Life Of Pi Allegory Essay

The author’s use of allegory throughout the novel is highly developed and effective. An allegory is a representation of a complex idea through more concrete forms. Martel’s novel is a perfect example of this; the use of one story to represent another in a more believable way. However, in the novel, the reader is not told which story is the truth; they must decide that for themselves. Through this choice themes such as ‘reality versus fiction’ can be identified. Many people would argue that the allegory is conveyed through the use of anthropomorphism; nevertheless this essay will be arguing that the allegory is established through the use of personification. Personification is the representation of a thing or abstraction in the form of a person,
The use of humans instead of animals presents a more plausible view of Pi’s story. Pi has lived in a zoo his whole life; through his eyes, their actions are entirely expected. Alternatively, the reader may have no knowledge of wild animals. Using people to represent animals surpasses this problem; they are a familiar figure that they encounter daily. The theme of ‘reality versus fiction’ is highlighted here; when given the choice, many people will readily accept the story involving humans as truth, despite the boundaries of human nature being tested within it, because the verisimilitude of the original story is ruined, as they cannot relate to characters that they don’t understand. The use of allegory allows the reader to connect with the characters and expand their knowledge of the book.

Archetypal patterns are used throughout the novel in a refined, versatile manner. The monomyth is an archetypal pattern more commonly known as “The Hero’s Journey”, which presents character categories that appear in many stories throughout history. The primary character within “The Hero’s Journey” is the Hero. This character is