Interview
Character analysis and contribution
- Course
- Institution
- Book
The document contains a full detailed analysis of each character, delving into the meaning and purpose of each of them and how and why they fit into the story.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Chapter by chapter analysis
-
Life of Pi essay questions and answers
-
Life of Pi part 3 summary
Seller
Follow
fatimakarjieker
Reviews received
Content preview
Character analysis and contributionPiscine Molitor Patel (Pi)
○ As a teenager, he renames himself Pi
○ Fish-like/swimming pool
○ Pi refers to sea as “guilty pleasure”
● Not just a shortened version of Piscine
○ An allegorical figure with multiple levels of meaning.
● π = value of the circumference of a circle (related to the circle of life) – representing
eternity Pi is also an informal British term meaning “pious”. (devoutly religious)
● “All religions are true. I just want to love God.”
● born in Pondicherry, India
● He has a deep affinity with religion from a young age, and practices Hinduism,
Christianity, and Islam
● His faith and knowledge of animal psychology help him survive 227 days at sea in a
lifeboat with a 450-pound Bengal tiger
● The adult Pi is described as a small, slim man, with dark hair and eyes and an
expressive face
● He grows up in Pondicherry but now lives in Canada
● Pi studies Zoology and Religion at the University of Toronto
Richard Parker
● A three-year-old Bengal tiger who is Pi’s only companion at sea.
● Captured as a cub and transferred to the Pondicherry Zoo, which is owned by Pi’s
father.
● Becomes Pi’s nemesis (enemy/rival) as well as his reason to carry on living.
● He has a human name as the result of a clerical error in which the real name of the tiger,
Thirsty, and the name of his captor, Richard Parker, are accidentally reversed.
● In Part 3, a story is presented to the Japanese officials showing Richard Parker as Pi’s
alter ego (a person’s alternative personality)
● Although Richard Parker was actually the lowest in rank compared to Pi (omega vs
alpha), his raw power is the center of Pi's story, as Pi struggles each day to make it until
the end of the day without being eaten by him.
● Unfamiliar with the new setting, the ocean, Richard Parker allowed Pi to be his master,
but let his killer instincts overweight from time to time.
● At the end of the story, Richard Parker ran into the jungle without looking back at Pi,
which can be interpreted that wild animals will always be wild, no matter how hard you
try to domesticate it. RP disappeared in Pi’s psyche because Pi did not need him
anymore to survive
● On a deeper level, Richard Parker represents Pi's mental strength to survive the great
tragedy, as he was present from the beginning to the end of the adventure. He also
represents the savage part of Pi that comes out when he is in desperate need to survive,
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller fatimakarjieker. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.78. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
77988 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now