Life Of Pi Symbolism Essay

The cross is a commonly used symbol of Christ’s sacrifice for all of humanity’s sins. Christians use this symbol to connect Christ's suffering to their own lives. Similar symbolism to this is evident in Life of Pi. The symbolism in the book is often used when discussing zoos and animals. Yann Martel connects that to religion and real people throughout the novel. Because of Yann Martel’s use of symbolism throughout the book, it encourages the readers to make connections between Pi’s view of relative truth and the reader's own version of truth.
Life of Pi is a novel that tells the story of a young Indian boy who survives a shipwreck on the way to Canada. The novel starts out with giving background on Pi’s zoo upbringing and his acceptance of
The orangutan is replaced with his mother, the zebra with a hurt Chinese sailor, and the hyena becomes the ship's cook. Richard Parker is represented as Pi. The new story follows the same format as the other one, with Pi killing the cook, since the cook killed his mother and the Chinese sailor. The symbolism is evident when Pi says, “‘So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can’t prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animal or the story without animals? Yes. The story with animals is the better story.' Pi Patel: 'Thank you. And so it goes with God.'" (317) Martel is trying to show that, just like the Japanese men can choose which story they prefer, the readers can choose which truth of religion they prefer. But, that does not mean that truth is all the same for all people. He is trying to say that each person must choose their own truth and, if they believe it, then it is true to