English II Life of Pi chp 1&2

The author included this chapter for the readers to see what Mr. Patel looks like physically so that we can have that picture in our minds as we read the rest of the story.

Chapter 2 is very short. Why do you think the author included this chapter? What is hinted at in this chapter?

I do not believe everything the author is saying in the authors notes. Most of the things he is saying could very possibly be true, but since he is so big on fiction, he may be twisting up some of his words to sound more interesting to the reader. I think he is somewhat reliable.

Do you believe everything the narrator says in the "authors notes"? How reliable do you think he is? why?

a person who studies a form of mystical judism

Kabbalist

Something traumatic happened to him so now he is relying on science and doctors instead of God and religious things.

Near the end of this chapter, the story makes an abrupt change. We started the chapter with the narrator talking about his love of animals and his personal beliefs about God. At the end of the chapter, however, he begins talking about doctors, nurses, and his medical health. What do you think the author is trying to convey here?

We can determine that Mr. Patel is calm and gentle. We can also tell he is knowledgeable about animals and is very religious.

What can we determine about Mr. Patel from his tone?

We can infer that the narrator is a very spur of the moment guy, and he has been through some sort of medical trauma. He knows a lot about animals and is very religious. He came from India.

What can we infer about the narrator so far?

Mr Patel says that he would like to visit Mecca, Varanasi, Jerusalem, and Paris.

What cities does Mr. Patel say he would like to visit?

When the waiter accuses Mr. Patel of being fresh off the boat, he turns very pale. He picked up his utensils out of shame, shaking because he was embarrassed.

What happens when the waiter accuses Mr. Patel of being "fresh off the boat"?

The most significant thing the author hears about the story is that it will make him believe in God.

What is most significant about the story that the author hears?

The authors only preparation for his trip to India was that Indians use words such as bamboozle that they would not normally say in Canada.

What was the authors one preparation for his trip to India?

Mr. Patel's two majors in college were religious studies and zoology. He compared people who analyze religion but don't actually believe in it to a sloth because they are confused and hesitant. He also said sloths remind him of God.

What were Mr. Patel's two majors in college? What connection does he make between the two?

Mr. Adirubasamy was the first to tell the author about Mr. Patel's story.

Who first tells the author about Mr. Patel's story?

He went to India to write another book. He felt defeated because his book did not excel in Canada.

Why did the author go to India?

He mailed his manuscript to a fake address in Siberia so no one would actually get it because he felt it was worthless.

Why does the author mail his manuscript for the book about Portugal to a made-up address in Siberia?

sharpness

acuity

people who do not believe it is possible to know whether god exists.

agnostics

turned pale

blanched

a model of the origin or creation of the universe

cosmogony

a central point

crux

drew out or evoked

elicited

disaster

fiasco

defying reason

illogical

laziness

indolence

arousing curiosity; fascinating

intriguing

vaguely

obscurely

suppliers or sellers of something

purveyors

rest

repose

insignificant

trifling

Yann Martel is the first speaker in the book. He seems to be a spur of the moment type of person. I can tell this because he just ups and goes to India without planning ahead of time.

who is the first speaker in the book? what kind of person does he seem to be? How can you tell?

The person in chapter 1 chose to study the sloth because it's calm, quiet, and introspective demeanour soothed their shattered self. We can see that Mr. Patel has been through some sort of trauma.

why did the person speaking in chapter 1 choose to study the sloth? taking with the information we got in the authors notes, what might you summarize about this person?