Parker's thirst and hunger will eventually‬
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P ‭overcome fear. The tiger will do whatever is necessary to live, including swimming,‬
‭Pi can't find the supplies that must be on the lifeboat somewhere. To search further he'll‬ ‭drinking salt water, and killing Pi. Pi notices the beauty of the ocean and describes it as‬
‭have to intrude on Richard Parker's den. Thirst drives him to open the tarpaulin, where‬ ‭"a smooth skin reflecting the light with a million mirrors." He's paying more attention,‬
‭he sees the tiger and thinks, "God preserve me!" He manages to move part of a bench to‬ ‭however, to the feeling of infinity. This isn't the sense of calm he gets when‬
‭block off the tiger's lair. In the locker under the tarpaulin he finds cans of drinking water‬ ‭contemplating "the infinite within the finite" in Hinduism. This is more like terror and fright.‬
‭and drinks greedily. Thirst sated, Pi looks for food and finds emergency rations of‬ ‭He has the sense of being in the middle of nowhere, alone, "surrounded by flatness and‬
‭biscuits. He calculates he has food rations to last 93 days and water to last 124 days.‬ ‭infinity."‬
‭He's grateful.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 56‬
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‭ art 2, Chapter 52‬
P ‭Pi describes fear as "life's only true opponent." Fear begins in the mind as doubt, slowly‬
‭Pi lists all the items on the lifeboat. They include rocket flares, solar stills, vomit bags, life‬ ‭supplanting reason. Then fear takes over each part of the body. Finally fear leads to rash‬
‭jackets with whistles, a hunting knife, a notebook, one Bengal tiger, and one God.‬ ‭decisions that defeat any hope. To conquer fear Pi believes one should express fear and‬
‭Relieved, Pi sleeps through the night.‬ ‭"shine the light of words upon it."‬
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‭Richard Parker observes Pi from the boat. The tiger snorts through his nostrils, a call‬ ‭Pi wakes, restlessly, to another hot day. He realizes both he and Richard Parker urgently‬
‭known as prusten expressing "friendliness and harmless intentions." Pi has never heard‬ ‭need fresh water. He checks the solar stills, which have filled with water, and tends them‬
‭this sound from a tiger before; he realizes he needs to tame Richard Parker. Pi also‬ ‭carefully so they will produce more. As Pi tosses fish to Richard Parker, he thinks the‬
‭confesses that Richard Parker's companionship gives him a hopeful distraction and‬ ‭lifeboat resembles a zoo enclosure with specific territories. He estimates he's spent a‬
‭keeps him alive during his ordeal. Pi takes a whistle from a life jacket and imitates a lion‬ ‭week at sea since the Tsimtsum sank.‬
‭tamer in the circus ring. He blows the whistle, inspiring fear in Richard Parker. Pi settles‬
‭on a new plan: to keep the tiger alive‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 63‬
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‭Pi tells the reader of other castaways who survived long periods at sea. He himself‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 58‬
P ‭survives 227 days, over seven months—longer than any other castaway he mentions.‬
‭After reading the detailed survival manual in the lifeboat, Pi thinks of the many things he‬ ‭Keeping busy helps. Pi's daily ritual on the lifeboat includes prayers; inspecting the‬
‭needs to do, like improve his raft, fish for food, find a way to shelter himself from the‬ ‭lifeboat, raft, and food stores; resting; fishing; and observing Richard Parker. Despite‬
‭weather, and develop a training program for Richard Parker. Overwhelmed and lonely,‬ ‭"the emptiness of time," Pi always has something to do. Accommodating Richard Parker‬
‭he weeps.‬ ‭requires constant vigilance, for instance. One thing he stops doing is looking for a‬
‭rescue ship. He also stops counting days, weeks, and months. His memories, later, are‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 59‬
P ‭mostly "events and encounters and routines."‬
‭Pi notices the raft is acting as a sea anchor to the lifeboat, keeping the boat from‬
‭steering into the wind. He observes Richard Parker's territory under the tarpaulin,‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 64‬
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‭evidently sprayed with his urine, and thinks of how he'll establish his own territory. Pi‬ ‭Pi describes his physical transformation on the lifeboat. His clothes wear away, and‬
‭busies himself with tasks, including fixing his life raft and setting up solar stills to collect‬ ‭painful boils appear on his body.‬
‭and purify evaporated water. As the sun sets Pi notices the diversity and patterns of‬
‭marine life in the sea that most sea craft pass too quickly to observe.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 65‬
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‭Pi tries and fails to learn to navigate from the survival manual, so he simply drifts. "Time‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 60‬
P ‭became distance," he says. He'll learn later he traveled a narrow route.‬
‭Pi wakes during the night. The sea is black and silver, and stars shine in a dark sky. Pi‬
‭feels "half-moved, half-terrified." The night shows him how grand the setting of his‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 66‬
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‭suffering is and makes him feel insignificant.‬ ‭Over time Pi becomes a better hunter and fisher. He loses his anxiety about killing and‬
‭pays attention to the habits of fish. His body begins to glitter from fish scales. Turtles are‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 61‬
P ‭easy to catch, and he captures and butchers many. He "[descends] to a level of‬
‭The next day Pi attempts to fish, using his shoe as bait. The attempt doesn't go well. He‬ ‭savagery" he never imagined before. Trying to keep his soul intact, he compares the fish‬
‭tries and fails to catch a sea turtle. Knowing he must feed and give water to Richard‬ ‭scales covering him to the "symbols of the divine" that mark the bodies of Hindus.‬
‭Parker if he wants to survive himself, Pi panics. As he searches for bait in the locker, he‬
‭is struck in the face; at first he believes he has been attacked by Richard Parker but‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 67‬
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‭then discovers he has been hit by a flying fish. Pi throws it to Richard Parker hoping to‬ ‭Sea life accumulates on the underside of Pi's raft. He spends hours observing the plants‬
‭tame him with rewards, but the flying fish swerves away from the tiger and back into the‬ ‭and small animals under the raft, which move about in peace.‬
‭ocean. Fortunately, a school of flying fish, chased by dorados, strikes the ship. Richard‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 68‬
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‭Parker eats his fill. Some fish land in the locker, and Pi takes one to kill it for bait. A‬ ‭Pi grows accustomed to sleeping for only an hour at a time. "Apprehension and anxiety"‬
‭lifelong vegetarian, Pi has never killed a living thing before. The process is wrenching‬ ‭wake him constantly. Richard Parker naps frequently, and Pi gets to know the tiger's‬
‭and emotional. Pi mentions he still prays for the fish regularly. Later in the night Pi tries‬ ‭sleeping habits.‬
‭fishing again and catches a dorado. His second kill is less of a challenge, and he reflects‬
‭"a person can get used to anything, even to killing." After throwing the dorado in front of‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 69‬
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‭the surprised Richard Parker, Pi falls asleep satisfied.‬ ‭When Pi sees lights in the distance he thinks are ships, he sends off rocket flares. But‬
‭he knows he won't be safe until he reaches land. The flares smell like cumin, reminding‬
‭him of Pondicherry.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 77‬
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‭The rations on the boat are diminishing, so Pi restricts his food intake. He fantasizes‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 70‬
P ‭constantly about massive amounts of food and finds live sea turtles delicious. As his‬
‭Pi's first time butchering a turtle is a challenge. He gathers the blood to drink himself,‬ ‭rations run out, Pi eats anything he can get his hands on. He even attempts to eat‬
‭then tosses the rest of the turtle to Richard Parker, who consumes it quickly. Pi knows‬ ‭Richard Parker's feces. Pi's feet and ankles swell, and his body deteriorates.‬
‭he must show Richard Parker who's boss. Pi needs consistent access to the locker and‬
‭the top of the tarpaulin, which are in Richard Parker's territory. He decides to carve out‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 78‬
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‭his own territory.‬ ‭Pi describes the "many skies" and "many seas" of the Pacific Ocean. The winds, nights,‬
‭and moons also offer diversity and change. But as a castaway he's trapped in a‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 71‬
P ‭"harrowing ballet of circles" and caught between unpleasant extremes—light and dark,‬
‭Pi shares the steps he takes to establish his authority over Richard Parker in the form of‬ ‭heat and cold, rain and drought, boredom and terror. Life at sea is less a life than a‬
‭advice to anyone who's in his predicament. On a calm day at sea, he rouses Richard‬ ‭high-stakes game. Despite the constant despair, small things like a dead fish can make‬
‭Parker and provokes an intrusion into Pi's territory. Once Richard Parker encroaches on‬ ‭Pi happy.‬
‭Pi's area, Pi blows the whistle and trips the sea anchor (his lifeboat). Richard Parker‬
‭begins to associate a border intrusion with seasickness. Eventually, Pi can control him‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 79‬
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‭with only the whistle.‬ ‭Pi sees sharks daily and becomes fond of them, even catching a few to eat. The first‬
‭shark on the boat fights with Richard Parker until the tiger kills the shark. Pi can't get‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 72‬
P ‭much meat from the large animal and catches smaller sharks in the future.‬
‭To protect himself from Richard Parker during training, Pi makes a shield from a turtle‬
‭shell. Richard Parker knocks Pi into the water during his first four attempts. The fifth‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 80‬
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‭attempt is successful. Pi knows Richard Parker doesn't want to attack him—animals‬ ‭Although Pi caught many dorados, he remembers one in particular that flopped onto the‬
‭avoid violence if they can.‬ ‭boat. Starving, Pi prepares to eat it. But Richard Parker is also starving and moves to‬
‭attack Pi. Though Pi knows Richard Parker is close enough to kill him easily, he stares‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 73‬
P ‭into the tiger's eyes and holds the gaze for as long as possible. Finally Richard Parker‬
‭Pi wishes for a book at sea—"a never-ending story." When he's rescued, he'll be deeply‬ ‭retreats. Pi has established his dominance permanently. He rewards Richard Parker with‬
‭moved by the Gideon Bible in his hotel room. He will write to the Gideons and tell them‬ ‭a few pieces of fish.‬
‭to expand their reach and include sacred texts from other religions. On the lifeboat Pi‬
‭keeps a diary. He compresses time in his diary; "several days, several weeks, all on one‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 81‬
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‭page."‬ ‭Pi knows his survival is hard to believe. He survives in part because he's the source of‬
‭food and water for a weak Richard Parker.‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 74‬
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‭At sea Pi adapts Hindu, Christian, and Muslim rituals to his unusual circumstances.‬ ‭ art 2, Chapter 82‬
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‭Though the rituals comfort him, he finds it difficult to love in his despair. Pi reminds‬ ‭Pi diligently maintains his solar stills. During rain he fills every bucket available. Despite‬
‭himself everything around him belongs to God, and he and Richard Parker have a place‬ ‭his work he and Richard Parker barely have enough drinking water. Water is their most‬
‭in creation. He's grateful even his darkest moments of despair pass.‬ ‭pressing need constantly. Even food is secondary. Richard Parker eats more than Pi‬
‭does, and Pi is dismayed to find himself eating like an animal, as quickly as possible and‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 75‬
P ‭without discernment.‬
‭Pi sings "Happy Birthday" to his mother on what he believes to be her birthday‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 76‬
P ‭ art 2, Chapter 83‬
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‭Pi cleans up after Richard Parker. When the tiger tries to hide his feces, Pi can tell the‬ ‭One cloudy afternoon the sea swells rise to heights Pi has never seen before. The sea‬
‭animal is nervous around him. Pi takes Richard Parker's feces in his hand and blows the‬ ‭anchors barely keep the lifeboat afloat. Soaked, Pi takes cover. The boat dips up and‬
‭whistle as an act of authority and "psychological bullying."‬ ‭down until Pi has nearly drowned. After the storm Pi assesses the damage. The raft is‬
‭gone. He's lost all the whistles but one, which is crucial to his survival.‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 84‬
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‭One day Pi sees a whale close to the lifeboat. He continues to observe whales,‬
‭dolphins, and a handful of seafaring birds with awe. "None of the birds ever announced‬
‭land," he thinks.‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 85‬
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‭In a downpour, lightning strikes near the boat. Pi is astounded at the closeness of the‬
‭lightning, which makes the sky turn white. He's nearly hit. The lightning "thrust me into a‬
‭state of exalted wonder." He praises the gods he worships.‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 86‬
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‭Pi sees a ship, a large oil tanker, approaching. He cries out to Richard Parker, "We're‬
‭saved!" Pi begins to imagine Canada and his waiting family. Then he realizes the ship is‬
‭bearing down on him and will pass without seeing or hearing him. After the ship leaves‬
‭Pi tells Richard Parker he loves him and he'll never give up getting them to land and‬
‭safety‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 87‬
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‭When he wants to escape, Pi wets a rag with sea water and drapes it over his face. He‬
‭calls the rag his "dream rag" because the oxygen restriction it provides gives him‬
‭visions, trances, and memories. Pi passes time quickly this way.‬
‭ art 2, Chapter 88‬
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‭The lifeboat runs into some trash, and Pi looks through it for something he can use. He‬
‭finds an empty wine bottle, and the scent from an abandoned refrigerator disgusts him.‬
‭Pi writes a message in the bottle explaining his circumstances. He tosses the bottle into‬
‭the sea.‬

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