life of pi test author's note - ch. 14

What did Pi's father say was the most dangerous animal in the zoo?

"animalus anthropomorphicus", the animal as seen through human eyes

Summarize the narrator's arguments (plural) about zoo animals?

1. In the wild, there are animals being hunted and limited food, 2. "Would you rather be put up at the Ritz with free room service and unlimited access to a doctor or be homeless without a soul to care for you"

Who was Pi's favorite teacher?

Mr. Kumar

Do you agree or disagree with his view on animals? What are the strengths of his arguments? What are their weaknesses?

[answer personally]

Is this different from what you might think or have been taught to think about atheists?

[personal answer]

What was the narrator named after?

a swimming pool

Who irritates Pi? Why?

agnostics; they don't take the leap of faith

What details or clues are there at the end of this chapter that the narrator has suffered?

he does not react well to someone saying he was "fresh off the boat" when he was eating food with his hands messily

Why does Pi's teacher have a negative view of religion?

he had polio. he said that God didn't save him but instead medicine

What does the author mean when he calls his life a memento mori painting from European art? What does "memento mori" mean? Why is the memento mori genre important or meaningful?

he is saying that he has the reminder of death constantly; latin for "remember you must die"; it is to show life is precious and won't last forever

How did Pi's father teach him about the danger posed by tigers?

he shows him a tiger eating a goat alive

What does he mean when he says, "To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation"? What do you think about this comparison?

it's saying doubt doesn't get you anywhere in life; [personal answer]

Why did he write a thesis about the sloth? What kind of people does he compare sloths to?

its calm demeanor; upside-down yogis deep in meditation or hermits deep in prayer

The narrator likens the "nonsense" he's heard about religion to the "nonsense" he's heard about zoos. What do you think he might mean by drawing such a parallel?

just like humans know more about animals and how to take care of them, God knows more than us and how to care for us. people often stray from God because they feel that "strictures" of religion don't allow them to be free. however, God knows true "freedom" is harmful to us

What is "atheism"?

lack of belief in a God, gods, or religion

What is the most dangerous animal in the zoo, according to Pi? Why? Is there any truth to this statement?

man; they do things like give animals things they shouldn't and harm them for entertainment or stupidity; yes

With what name does the narrator rechristen himself?

pi

What do you think Pi means when he says, "The obsession with putting ourselves at the centre of everything is the bane not only of theologians but also of zoologists"?

selfishness affects everyone. it puts us in the way of our salvation as well as harms others, including animals which is what pi is referring to

What is a Sikh?

someone who follows Sikhism, a religion in India

What do you think the author means by the following, spoken at the end of his author's note just after the author expresses his gratitude for the Canada Council for the Arts: "If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams."

supporting artists are essential to maintain art, originality, and imagination. without supporting the supplication of that, we are left with the bleak real world

What misconception about the life of zoo animals does the narrator correct?

that animals are happy because they are "free"; that animals in protected environments aren't happy because they are "trapped"

What do you think Pi means when he says, "I felt a kinship with him [Mr. Kumar]. It was my first clue that atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them-and then they leap."

that choosing to not believe in something still requires faith

What is Pi's teacher's opinion of religion?

that religion is darkness

What does the Indian man whom the author meets claim about his extraordinary story?

that the story will make him believe in God

Who was Isaac Luria? And what is Kabbalism?

the father of kabbalism; mysticism in relation to jewish tradition

Who was Muhammed? How does Pi liken himself to Muhammed?

the founder of Islam. pi feels persecuted like Muhammed was

How do his classmates imitate him?

the name themselves after greek letters

How do people make fun of the narrator's name?

they called him pissing

Why did the author, Yann Martel, go to India?

to be inspired to write

What was his father's job?

zookeeper

What were the narrator's majors in college?

zoology and religious studies