Truth In Life Of Pi, By Yann Martel

Story telling is a tradition that has been passed down through generations. From person to person, the story has changed due to their own perception of it, however the stories still hold their truth despite the changes because of the lessons they teach and their overall messages. Sitting around the table at visits to relatives houses, memories are made as granparents share windy stories to be remembered and passed down to the next generation of grandkids. In countless history classes, stories are told of great leaders, origins and tragic events, because of their immense lessons, despite being alterted inumerable times since it was first shared. In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the “story-truth” or the animal story, is more significant
The lesson of survival taught in this story is summed up in a quote by Martel that reads, “You may be astonished that in such a short period of time I could go from weeping over the muffled killing of a flying fish to gleefully bludgeoning to death a dorado… It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even killing”(Martel 185). The lessons taught throughout the novel are conveyed to readers in more effective way due to the “story-truth” aspects, specifically the animals that accompany Pi. The behavior of Pi and the animals could be thought of as almost symbolic in how the primitive, survival instincts in them are representations of the primitive, survival insticts in Pi that are brought out throught his journey. Another lesson taught in this story is one of faith and religion, which can be described in the quote, “ Despair was a heavy blackness that let no light in or out… God would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving”(Martel 209). The lessons of faith and religion are shared with the readers in this story in a better way as they witness Pi going through his hardships yet holding on to his religion and will to live. Facing the journey alone with only a Bengal tiger as company would have called for an immense faith in God and his love, teaching readers the idea
Martel writes, “ He pushed me to go on living. I hated him for it, yet at the same time I was grateful. I am grateful. It’s the plain truth: without Richard Parker, I wouldn’t be alive today to tell you my story”(Martel 164). In the animal story, the symolism in the relationship between Richard Parker and Pi is something that can’t be replaced in the human adaptation of the story. As a tiger, Richard Parker represents the primal side of Pi that progessivly emerges in his behavior throughout the novel in a way that is more alluring than the human account of the story. Touching a point made in the last quote, the symbolism of Richard Parker and Pi can be seen in quote that reads, “I still cannot understand how he could abandon me so unceremoniously, without any sort of goodbye, without looking back even once. That pain is like an axe that chops at my heart”(Martel 6). The retreat of Richard Parker in the animal story is better because it symbolises the departure of Pi’s primal side in the blunt way that it left him as a character. Like Richard Parker did, his need to survive left him without looking back, the moment the lifeboat hit land. Richard Parkers effect in Pi can been read in the quote that reads, “‘I love you!’ The words burst out pure and unfettered, infinite. The