If "Life of Pi" doesn't, as the Mr. Adirubasamy says, "make you believe in God,(VIII)" it will certainly open your mind into seeing the power of imagination. Pi's two tales are both exciting and thought-provoking, but it is when they are told together that readers are forced to analyze each situation and see the relationship they have with our lives. By including the second story with the humans in his novel, Yann Martel opens the gate to free interpretation and with Pi's imagination, lets us use ours as well. When Pi asks "which is the better story,(352)" readers are presented with many options. We can imagine Pi's journey as a metaphor for life, and choosing forces us to think of a deeper meaning to each story. Choosing one story as the better story over the more believable story plays with the idea of God's existence. Deciding even to not choose at all is a choice in itself.
English: Canadian Booker prize-winning author Yann...
English: Yann Martel Canadian author, writer of Ma...
Life of PiThe many choices presented to us with the addition of another story allow readers to open their minds and broaden their horizons.
Everyday we have to choose from things, be it what to eat for breakfast or which University to attend; they are all important and tell us something about ourselves. In "Life of Pi", the two stories, when told together can be related to so many things in our own worlds. Each story can be thought of as a metaphor for something else; science and religion, reality and fantasy, logic and art. Not only are we forced to think of the deeper meaning these stories may have, we also learn about ourselves from the story we choose. Choosing the believable story with the humans may indicate that you like facts and are more reasonable. Choosing the animal story...