The Life of Pi (Chapters 7 – 20) Summary and Analysis

Chapter Summary: Pi’s Teacher Pi’s Pondicherry narrative His favorite teacher, Mr. Satish Kumar (an atheist communist with whom Pi feels a deep kinship) Atheists = simply people of a different faith, with strong beliefs It is agnostics, full of doubt and uncertainty and devoid of faith, whom Pi cannot stomach.

Chapter Summary: The Pondicherry Zoo Pi’s father having fed a live goat to a caged tiger in front of Pi and his brother, Ravi Purpose: show them about the danger posed by wild animals. Irony:, the most dangerous animal of all is man (according to a sign in the zoo) Flight distance — the minimum distance at which an animal will tolerate a potential predator or enemy

Chapter Summary: The Pondicherry Zoo Keys to the smooth running of a zoo: Getting animals used to the presence of humans Creating a good enclosure Providing food and water Knowing each animal well. Taken care of in this way, zoo animals rarely if ever run back to the wild. On the exceptional occasions when they do, it is usually because someone or something has invaded their territory and frightened them away

Chapter Summary: The Pondicherry Zoo Territoriality: Animals are fiercely defensive of their particular area They also respect the territory of other creatures, (That’s why lion tamers enter the cage first, establishing their dominance before the lions are brought in) Why do socially inferior animals—omega animals—tend to be the most obedient, loyal, and faithful to their masters? They have the most to gain from a good relationship with an alpha creature.

Chapter Summary: Religion Diversity Religion diversity of Pi: Hindu, Christian, and Islamic paintings, statues, devotional articles, photographs, clothes, and books in Pi’s house He keeps the Bible on his nightstand Born into Hinduism (becoming involved in its rites and rituals as an infant: constant hunger for Prasad, a Hindu offering to God, and the way his hands automatically move into prayer position)

Chapter Summary: Religion Diversity Hindu philosophy of life, which Pi embraces: “That which sustains the universe beyond thought and language, and that which is at the core of us and struggles for expression, is the same thing.”

Chapter Summary: Religion Diversity Coming across a church when Pi was 14 Father Martin told him the story of Christ on the cross, which Pi found very strange. When asked to hear another story, Father Martin responded that Christianity has only one story (Crux: love) Pi decided to become a Christian Father Martin told him he already was

Chapter Summary: Religion Diversity Pi became a Muslim at 15 Pi met a Muslim baker and mystic, a second Mr. Satish Kumar Pi watched him praying and returned later to ask the baker about his religion Baker: Islam is about the Beloved Pi began to pray with Mr. Kumar and to visit a local mosque.

Analysis: Pi’s Religious Faith A section about religious rites and rituals Many examples of pious routine: from Christian church-going to Muslim prayer and chanting Objects that lend comfort to the faithful on a daily basis: Paintings of religious figures (Christ on the cross or of Lord Ganesha) Devotional articles (Sticks of incense and a copper spoon)

Analysis : Pi’s Religious Faith Central message: religion is a method humans have developed of making their lives more pleasurable, more meaningful, and more understandable. There is more to faith than ritual Without something bigger and more significant, a religious custom is a hollow act Miracles of Jesus Christ: minor magic, on the order of card tricks Muslim prayer: “hot-weather yoga for the Bedouins.”

Analysis : Pi’s Religious Faith Gained a true understanding of and appreciation for the heart and soul of each religious faith Once he embraces the essence of each religion, he embraces their rituals with enthusiasm as well.

Analysis: Intersection of zoology and religion Pi studies both subjects at college Chapters on zoology are interspersed throughout Part One with chapters on religion and philosophy Multiple references to the ways in which zoos are like religion — both are in people’s bad graces these days, because of prevailing notions about freedom. People sometimes resist what they perceive as constraints on their liberty.

Analysis: Intersection of zoology and religion Religion (with its many dictates and rules): Intrusions on personal freedoms. Pi’s defense on religion: the very definition of freedom What life would be like without religion: Life inside the walls, as it were, is cozy and comfortable, and people prefer not to leave; life outside is bleak by comparison.

Analysis: Ferocity of Tigers and Territoriality of Animals Pi’s father allows a tiger to attack a goat in front of his two sons Never get too close to the tiger cage Message: Wild animals, even if they’ve been domesticated and trained, are still wild animals at heart. Their intrinsic nature is deep-seated and always ready to boil up to the surface

Analysis: The tiger-and-goat chapter The dramatic violence of the killing Leads naturally to Pi’s declaration on his religious belief Christianity: great violence Islam: even greater violence

Analysis: The tiger-and-goat chapter Connection: the feral acts of wild creatures VS the sadistic brutality that humans have inflicted upon other humans for centuries, often because of religious conflicts Puzzle: certain religious tenets that seem to go against the foundation of love E.g. God’s decree that Christ be punished for man’s sins