My sister Jean had given Life of Pi
I actually shed tears about that zebra. I sat reading the book and tears started rolling down my face. So dammit, the book works. It works without seeming like it’s TRYING to work. It is the opposite of sentimental. It just tells its story. And yet … there’s a sense to it … that … maybe this is a fabrication? And does it matter? There’s this whole thing about what is “the better story” – he introduces that thought early on … and it comes back like gangbusters at the end.
I prefer to believe “the better story” – and I guess I always have. I create narratives out of my own life. I assign roles. I look at some disaster train-wreck that has occurred in my life and eventually … it is turned into a story. You can read some of them on this here blog. This is how I get through life. Or one of the ways. This is how I try to survive, or manage, or … make sense of the things that happen. I’m not a realist. I am very PRACTICAL – sometimes TOO practical – but I am not a realist. I am always looking for “the better story”.
You can choose a story that will empower you. Or you can choose a story that will weaken you.
It’s up to you.
I’m not sure if Yann Martel meant for me to have such thoughts as I read this tale – especially the end of it .. but that’s what came up. The role of STORY in life. And NARRATIVE. And how we navigate events. How do we re-tell the stories of our lives to ourselves? What words do we use?
I have a lot more thoughts about it – and – notably, it really made me re-think my position on zoos – and I thought that was one of my rock-hard positions – I don’t have too many, but I thought that was one of them – and Pi Patel talks about zoos in such a way that it made me think: Huh. Need to look at this opinion of mine again. A miracle! Jean and I were talking about that on the phone on Tuesday when I started to read the book and I said, “I may have to re-think zoos!” Jean said, “I know!! Me too!”
It’s a quick read – another one that I could not put down. I read it on the treadmill, and on the bus. It’s fast (unlike The Historian).
And I love the writing. I love the whole God aspect of it. It’s presented with no sanctimony, no preaching. It is a description of this character’s journey, and how he sees God, and how he came to be a practicing Christian, Hindu AND Muslim. His parents are like, ‘Uhm … it’s great that you want to know God … but you have to CHOOSE ONE.” Meanwhile, his parents are totally secular. They don’t get it at all. But Pi doesn’t choose. To him, it’s all about praising God, and about love. It’s all about love.
Heart crack.
Those animals. Richard Parker.
I love that animal. I love his descriptions of its behavior. I love the whole psychology of it – wild animals and man … alpha males …
And then the whole survivor castaway aspect of the story … It has a lot to say about sheer grit, and determination. I found myself utterly wrapped up in this tale … horrified at certain parts of it – the storm, the zebra (couldn’t believe I actually cried for the zebra, but I did) – horrified at just the THOUGHT of floating in a raft (with a Bengal tiger) for 227 days. Oh – and that freakin’ algae island he comes upon near the end … Now THAT was something out of a nightmare. Horrifying. Just horrifying.
I need to pick out some excerpts to post. Some of it was so deep and meaningful to me it seemed to speak directly into some of the experiences I am having right now in my life. It was one of those things when – reading along – with tears in my eyes – I thought, “This is exactly what I need to be reading at this moment.” Hang on. Hang on. It is not the strongest who survive. It is those who are most attached to life. The sections where Pi realizes his own ferocity in terms of hanging on to life – even though he is barely alive – and huddled in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – terrified – but life. Life is all we have. Some people surrender it. Pi will not.
And Richard Parker.
Who knew. Who knew that a Bengal tiger could seem so … know-able. I felt like I knew him. He was not anthropomorphized – that was one of the best parts of this book – Richard Parker was not a cuddly creature who happened to be a tiger – he was not described as though his emotions were like human emotions. No. He was a freakin’ tiger, on a raft in the Pacific. But still … animals experience things such as fear, or uncertainty, or relaxation. They know when things are wrong. They also fight for their lives. They fight to live. Richard Parker is one of the most in-depth characters I have met in a book in a long time.
I loved it. So so glad I read it.
Oh, Sheila! I’d been hoping you’d read this soon! ACK! This book. Okay. I checked it out from some book service online that I joined last year. I was supposed to send it back at some point or they’d charge me for it. Guess who owns Life of Pi now??
I couldn’t send it back.
And Richard Parker. He IS so real. I loved the whole thing where Pi talks about Richard Parker saving him. Oh, there’s so much to discuss! The detail he gets into about life on that little boat — the smell of Richard Parker, his eyes, his mannerisms. I zipped through this book, too, but its effect on me doesn’t feel like I zipped through it, you know?
The whole “better story” idea …. oh, man … that is huge to me.
And when they finally landed in Mexico, my heart just broke when Richard Parker didn’t look back. I was so invested. I didn’t want him to leave. Come back, Richard Parker …
I’m so glad you loved this book. I did, too!
And — I’m totally babbling here about this book — then the whole twist at the end. For me, well, I guess I’m gullible or something, because I didn’t see that coming. I never considered even the possibility of “another story.” I was completely caught off guard. And then the Japanese interrogators — the way they interact with him and then with each other:
“It wasn’t that funny.”
“Just keep laughing,” etc. I loved how the whole alternate story was revealed at the end … even though I prefer the “better story,” I loved how Martel did that, how he constructed this whole other, mind-blowing THING. Totally riveting. Sorry, still rambling. I need to go to bed!
Yeah – him not looking back … God. He’s an animal. He does not get attached. Buh-bye. But how devastating.
And his mannerisms were SO clear – I felt like i could SEE him, smell him. Like the one moment – can’t remember the catalyst – but something unexpected happens (is it the flying fish?? Or the dorado??) – and Richard Parker throws Pi a look – an uncertain “what the heck” look … but more than that, he’s looking at Pi as the alpha – as the one in charge, he’s looking at him like, “Uhm, what should we do?” And in that moment, Pi realizes that he has survived BECAUSE of Richard Parker – and Pi starts shouting, “I love you, Richard Pakrer!”
sniffle ….
AMAZING story.
And I totally did not see the twist at the end … even though he set it up, kind of, with the whole “better story” theme. The “better story” thing is huge for me, too.
tracey, if you’re gullible, I am too (and also red I guess).
I prefer the story with animals.
It’s a very complex book. I read it two and a half years ago and I’m still thinking about it, still trying to figure out exactly what it’s saying to me.
I’m also reminded (about the two stories) of the old saying that “either everything is a miracle or nothing is.”
Why is it everytime I hear about The Life of Pi, I keep thinking:
3.141592653589793238462643382795028841971693993510
(Unfortunately, the above is off the top of my head… just think what I could have done in my life if I hadn’t spent the time to memorize that piece of useless garbage.)
Ha! Well done. (Of course I’m assuming that’s right. But I know that it is).
And obviously Pi is part of the story. He chooses that name because his own name is unpronouncable by so many in India. He decides to call himself Pi.
The thematic implications are obvious.
ricki –
I know – I have a feeling the book will stay with me for a very long time.
I love tigers anyway … so it was doubly cool to “get to know” Richard Parker so well. So cool.
And like the guy said to Yann Martel at the very beginning of the book (when you think it’s all going to be non-fiction): “This is a story that will make you believe in God.”
Perhaps that was part of what was going on. What is the “better story”? Do you choose to see a world with God in it or no God?
Again, it’s up to you. (I mean “you” in a general sense. “You” the audience, the reader.)
And tracey – I loved those arguing Chinese interrogators too – so funny.
“Uhm, you’re not helping.”
“My apologies.”
Etc.
Sheila, I read that book two years ago and it still haunts me.
I was completely SHOCKED by the ending. I didn’t see it coming and I kept telling myself that I’d read the book again to catch any clues but it’s just so emotionally exhausting that I haven’t had the nerve to do it again.
I’m SOOOO glad you read it and posted about it!
I totally didn’t see it coming either. It’s kind of amazing to pull that off – it really is.
Another reason why I was so gripped by this book is that I couldn’t help but ask myself: How would I do in this situation? How would I fare?? What am I REALLY made of? You know? I think that was a lot of the original appeal of a show like Survivor. If you don’t have to fight for survival .. then it becomes a question. How would I do? Would I crumble? Would I give up?
I loved his happiness when he pulled in all the little salt-water filter things and saw the clear water he had created. I loved his anxiousness about those contraptions – I totally shared his anxiety. What if something happened to them???
Also – I LOVED the observation that you have to slow down in order to see how much life is going on in the ocean. An amazing image: looking down and seeing the “freeways” of fish beneath the waves.
Oh, and the the hallucinatory dream rags … his escape .. please, may I have a hallucinatory dream rag …
Loved it.
Totally shocked with the end. A bit dissapointed since I was rooting for Pi and knew him and Richard PArker so well and here the whole foundation was being broken down. The interrogation bit drove me crazy – it was like knowing my own fate, just couldn’t bear knowing and same not knowing. Agree, almost wanted to go through the whole book again for clues! Questions at the end made me feel a little less stupid – considering I thought I just didn’t get it. How could Yann leave us this way especially since we went through this journey with him.
Richard Parker turning away was sad. Animals do have attachments and do have feelings, so the abrupt walk away from Pi was wrong.
The writing was impeccable, the meaning behind the words was profound, yet the words so simple. Must read- must have. Closure would have been nice. But igniting the spark of thought is now welcome too – after venting a bit anyways!