This comprehensive Life of Pi study guide is perfect for any Grade 12 student preparing for finals. It offers concise chapter summaries, key character analyses, detailed theme breakdowns, and essential quotes—all designed to help you understand the book in depth and succeed in your exams. The gui...
Authors Note and Chapter 1
The author leaves Toronto Canada and crosses the Atlantic Ocean going to
North Africa, India and finally arrives in Pondicherry. He then meets with
Francis Adirubasmy in a coffee shop and tells him he knows a story.
Francis Adirubasmy tells the author to return to Canada to talk to PI Patel,
Adirubasmy says PI’s story will make the author believe in God.
The author does return to Toronto and he find PI’s name in the phone
book. The two men meet many times and the author get the details of PI’s
story.
Chapter 1 (Summary)
It begins with the main character PI, now an adult discussing his studies at
the university of Toronto where he studied religion and Zoology. PI was
especially interested in Issacs Luria’s work in studying the three toed
sloth.
Pi says that agnostics are like sloths.
Pi says sloths are slow, dumb and fade into the background.
Pi says sloths represents the miracle of life and therefore, Gid.
Pi says that his life is like Memento Mori art. That land of art us a daily
reminder that life is surrounded by death. Pi says he suffered a lot. Pi says
he tells the death skull at his side that he does not believe in death,
adding that death envies life.
Chapter 1 ends with Pi getting terribly upset in a restaurant in Canada
when a waiter sees Pi eating with his hands instead of using Fork and
Knife. The waiter asks, “Fresh off the boat, are you?”
Chapter 2 and 3 (Summary)
Pi is in Toronto Canada, his hair is turning grey, and he is about 40 years
old. He tells the author abut his youth, including the fact that Pi was
named after a swimming pool.
Pi was named after a swimming pool because his father had a good friend-
Francis Adirubasamy who liked to swim. Pi called Adirubasamy “Mamaji”
which means ‘Respected Uncle’. Mamaji’s favourite pool in Paris was the
, Piscine Molitor. The French word “Piscine” means “pool”. When Pi was born
his father named him Piscine Molitor to honour Adirubasamy.
Pi had a problem, some people thought it was funny to mispronounce his
name and call him “pissing”. Other children including his brother Ravi who
was 3 years older, teased him as well.
Pi’s name suggest that water will be important in this story… (he solves
the teasing in chapter 5)
Chapter 4 (Summary)
Santosh Patel Pi’s father, was a hotel manager before he became the
owner of the Pondicherry Zoo. Pi thought the zoo was paradise.
Pi lived like a prince. The Roar of the lions was his alarm clock, each
animal was different and interesting, especially at sunrise and sunset
when they were natural and most active.
Pi thinks running a zoo is “a hotel managers worst nightmare”
-The guests don’t leave their rooms.
-They demand meals.
-They have noisy rude visitors.
-They do not clean after themselves.
Pi has enjoyed being “a silent witness to the highly mannered…
expressions of life that grace our planet.”
Pi’s Observations
Life in the wild:
Animals constantly look for shelter and safety from predators. Animals are
always in search of food. Animals are not really free.
Life in zoo:
Animals are sheltered and safe. Animals have plenty of food. Zoo animals
are freer than animals in the wild.
Pi’s observations: Zoos for people:
Zoos are so nice that we decided to build them for ourselves.
Our cages are houses.
Our zoos are cities.
Everything we need is close by.
We have created a compressed territory so that we can be “free”
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