“Life of Pi” by Yann Martel
winner of the Man Booker Prize
Summary: Ostensibly, this book follows the miraculous survival of a shipwrecked zookeeper’s son—Pi Patel—who shares a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an orangutan and a zebra. In the end, only Pi and the tiger remain, managing to survive for 227 days at sea. Yet, from beneath the book’s magical and engaging story, philosophical questions arise. Where is the line between life and story? Is all life, being subjective, actually story? What is truth and can it be perceived? Martel’s novel leaves readers with a mystery at the end, providing an adventure story but also leaving thought-provoking questions.
?:“I read ‘Life of Pi’ [early] at the age of 12. It opened my eyes to religion, philosophy, and self-acceptance. Yann Martel [encouraged] me to open up to curiosity, not necessarily to question what I have been taught, but to find my own answers to questions. I have found that, from reading this book, I am better able to relate to people of other faiths. Although this is not a religious book, it easily teaches tolerance. ‘Life of Pi’ also teaches self-reliance and, more importantly, [it teaches] inner strength.“
Martel uses beautiful symbolism to show every reader new ways to interpret and accept life around us. I recommend this book to everyone, and I especially encourage [this book to] anyone who may feel they are living life by the day while losing sight of the big picture.”
