- Key in (type) the selection you found interesting into the comment section.
- Read everyone's comments from the first posting of Finding What Interests You.
- Comment on each person's writing
- Once everyone has keyed in their selection they found interesting - make a brief comment on what you thought of that selection.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Part 2 - Chapters 1 - 45 - Finding what interests you
Each of you picked a selection you found interesting. Now I would like you to do the following:
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15 comments:
The chapter I chose was chapter 23. Within this chapter the section I thought was the most interesting was when the religious figures were brought down on Pi. This is a small section of the chapter where they begin their argument.
"'There is no mistake,' said the priest. ‘I know this boy. He is Piscine Molitor Patel and he's a Christian.’
‘I know him too, and I tell you he's a Muslim,' asserted the imam.
‘Nonsense!’ cried the pandit. ‘Piscine was born a Hindu, lives a Hindu and will die a Hindu!’
The three wise men stared at each other, breathless and disbelieving.
Lord, avert their eyes from me, I whispered in my soul.
All eyes fell upon me.
‘Piscine, can this be true?’ asked the imam earnestly.
‘Hindus and Christians are idolaters. They have many gods.’
‘And Muslims have many wives,’ responded the pandit.
The priest looked askance at both of them. ‘Piscine,’ he nearly whispered, ‘there is salvation only in Jesus’
Balderdash! Christians know nothing about religion,’ said the pandit.
‘They strayed long ago from God’s path,’ said the imam.
‘Where’s God in your religion?’ snapped the priest. ‘You don’t have a single miracle to show for it. What kind of religion is that, without miracles?’
‘It isn’t a circus with dead people jumping out of tombs all the time, that’s what! We Muslims stick to the essential miracle of exist-ence. Birds flying, rain falling, crops growing—these are miracles enough for us……’
I thought this section was very interesting because of the way Yann Martel goes about comparing each religion.
I found Dylan's section on the relationship between Pi, Orange Juice, and the Hyena to be interesting. He did a great job of taking facts from the writing. One thing I would like to know is what Dylan thinks of this situation that Pi is in.
With the Hyena not eating Orange Juice, it may be caused by each animal not knowing what the other is capable of doing or what each other are. Like if you came across an animal you knew nothing about, would you kill it or watch it trying to figure out what it is before you make a move? I think that as this story progesses things will get interesting.
This comment is on Shannon's section from the Finding what interests you post. I had also chosen that section of the book. I wrote that I feel there's a deeper meaning behind the holy men's arguement. What meaning do you think the arguement could have?
My final post for Friday. Kyle has chosen an iteresting section of the book. I don't even know how to put my thoughts into words...
While reading the section I never would have come up with the comparing the animals at the zoo to the entire world. Kyle did a great job of finding a meaning in the text. I can see what he is talking about.
The chapter that I chose was chapter 4. In this section Pi compares the difference that takes place between animals in wild and animals in captivity. Here is a small section.
In zoos, as in nature, the best times to visit are sunrise and sunset. I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as God and Religion. Well-meaning but misinformed people think that animals in the wild are "happy" because they are "free". These people usually have a large, handsome predator in mind, a lion or a cheetah. They imagine this wild animal roaming about the Savannah on digestive walks after eating a prey that accepted its lot piously, or going for calisthenic runs to stay slim after overindulging. They imagine this animal overseeing its offspring proudly and tenderly, the whole family watching the setting of the sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure.....
I thought this section to be interesting as stated in the other blog of how Martel changes the subject of animals to religion. With a simple sentence the focused is turned on its head, and forces the reader down another road.
I also found Dylan's section on the relationship between Pi, Orange Juice, and the Hyena to be interesting. Dylan did a great job of using information from the story to inform us of this section.
I have to agree with what Melbo said on this section. If one were to come across a new animal what basic instinct would come out? The instinct to kill the creature, or the one to watch and study it?
Since Melbo and Shannon posted the same section I will do this in one post. Both did an incredible job of detailing that section of the book, because it holds a very big significance. As Melbo pointed out there is a greater meaning to what that single argument had. In that section we are shown many examples of what so many religions think of each other.
Nice job JM and KA with your posts and comment follow up.
1. Key in (type) the selection you found interesting into the comment section.
Chapter 23
Alas the sense of community that common faith brings to people spelled trouble to me. In times, my religious doings went from the notice of those whom it didn’t matter and only amused, to that of those to whom it didn’t matter and they were not amused.
”What is your son doing going to the temple?” asked the priest.
“Your son was seen in the church crossing himself,” said the imam.
“Your son has gone Muslim” said the pandit
2. Comment on each person's writing
Kyle: I found it interesting on how Kyle was able to write about chapter four. At my first glance I thought it was one of the more boring chapters in the book. Then after reading Kyle explanation on it; I found it a much more interesting chapter after hearing his deeper meaning on it.
Dylan: I enjoyed Dylan’s description on chapter 45. I agree with his analysis on Pi is most likely delirious with his situation. Also, how he used most of the details from the chapter in his answer.
Melbo: His analysis on chapter 23 used a lot more reasons for picking that chapter then mine did. He seems to play on the same ideas that I used in both my answer and my description of Pi’s personality. I liked how he pointed out how Pi’s view on religion is how similar they are instead of how different.
3. Once everyone has keyed in their selection they found interesting - make a brief comment on what you thought of that selection.
I found this section interesting because it gives an interesting point of view on religion. Religion is suppose to enlighten one’s life but when people see that you have chosen several religions to enlighten your life it become frowned upon. Also the irony on how all the wise men find out he belongs to three religion at the same time is very amusing.
The chapter I chose was chapter 45. In this section Yann Martel compares animals with humans and the sicknesses they can obtain while at sea.
Curiosity got the best of me. I had to see her better. Despite the rolling of the boat I brought myself to a kneeling position. The hyena looked at me, but did not move. Orange Juice came into sight. She was deeply slouched and holding onto the gunnel with both her hands, her head sunk very low between her arms. Her mouth was open and her tongue was lolling about. She was visible panting. Despite the tragedy afflicting me, despite no felling well, I let out a laugh. Everything about Orange Juice at that moment spelled on word: seasickness. The image of a new species popped into my head: the rare seafaring green orang-utan. I returned to my sitting position. The poor dear looked so humanly sick! It is a particularly funny thing to read human traits in animals, especially in apes and monkeys. Where it is so easy. Simians are the clearest mirrors we have in the animal world. That is why they are so popular in zoos. I laughed again. I brought my hands to my chest, surprised at how. Oh my. This laughter was like a volcano of happiness erupting in me. And Orange Juice had not only cheered me up; she had also taken on both our feelings of seasickness. I was felling now.
I thought that this section of chapter 45 was really interesting on how apes and monkeys can have the same traits and act the same as humans when they are ill.
Melbo and Shannon both did the same topic so both chose a section that displayed how the three religions Hindu, Muslim, and Christian view each other. Yann Martel had a great argument from the three religions why Pi should only belong to one according to each of the priests (belonging to thier own faith)
I didn't find Kyle's section to be very interesting (no offense) but i didn't understand the section very well. Yann Martel did a good job on going back and forth between animals and religion.
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