Life Of Pi

What does Pi say is "the worst pair of opposites" for someone stranded at sea?

Boredom and terror.

How does Pi finally gain the mastery over Richard Parker that he has desired?

He blew his whistle and was able to make him seasick.

When staring at the hyena, what terms does Pi begin to use when speaking of himself? Why is this significant? What might it foreshadow?

He calls himself the "super alpha" to show that he thinks he has the power over the hyena. This foreshadows that he might gain control later in the novel.

With what significant imagery and symbolism does Pi describe the arrival of Orange Juice, the Orangutan? How does he continue to describe the orangutan herself?

He describes her in a loving light and is happy to see her. He claims that she is a mother of two boys.

Why does Martel employ so much hyperbole in Pi's description of the water and the rations in the locker?

He has been dying for water and this is the point where he finally finds it. He is overcome with emotions and joy.

What is the significance of Richard Parker's encounter with the shark?

He is injured. He makes mistakes and has weaknesses too.

What turns Pi's outlook around just as he is at the depth of his sorrow?

He realizes that it was a miracle that he had survived this far. He prays and vows to God that he would put in the hard work to stay alive.

Given what Pi tells the author about fear, why is he telling the author his story?

He says that in order to defeat fear and not let it engulf you, you must conquer it.

What does Pi say made him a Hindu?

He says that the rich sensory details of Hinduism made him love the religion from the start. But he is also a Hindu in his religious philosophy.

What is significant about the details the fictional author chooses to reveal about Mr. Patel?

He's a unique character and is a gentle man who is not afraid. No small talk and launches forth.

What is suggested by the author's comment about fiction being "the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence"?

He's saying he will pick out the good parts and transform them into his own reality.

What is the point of Pi's tale of Krishna and the milkmaids?

He's saying that we cannot be selfish with God and realize that we share him.

What does Pi mean when he says, "The obsession with putting ourselves at the centre of everything is the bane not only of theologists but also of zoologists"?

Humans tend to try to understand animals and God through their eyes. Humans tend to think they can be above God and animals but they are not.

What is the significance of the meeting of the two Mr. Kumars?

It helps Pi make sense of his own struggle with multiple beliefs. He can believe in both science and religion

Why is Pi so moved by the Gideon Bible he once found in a Canadian hotel room?

It is a great way to spread the religion without any peer pressure or bad churches. It is a powerful but gentle

Why is the animal with the "lowest social standing" also the easiest to train?

It is compliant and does what the trainer wants.

What is the point of the episode Pi relates about the ravenous tiger and the goat? Why has Martel placed this episode in the same chapter with the discussion of anthropomorphism? What might this episode foreshadow?

It shows how nature is cruel and how the tiger is a vicious animal. He uses anthropomorphism to show that animals and humans are not the same, although this might foreshadow an incident in the future where this might not be true.

What theme does Pi's story about the man finding the banana and feeling better suggest?

It's showing that he is truly going insane, dreaming about food to help the Frenchmen and shows that human survival is important.

What does Pi like most about Christianity? How does he compare it to his own Hinduism?

Jesus was able to die on the cross which is very moral and human-like. He can relate to it. Hinduism was less strict and the gods were powerful beings.

According to Father Martin, what is the key to the entire Christian story?

Love

What does the author's description of Patel's kitchen suggest?

Owns lots of spices, branches out, he's familiar with the unknown, stocked up on food, vegetarian

Why hadn't Pi noticed the abundance of life in the ocean before? What does he say is the best way to experience wildlife?

Pi had been too focused on survival that he hadn't been paying attention. The best way to experience wildlife is in silence and peace.

What is significant, in terms of Pi coming of age, about the fact that he decides no longer to dwell on being rescued? How might the survival manual symbolize this?

Pi is now maturing and relying on the facts of the survival guide. He knows he actually has to do something instead of relying on hopes.

What were Mr. Patel's two majors in college? What connection does he make between the two? How do they foreshadow what is likely to come later in the novel?

Religious studies and zoology. He said his fellow religious studies students reminded him of the three toed sloths because they were agnostics. This foreshadows that the combination of God, animals and fate will come into play later.

Why does Pi and Richard Parker's parting bother Pi so much?

Richard Parker went into the jungle without looking back and acknowledging Pi. There was no formal good-bye.

What does Pi's wife do for a living?

She's a pharmacist.

What does Pi mean when he says that "certain illusions about freedom plague" both zoos and religion?

Some say religion will not let you be free, but religion actually opens up many doors to possibilities of freedom.

If we accept the Richard Parker story as an allegorical account of the factual, literal story, what do each of the characters in the allegory represent?

The Chinese sailor is the Zebra, the Orangutan is his mother, the Hyena is the cook and Richard Parker is the animal part of Pi.

What is ironic about the Muslim baker's name? What is Martel suggesting by naming him this?

The Muslim baker and Pi's old biology teacher are both named Mr. Kumar. They both had different perspectives on religion.

What happens to the flies?

The flies are eaten by the hyena, swept away by the wind and die about two days later from their arrival.

Why is it fortunate for Pi that the hyena is in the lifeboat?

The sailors had tossed him in the lifeboat to use him as bait for the hyena. It had saved him.

What happened to the leopard that escaped from a zoo in Zurich in the 1930s, and what does the story illustrate?

The town went crazy and set up traps. It ended up being found in a barn and then shot. This shows that animals are not some kind of wild seeking creatures. They just want to fit into their surroundings.

What clue do we have that Pi's account of the episode with the blind Frenchman might not be precisely factual?

There is no way that another blind man on a lifeboat could seemingly find Pi in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean.

What first impresses Pi about Islam?

They pray wherever they are and it is an interesting process. To Pi, Muslim prayer is "quick, necessary, [and] physical..."

What might the origin of Patel's name foreshadow?

Water/swimming might be involved.

Why is an understanding of animals' flight distance important to a zookeeper?

When the flight distance is minimized, the animal will be emotionally stable, stress-free, healthy, behave socially and without a fuss, and most importantly, reproduce.

Why, according to Pi, did he weep over having to kill the flying fish, yet he killed the dorado triumphantly? What is significant about Pi's second explanation?

With the flying fish, that was the first thing he killed and he now had blood on his hands. It accidentally landed on his boat. With the dorado, he had hunter's pride and earned his killing. This is significant because he says a person can get used to anything, even killing.