Life of Pi_Outsider Essay

8/4/2019 Life of Pi_Outsider Essay

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How does the writer, Yann Martel position the audience to view Pi as the outsider?

Life of Pi is an allegorical novel which focuses on the issues of identities and the unknown areas of human

life, with the protagonist being unable to determine his faith, culture or even the recount of a pivotal moment in his

life. Since Albert Camus The Outsider novel, there has been a long standing cultural feat which has evolved through

ideals of existentialism as the purpose of living only to exist. This ideal has been passed through into Yann Martels

Life of Pi, as Pi has a productive experience expressed throughout the three sequential parts in this novel. The main

character in the novel, Piscine Molitor Patel challenges his beliefs in long standing traditions within the Pondicherry

society and culture that he has belonged to since birth. Through this uncertainty, the responder takes upon thisnovel as a feat of excellence as Pi stays alive despite being stuck on a raft with a Bengal tiger for over 220 days after

the shipwreck in which his family all died which correlates his alienation.

Religion has become a key component to humans especially in modern context, whereby there are so many

different conventions about the origin of the world that one has to take an immediate stance within their belief. In

Pis situation, there are rebounding factors which influence his absurd religious adventures; familys long tradition of 

being Indian, community being Christian based and the resurgence of the Muslim faith within thecommunity. His

belief in the three largest faiths in the world establishes the platform on which he questions the certainty of the

origins and creators of this world through the different perceptions of each religion; Islam, Christianity and

Hinduism. Although he questions all aspects of these religions as they conflict each ones interests, amazingly he

practises them all with depth and concentration. (GIVE EXAMPLES/QUOTES THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL WHERERELIGION IDENTIFIES HIS ISOLATION). Although his spiritual personality sustains his irregular behaviour he is

ostracised from society because of the environment in which he was brought up.

Since birth, Pi was addressed to isolation because of his older brother, Ravi whom was subject to all of their

parents attention due to his greater sporting ability and general popularity within their local school. This upbringing

had a flow on effect; with no record of Pi having a school friend or anybody which he associated himself with other

than those in the Church, Mandhir or Mosque. (GIVE EXAMPLES/QUOTES OF PI TALKING TO SOME RELIGIOUS

FIGURE/RAVI/PARENTS). Majority of the novel is set within the timeframe of the seven months that Pi spends on the

raft with Richard Parker, their relationship and eventual bonding is the critical turning point of this novel.

Whereas the alienation is apparent in Pis adventures on the raft with Richard Parker, with the settingportraying the conflict between himself and the array of complicated animal portrayal. This adventure takes place

over seven months with a recount being taken every several days; this established the repetitive nature of his

complicated exploration throughout his productive experience. However, their experience ascertains the

metaphorical distance between Richard Parker and Pi which essentially gives way to their feeling of belonging and

connection. (GIVE EXAMPLES/QUOTES OF RP AND PI, CREATING ISOLATION BETWEEN THEM)

Ostracism was a general procedure implemented in the Athenian democracy to serve as a punishment for

general breakouts. Pis relentless adventure allows for the responder to envision his state of loneliness and isolation,

whereby there is an increasing impact on his social, economic, religious and political beliefs. This state of loneliness

emulates his adverse and disorientated religious standing with belief in the three major religions of the worlds. In

addition, the alienation is further emphasised through his upbringing and environment with his elder brother, Ravibeing a successful athlete and seen as an idol in his school. This took on top of his absurd personality and resulted in

him having no friends or closely associated people in his life, other than the religious leaders in Pondicherry. The raft

was the symbol for Richard Parker and Pis relationship to flourish as the time spent were stepping blocks for their

bonding and inseparable friendship. Although this novel conveys different emotions and the responder could have

interpreted the characters in a different fashion, there is a consistency of Pi being portrayed as the outsider through

Yann Martels three part novel.