Many authors attempt the feat of creating a novel that blurs the lines of reality and fantasy but few achieve it. Writer Martel perfectly executes this feat in his novel The life of Pi. To convey this world to the readers along with its nature, Martel uses Dualism, realism, anthropomorphism, and Zoomorphism. By using these devises he is able to relay this fantastical world in a real light that leaves the reader questioning where does reality end and the fantasy begin. Martel uses the Dualism of the religions or rather religious syncretism to set up the story and implant the idea of what “reader perceives” is the truth. By doing so it implies that the world around pi on his journey and the island are a “perceived truth”, one that the reader
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In the introduction to the story Martel has Pi recount all the animals in the zoo and how human like they are.Martel writes "DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE MOST DANGERIOUS ANIMAL IN THE ZOO? an arrow pointed to a curtain and behind was a mirror."(Martel 31) to introduce then anthropomorphism into the novel stating that humans are the most dangerious animals.This quote can be taken a multitue of ways, one saying humans are animals which is true in the sense we evolved and are still a species of animal. The other stating that we as humans are dangerious due to are activites that are animalistic such as littering in a zoo or messing with the animals in turn causing chaos. The animals are happy with food, shelter and stability just as any human would be. They also get frightened by change or a disturbance, again, the same can be said for humans. By doing this Martel is giving the reader a reason or ground to relate to the animals Pi will meet on his adventure such as Richard Parker. With that connection the reader is able to understand the emotions a dying, wounded zebra may feel and get the imagery of it yelping in pain and whimpering. The ability to connect the animals to humans opens an understanding that adds on to the world by creating a realistic connection. A connection that allows the imagery to flow and create a mental image in the reader’s head of what is happening in the story. On the same notion it also allows the reader to see how a person survivng will dehumanize themselfs to a more primal state. Such is the case for Pi when he if faced with the elements. As the reader learns at the end about the other story it becomes known that Pi suffers from psychological projection. He protect himself againt his unconscious impulses or qualities by creating "Richard Parker", A wild, carnivious tiger that will do anything to survive. This
In the introduction to the story Martel has Pi recount all the animals in the zoo and how human like they are.Martel writes "DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE MOST DANGERIOUS ANIMAL IN THE ZOO? an arrow pointed to a curtain and behind was a mirror."(Martel 31) to introduce then anthropomorphism into the novel stating that humans are the most dangerious animals.This quote can be taken a multitue of ways, one saying humans are animals which is true in the sense we evolved and are still a species of animal. The other stating that we as humans are dangerious due to are activites that are animalistic such as littering in a zoo or messing with the animals in turn causing chaos. The animals are happy with food, shelter and stability just as any human would be. They also get frightened by change or a disturbance, again, the same can be said for humans. By doing this Martel is giving the reader a reason or ground to relate to the animals Pi will meet on his adventure such as Richard Parker. With that connection the reader is able to understand the emotions a dying, wounded zebra may feel and get the imagery of it yelping in pain and whimpering. The ability to connect the animals to humans opens an understanding that adds on to the world by creating a realistic connection. A connection that allows the imagery to flow and create a mental image in the reader’s head of what is happening in the story. On the same notion it also allows the reader to see how a person survivng will dehumanize themselfs to a more primal state. Such is the case for Pi when he if faced with the elements. As the reader learns at the end about the other story it becomes known that Pi suffers from psychological projection. He protect himself againt his unconscious impulses or qualities by creating "Richard Parker", A wild, carnivious tiger that will do anything to survive. This