Life of Pi by Yann Martel is an adventure fiction novel that tells a story about survival, spirituality, and religion. Piscine, also known as Pi, Molitor Patel who spends 227 days in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, having to go against his religion to survive.
The novel begins with Pi’s early life in India where his parents owned a zoo. His parents decide to emigrate to Canada on a Japanese cargo ship which sinks during a storm, leaving Pi, the Bengal tiger, and other animals as the survivors. As the days pass, the Bengal tiger eats the other animals and Pi tries to survive using a survival manual and the supplies he found on the raft. In order to eat food, Pi needs to eat fish, even though he is a vegetarian, leaving Pi troubled at the beginning. Eventually, the raft reaches Mexico where Richard Parker leaves and Pi gets rescued.
Pi’s unusual and uncommon circumstances makes the novel an interesting read from start to finish, while demonstrating the power of one’s will to survive and how perceptions of reality can be drastically different. The novel being told from Pi’s point of view makes Pi relatable, while also adding captivating details about the novel.
Overall, Yann Martel masterfully weaved together a unique novel making me ponder about profound questions about life, leaving a lasting impression.