Life Of Pi Rhetorical Analysis
Olivia Miano
Prof. Blanco-Cerda
English 1302
16 December 2010
The Quest for the Meaning of Life Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, is an inspirational story of a young boy fighting for his life as a castaway with the company of a Bengal tiger. Through his religious beliefs and perseverance he is able to survive, but with great difficulty. In an allegorical sense, this story is brilliant. Pi recreates his story using animals to metaphorically represent the humans who were in his treacherous, archetypal journey because it appeals to everyone more than the frank and straightforward story. Attraction to this allegory proves the deeper point that life is meaningless without believing in the beauty and art of the quest at hand. Pi’s quest begins …show more content…
This is where the beautiful allegory comes into play. On a surface level, Richard Parker is dangerous because of the simple fact he is a huge 450-pound tiger. He can physically harm Pi “limb to limb, organ by organ” (158) with his massive teeth and claws. On a deeper level, Richard Parker is metaphorically Pi himself. Martel allegorically comments on humanity and life here say that you are your biggest tempter. You must believe in yourself in order to pursue on in life’s journeys or else you have no reason to keep moving forward. Perhaps this is why Pi created the animal story. After telling the Japanese men the two stories, Pi asks them which story they preferred. They both answered “the story with the animals” (317). Why? The story with the animals is more pleasant and meaningful. It is easier to take in than the awful and blunt nonfictional story. Although on both literal and metaphorical senses Pi makes the archetypal decision to survive, in the story with the animals it is as if Pi has more of a purpose of living because of Richard Parker. He rationalizes that in order to survive he must tame Richard Parker so he will not eat Pi. In an allegorical sense, Pi has to tame himself to no eat away at this physical and emotional mind or else he will die. This gives him life in a sense. In one scene Pi and Richard Parker find themselves in a very intense storm. Pi describes the lightning they see and how “that close encounter with electrocution and third-degree burns as one of the few times during his (sic.) ordeal when he felt genuine happiness” (233). The reason he feels happiness is because the lightning represents life. It is as if a breathe of fresh air is overcoming him through lightning, and its beautiful. It gives him hope and inspiration. Through Richard Parker and “breathes of life” like the lightning Pi finally finds things worth living for which, through the help of God, keeps him
Prof. Blanco-Cerda
English 1302
16 December 2010
The Quest for the Meaning of Life Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, is an inspirational story of a young boy fighting for his life as a castaway with the company of a Bengal tiger. Through his religious beliefs and perseverance he is able to survive, but with great difficulty. In an allegorical sense, this story is brilliant. Pi recreates his story using animals to metaphorically represent the humans who were in his treacherous, archetypal journey because it appeals to everyone more than the frank and straightforward story. Attraction to this allegory proves the deeper point that life is meaningless without believing in the beauty and art of the quest at hand. Pi’s quest begins …show more content…
This is where the beautiful allegory comes into play. On a surface level, Richard Parker is dangerous because of the simple fact he is a huge 450-pound tiger. He can physically harm Pi “limb to limb, organ by organ” (158) with his massive teeth and claws. On a deeper level, Richard Parker is metaphorically Pi himself. Martel allegorically comments on humanity and life here say that you are your biggest tempter. You must believe in yourself in order to pursue on in life’s journeys or else you have no reason to keep moving forward. Perhaps this is why Pi created the animal story. After telling the Japanese men the two stories, Pi asks them which story they preferred. They both answered “the story with the animals” (317). Why? The story with the animals is more pleasant and meaningful. It is easier to take in than the awful and blunt nonfictional story. Although on both literal and metaphorical senses Pi makes the archetypal decision to survive, in the story with the animals it is as if Pi has more of a purpose of living because of Richard Parker. He rationalizes that in order to survive he must tame Richard Parker so he will not eat Pi. In an allegorical sense, Pi has to tame himself to no eat away at this physical and emotional mind or else he will die. This gives him life in a sense. In one scene Pi and Richard Parker find themselves in a very intense storm. Pi describes the lightning they see and how “that close encounter with electrocution and third-degree burns as one of the few times during his (sic.) ordeal when he felt genuine happiness” (233). The reason he feels happiness is because the lightning represents life. It is as if a breathe of fresh air is overcoming him through lightning, and its beautiful. It gives him hope and inspiration. Through Richard Parker and “breathes of life” like the lightning Pi finally finds things worth living for which, through the help of God, keeps him