Lesson 5: Life of Pi, Part I-Toronto and Pondicherry

Pondicherry Zoo (Image: http://cgiguangzhou.gov.in)

Richard Parker (Image: YouTube)

Lesson 5: Life of Pi, Part I-Toronto and Pondicherry



In Lesson 4, you learned about Yann Martel and read the Author's Note and Chapters 1-14 of Part I-Toronto and Pondicherry. In the first half of Part I, the fictional author is interviewing Pi Patel in Toronto, Canada. Pi Patel is now a married man, who lives happily with his wife and two children. He is retelling the story of his life in India to the fictional author. Up to this point in the novel, the focus of Pi's story has been on Pondicherry Zoo, the zoo his parents owned in India. He has spent quite a bit of time discussing the habits of the various animals, how they carve out their own territory, and the terrifying lesson his father taught him and his brother, Ravi, about the dangers of tigers. 

In this second half of Part I, Pi Patel tells the fictional author how he came to believe in God. He explains that he was born a Hindu, but then later became both a Christian and a Muslim. As you will learn, Pi is very devout in his religious practices. However, he rejects any religious beliefs that he thinks lead to strife and violence; instead, he believes that the heart of any true religion must be a love for God. Although his favorite teacher, Mr. Kumar, is an atheist, he rejects atheism as a belief system. He believes that atheists refuse to take the leap of faith that is required to believe in God. 

Not long after his religious experiences, Pi's father decides to move to Canada. He is tired of the unrest in the India of the 1970s and sells off many of the zoo animals, making arrangements for the entire family to transport the animals on a Japanese cargo ship, the Tsimtsum. Pi's adventures and sufferings begin in the next section of the book, Part Two--The Pacific Ocean.

Pi meets the priest (Image: mediamorals.wordpress.com)

Pi and the fictional writer (Image: pbs.org)

Lesson 5: Guiding Questions

As you read the second half of Part I-Toronto and Pondicherry, I want you to consider the following guiding questions that relate back to two of our unit objectives: to identify the characteristics of postmodernist literature, and to identify and discuss the themes in the readings of this unit.

1. Questioning values: One of the characteristics of postmodernism is that it questions everything: religion, truth, ideals, values, and morals. Although Pi embraces three different religions, he also questions certain values of each religion. However, one thing that is notably different in Life of Pi from most postmodernist literature is that it does not altogether reject religion. On the contrary, remember that the story of Pi Patel is told to the fictional author at the very beginning by Pi's uncle, Mr. Adirubasamy. He tells the fictional author, "I will tell you a story that will make you believe in God." Martel returns to this again and again throughout the story. As you read Life of Pi, ask yourself if Life of Pi succeeds in this goal--to tell readers a story that will make them believe in God.
2. Themes: This bold statement by Pi's uncle connects with one of the key themes from this unit's objectives--how can we prove whether faith still has value and whether or not some kind of truth exists?

Lesson 5: Readings and Instructions

Today you will finish reading Part I: Toronto and Pondicherry, Chapters 15-36. 

Lesson 5: Assignment-Reading Journal #1

Today you are to submit a reading journal over the readings we have done this week:

1. "The Tyger" and "The Lamb" by William Blake
2. "The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank Stockton
3. Life of Pi: Author's Note and Part I--Toronto and Pondicherry (Chapters 1-36)

Your reading journal should include the following:

1. What evidence of the characteristics and literary techniques postmodernism do you see in the readings so far? You must cite the text in your journal.
2. What evidence of the themes from this unit do you see in the readings? Again, you must cite the text in your journal.
3. Any questions you might have about the readings.

Your reading journal should be a minimum of one page but no more than two pages, double-spaced, in MLA format. Each reading journal is worth 20 points. You must type it up as Microsoft Word document and e-mail it to me at my e-mail address:  mmatheny60@gmail.com.