Life of Pi – Essay Questions
• You must complete 3 written reactions (short essays) to the following statements shown below, each a minimum of 314+ words. Only one can be from Section One. The other two must be from Section 2
• Additionally, you must include quotes from Life of Pi to support your statements.
• You must also include the views of one expert (religious, scientific, mathematical, historical, or other kind of expert) to support your statement
SECTION ONE – Choose 1 question from the following 6 questions:
1. We can see a lot of ourselves within animals.
2. Wanting to survive comes naturally to any organism.
3. Mankind is the cruelest of all beasts, because when we hurt other people, we realize they are being hurt; when cats play with and eat mice, the cat has no idea that the mouse is in pain. This makes people the least respectable of all species (concept from Mark Twain’s The Damned Human Race).
4. Seeing traumatic events will never leave your psyche.
5. It is wrong to want to be alone.
6. Your heart and mind have to work together to fully sustain your being.
SECTION TWO – you must pick two of these essay choices:
1. Religion is of utmost importance to Pi. Discuss the role of religion in his life and how it helps him survive his ordeal.
2. Naming and names are significant in this novel—Pi's own name is elaborately explained, and Richard Parker gets his name through a clerical error. How is naming relevant to the novel's main themes?
3. In light of the fact that this is a novel about imagination, why does Martel begin with the Author's Note, which gives the impression that Pi's account is truth, not fiction?
4. The two Japanese officials who interview Pi don't believe that he really landed on a man-eating island. When they say that carnivorous trees and fish-eating algae do not exist, Pi responds, “Only because you've never seen them.” What does this exchange say about human understanding of what is real and possible?
5. Why does Pi give two accounts of his ordeal? Which is the true story, and which one would you rather believe?
6. Pi talks about fear and that "it is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life." Expound upon his thoughts and tell how "fear can defeat life."
7. How does Pi's view of life change from daytime to night time?
8. Pi thinks his main priority is to tame Richard Parker and have him obey. What things in your life have you had to "tame" or fix so that they agreed or obey with how you feel?
9. How does Pi describe the running of the zoo? How are the animals treated?
10. Pi thinks his main priority is to tame Richard Parker and have him obey. What things in your life have you had to "tame" or fix so that they agreed or obey with how you feel?
11. Describe the emotions and the scene Pi experiences when his father teaches the lesson they (Pi and his brother) are never to forget. Have you ever experienced something like this in your own life?
12. The three leaders of Pi's practiced religions do not show any tolerance to each other. Is there a lack of religious tolerance in the world today? What do you think the reason is for the lack of religious tolerance in our world?
13. Why do you think that Pi never tells the writer about his wife, kids, and dog?
14. Why do you think the writer would say at the end of the chapter "This story has a happy ending."? What do you think he is referring to?
15. By eliminating all other life on the boat except for Pi and Richard Parker, how has Yann Martel made this book more dramatic and exciting in depth?
16. Pi believes that there is a reason why the sailors threw him overboard. What is this reason and what does it say about mankind?
17. Why do you think Pi wanted Orange Juice to join him on the lifeboat?
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8 comments:
on section #2 questions 8 and 10 are the same?
Essay Number 1:
Seeing traumatic events will never leave your psyche.
Several people carry their own Traumatic experiences throughout their lives. Most of which result in Phobias, for example someone throws a snake at you when you don’t expect it and from that day on you have a lifetime fear of snakes. There were quite a few traumatic memories that never left Pi’s mind which have resulted into fears.
Starting with the elementary kids at his school calling Pi names like Pissing Patel (chapter5, page 20). This incident made him create his own nickname in private school so he wouldn’t have to fear that this new school would call him Pissing too. Then there was the time his father took his family to the zoo to show them how dangerous the animals are (chapter 8, page 34). Now this event was more important in the plot of the second book since when pi realized he was trying to help a tiger get into his life boat and then realizing that this beast can kill him; he then tried to kick him off which didn’t work. Considering that this story was written after Pi has grown up; then I believe that these experiences never left him throughout his life.
Even the famous Psychologist Freud believes that our traumatic events and childhood experience are never forgotten but sometimes trapped in the mind and can be unlocked from our unconscious. As Freud’s research on Catatonic women in the Victorian era, show how traumatic events have affected them to the point where they can’t function. His research can prove why ever of the stories he told the Japanese officer can be the truth or a Lie by him rationalizing the both stories. The first story was the one with the animals and how the hyena ate the orangutan and the zebra and the tiger ended up eating the hyena. The second story was the one supposed to be more believable with the people in the place of the animals.
Essay Number 2:
3. In light of the fact that this is a novel about imagination, why does Martel begin with the Author's Note, which gives the impression that Pi's account is truth, not fiction?
In the Author’s note, Yann Martel talks about how his first book he published was not a success. Then he goes on to talk about how he needed to go to India because it is one of his favorite places in the world. He then goes to a coffee shop there and meets a man who tell him about the Zoo that used to be in the botanical garden and about a story about a kid. The man also tells Yann this story will make him believe in god. Then his author’s note ends like any normal one does with the Thanking of the people who helped him make giving the story a more real feeling.
The author made his author’s not to give the impression that Pi story is true to give it an addition front door opening for his tale about Pi Patel. I feel this helped the story draw you in better since it gave the appearance that is was real even in the moments where it was really hard to believe like how long Pi lasted on a boat with a tiger. I still find really hard to believe. Also still find the idea of fish eating algae a little out there too and finding a random stranger who is also in a life boat in the pacific ocean while you are blind a little farfetched too.
The expert on why people use a front door opening would have to be Mr. Bennett and Mr. Rogan who like to tell us for our creative writing 121 pieces that this method is very affective in making your paper interesting and give you high scores on the RCC rubric. That lesson had been pounded into my head with pictures of stuffy professor types with patches on their sleeves as the smoke their pipe and read poetry and Mr. Bennett had so eloquently put it in the past.
Essay Number 3:
12. The three leaders of Pi's practiced religions do not show any tolerance to each other. Is there a lack of religious tolerance in the world today? What do you think the reason is for the lack of religious tolerance in our world?
In Chapter 23 you see the holy war in Pi’s decision to worship three different religions. It becomes quite evident that neither of these holy men are excepting of Pi participating in the other religions when the priest starts calling the Hindu a “calf lover” or when the imam call the priest a “flunkies of a foreign god. Then the Pandit talks about how he believes “the reason that Islams are so bad is that Muslims are uncivilized” In today’s world this seems like an all too common event but when you see the leader of your religion doing this it takes this to a whole new level.
There is a lack of religious tolerance in our world because religion is the one topic that everyone can feel strongly about even atheists. Even in the past election the opposing party tried to claim that Barrak Obama was Muslim because his middle name was Hussein. This was a sad attempt in trying to hurt our now president in the polls but I wouldn’t doubt that others believed the rumors which is why Obama had to have a Christian priest a part of political team (which if I remember correctly did not work out so well).
Expert on the true hatred of Christian and American would have to go to Osama Bin Laden. Considering he is the one sending terrorist out to kill us and everything. I believe that he is like a modern day Adolf Hitler with the way he tries to kill off random innocent Caucasians in order to invoke terror on the world. Osama’s action then gives the impression that all Muslims are like these Radical Muslims. This creates a very negative stereotype for the Muslim community. I believe it is a shame that no one can be tolerant of others religions but then again if we all could be tolerant of one another we would probably have world Peace right now.
Haha I was the first to get the homework done. You under achievers take that. You Trekies:P
Oh and Rogan I would really apreciate a cheese pizza. Just thought you would like to know.
He never told us to post the essays so how do you know Kyle, Dylan, or I didn't finish first?
i guessed cause they never do
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