In the Life of Pi, Yann Martel orchestrates two stories that actively pursue the same storyline, but use two different methods of telling the reader: anthropomorphism versus verisimilitude. Pi Patel’s subconscious mind and outlook on life allows a fantastic novel to be created thoroughly around his character and the deceitful world around him. Martel actively uses Pi in not only a dangerous physical setting, but also a psychological setting that is set up to test Pi’s ultimate character as he comes of age in this tale of treacherous survival on the open ocean. Martel applies anthropomorphism, along with dualism of truths and syncretism, to thrust Pi and the reader into an evolutionary battle of survival of the fittest.
Pi Patel creates an alternative, …show more content…
The subconscious mind is full of magnificent imagination for everything that we encounter or keenly chase in our lives. Pi’s subconscious is no different, but his religious views show his tolerance and openness. Furthermore, Pi’s syncretism of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity allow his thoughts to be patient, whereas others would be narrow-minded. The reader sees Pi’s attitude on life that he has gained through syncretizing these religions as Pi says that there is “no greatness without goodness” (Martel 87). Pi never sees an issue with his syncretism, which is a feat, seeing as many could never triumph above the prejudice looks that you may get by blending religions that others do not see as being “one language of unity” (Martel 62). Pi sees each religion as needing the other to survive, similar to how Richard Parker is needed to be released from Pi for Pi to survive. His subconscious mind shows this dynamically as he cannot accept the story about human savagery, but he imagines a cleaner and more understandable story with animals doing animalistic actions, so that the pain of Pi’s actions that were necessary to survive would not be seen so harshly by his conscious mind. Many who are tolerant and creative share the imaginative subconscious, which is not a bad mechanism to possess. Richard Parker comes from that subconscious mind, as all the other animals do, but due to the way Richard Parker enters the lifeboat, out of the water, the reader knows, by the end of the novel, that Richard Parker is a figment of Pi’s imagination and is really a part of Pi’s own self. This allows the reader to understand that Pi had this dark side (Richard Parker) as everyone does, but due to his religious views, it is harder for him to accept his savagery that came from the want to survive while in the
Pi Patel creates an alternative, …show more content…
The subconscious mind is full of magnificent imagination for everything that we encounter or keenly chase in our lives. Pi’s subconscious is no different, but his religious views show his tolerance and openness. Furthermore, Pi’s syncretism of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity allow his thoughts to be patient, whereas others would be narrow-minded. The reader sees Pi’s attitude on life that he has gained through syncretizing these religions as Pi says that there is “no greatness without goodness” (Martel 87). Pi never sees an issue with his syncretism, which is a feat, seeing as many could never triumph above the prejudice looks that you may get by blending religions that others do not see as being “one language of unity” (Martel 62). Pi sees each religion as needing the other to survive, similar to how Richard Parker is needed to be released from Pi for Pi to survive. His subconscious mind shows this dynamically as he cannot accept the story about human savagery, but he imagines a cleaner and more understandable story with animals doing animalistic actions, so that the pain of Pi’s actions that were necessary to survive would not be seen so harshly by his conscious mind. Many who are tolerant and creative share the imaginative subconscious, which is not a bad mechanism to possess. Richard Parker comes from that subconscious mind, as all the other animals do, but due to the way Richard Parker enters the lifeboat, out of the water, the reader knows, by the end of the novel, that Richard Parker is a figment of Pi’s imagination and is really a part of Pi’s own self. This allows the reader to understand that Pi had this dark side (Richard Parker) as everyone does, but due to his religious views, it is harder for him to accept his savagery that came from the want to survive while in the