Life Of Pi Chapter 37

Essential

Questions

From the questions we can see that religion has and will continue to play a big role in Pi's life. Martel puts subtle clues in the text for us to think about religion. These clues show what he thinks about religion and what he relates it to.

Pi's religion in this chapter will relate to the rest of the book. By saying that he is praying to the gods, he reveals that he really is into and wants to be apart of his religions. This shows that Pi uses his religion in times of danger and at fatal times.

In conclusion, we can see how religion plays a vital role in the book. Pi will use religion to help him throughout the rest of the book. We can also see how Yann Martel uses clues in the text to talk about religion and other things.

Tension

The tension that is created after the wreck and in the life boat creates the scene for the rest of the book. Pi will be in this life boat with a tiger for what we believe will be most of the rest of book. Although Pi is amazed at what has happened he will have to cope with what he has. Again, we believe the rest of the book will force Pi to use something to get him through this journey that he has just started.

Central

Insightful

Assertion

Literal Statements

Literal Statements

These statements show what happens in the chapter. The statement, "Pi cares for the animals" shows what Pi's family does and what he will have to do with the tiger further on in the book.

Interpretive

Statement

From all of this we can make a few assumptions

on why Yann Martel describes this scene the way he

does; the extreme compassion for animals and the love he feels for all living things. This makes it easy to predict how Pi will react (like sharing his rations

with Richard Parker possibly?)

Pi jumped out of the lifeboat when he realized that he had helped a tiger get onto his boat.

Pi cares for animals

Interpretive

Statement

"But I had never experienced such intense pain,

such a gripping of the heart, such an ache of the heart."

At this point when Pi believes that Richard Parker will not make it and drown, he is overcome with sorrow. Yann Martel is using this all as another way to show us Pis' compassionate nature, even when in the face of danger. However this also shows that he is naive, who would want a tiger on their lifeboat? His late realization of this tells me his compassion overcomes his reason. Could this be a metaphor for the argument of religion versus science? (Emotion versus reason)

photo (cc) Malte Sörensen @ flickr

Tension

Life of Pi Chapter 37

There is a desperate tension in Chapter 37 that starts out as Pi being emotionally in ruins from the ship sinking. This turns to desperation for company and the familar as he sees Richard Parker, the tiger, in the water, and invites him aboard his lifeboat. Pi soon realizes that what he is doing is madness by coaxing a tiger onto his boat, his desperation is now for his own life as he tries to push the tiger away and eventually jumps off of the boat.

By Zach Haynes, Chris Stainbrook, Miranda Reetz and Tyler Saurber

What role does Pi's religion play in this part of the book?

Essential

Questions

The whistle noise relates to religion. Martel puts the noise three times in a row to represent the three religions that Pi claims he belongs to. Adding on, the number 3 comes up a lot (Father, Son and Holy Spirit for example). The whistle is also something that is used in danger like religion is sometimes. Lastly, the noise is "TREEEEEE" to symbolize how religion is like a tree. Just one central idea can lead to many different beliefs or branches.

Why would Yann Martel put the whistle noise as "TREEEEEE, TREEEEEE, TREEEEEE,"? How does this relate to Pi's life and what he believes in?

After the wreck, Pi keeps on praying to the three gods of the religions he claims to belong to. Pi will fall back on his religion to save him in hard times and to save him after this tragedy.