Life of Pi Book Analysis

A reader has been programmed to believe, interpret, and disagree. The Life of Pi forces the reader to use those skills. Yann Martel created an ending that sparked a debate because he wanted to prove that it’s in our human nature to embrace our opinions and stick to what we believe. Sticking to what you believe can make you forget about the truth, Martel never released which ending was true which means nothing is clear, and everything is left to be done by those engaged.

Being an engaged reader allows you to empathize and feel the emotion portrayed. In the text, Pi showed desperateness and helplessness. “Oh look - he’s crying” (Martel 317) When talking to the reporters, he stopped caring about what was true, he just wanted his voice to be heard. The reporters bought exactly what Pi sold, because, like Pi, they did not care about the truth. “The world isn’t just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn’t that make life a story?”  (Martel 305)  The story was left to be interpreted and the truth was not handed out.  Interpreting the truth also has to do with the reader's character. Believing story 2 over story 1 means you can’t find the innocence or weakness in people, you don’t think humanity is good. The ones who believe story 1 over story 2 are trusting and gullible, they sympathize with the victim. But is there a wrong or right choice?

“The story with the animals is the better story. Thank you and so it goes with God.”  (Martel 317)  Martel created a story that brought together believers of science and believers of religion and connected them with trauma. Having a religious belief almost forces you to find story 1 true. If you believe in the prophets and the writings of your holy book, then it feels almost necessary to believe the story that makes you trust.  The science believers will agree with the story that sounds the most plausible, which in this case would be story 2. But no matter right or wrong, defending your opinion is what people have been known to do forever, which means there will never be one story that everyone agrees on. 

The factor of uncertainty lay in the hands of Martel. He ensured confusion would spread and the truth would appear faded. None of it would be clear, which means there is no correct story. Each story has aspects of truth in them but they were both told imperfectly to make people choose. Most people will follow the leader and do what they say, but people reading the Life of Pi, the readers got to make a choice for themselves that ultimately was based on their personality.  “Which story do you prefer? Which is the better story?” (Martel 317) Regardless of how the reader feels and the fact that Pi was fictional, it was still his life and he was the one trapped. “Life on a lifeboat isn’t much of a life.” (Martel 310) 

Life comes with challenges and choices but if you stay true to who you are, you won’t have to survive, you’ll get to live. When you're at your lowest, it’s hard to get people to hear you, understand you, or accept you. Pi gave the reporters options because he at his lowest wasn’t wanted. “The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar.” ( Martel 227)  Give yourself options, make a fork in the road and make your own future.