Life Of Pi Figurative Language Essay

Life of Pi by Yann Martel is an incredible novel about the will to survive, the importance of storytelling and religious belief. The novel travels back in time to chronicle the journey of a teenaged, Indian boy named Piscine (Pi) Patel, as he embarks on an involuntary venture across the Pacific ocean. Struggling to survive, Pi must use his own knowledge to remain alive and sane, while sharing a small life raft with a fearsome 450 lbs Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Joseph Pulitzer once said, “Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it, and above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.” The novel “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel exemplifies three of the
In addition, the author also uses figurative language in his description of Richard Parker: “The result was a face that looked like the wings of a butterfly and bore an expression vaguely old and Chinese” (107). Specifically, the author utilizes similes to compare the tiger’s face to the wings of a butterfly due to the patterns of fur which are present on Richard Parker’s face. Following the simile, he then states that his natural facial expression appears old and Chinese. The author’s use of similes describe a resemblance which can be used by the reader to better understand Richard Parker’s physical appearance. Furthermore, one of the most significant settings of the novel is aboard a small life raft which Pi, along with Richard Parker, must share for the entirety of their journey drifting across the Pacific Ocean. It is crucial for the author to provide a vivid and comprehensible description of this raft to ensure the reader can fully understand the reality of their tight living quarters. By doing so, the reader has the ability to put himself/herself into Pi’s perspective to have a better sense of his predicament and why he must take action to establish territory against Richard Parker. The author vividly describes the