Works Cited
http://richardlewer.com/img/cms/artworks/custom_of_the_sea/thumbs/custom_of_the_sea_thumb.jpg (Customs of the Sea)
http://www.film.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/pi-250.jpg (Richard Parker)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Pym-penguin.jpg (Grampus Picture)
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/newsadvance.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/9a/59a32884-86a5-11e2-8cc8-0019bb30f31a/5137b673d8c22.image.jpg (Yann Martel)
Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
The author’s purpose was to relate toclassic literature. This was one of the many allusions Yann Martel included in Life of Pi. A lot of the ideas in this story weren’t original. In fact, a spin off of classic ideas and the ideas in Pi are spin offs of classic themes.
This is a novel by poet/ author Edgar Allan Poe. He is a famous poet who wrote Gothic stories such as "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee". Life of Pi has references to Poe's novel, Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. For example, there was a sailor on the Grampus- a ship in the story, who's name was Richard Parker. He was a dominant figure in the book for a while and made a lot of contributions to the ship such as how to get food and other survival techniques.
Similarities
It's obvious that Yann Martel was inspired by this novel to use Life of Pi. One similarity is that in both stories, there is a shipwreck caused by a storm. Also there is a main character named Richard Parker in both stories. Another concept is cannibalism or the consumption of other crew members on the ship. This is a concept know as "Customs of the Sea."
Customs of the Sea
These are a set of customs practiced by the crews of ships. A well known custom is the act of cannibalism. In the Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, there are four survivors left floating on the flotsam from the Grampus. Dirk Peters, Pym, Augustus, and Richard Parker are low on provisions. Richard Parker comes up with the idea of drawing straws and using the person with the smallest straw for food. He ends up with the unlucky hand.
One thing that I attribute to the drawing of straws is the animal hierarchy with Richard Parker, Orange Juice, the zebra, and the hyena. Richard Parker was the one who decided to draw the straws in the first place, being the dominant figure until his death in the Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. Richard Parker was also the dominant figure until Pi stepped up and decided to take control of the ship. I think that Yann Martel did this on purpose to show that Richard Parker was a main figures of authority until his downfall.
Life of Pi Allusions
Dakota Douglas