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Life of Pi Study Questions

Author’s Note
1. The author is the first speaker of the book. He seems patient, witty, and intellectual.
Martel’s descriptive language shows that he is a deep thinker.
2. The story the author hears about Pi supposedly will make him believe in God.

Chapter 1

3. Mr. Patel’s two majors in college are zoology and religion. Pi explains how such a
beautiful miracles of life, such as the three toed sloth, remind him of God.

Chapter 2
4. Chapter is a short chapter that’s sole purpose is to describe Pi. The chapter hints Pi’s
simplicity.

Chapter 3
5. Mr. Patel states that the pool is more formal, and a “boring flatness.” On the contrary,
he finds the beach to be very enjoyable.
6. Our narrator was named after the Piscine Moniter- the only that ever made Mamaji fall
silent in awe.

Chapter 4
7. Piscine says that the only two things important to wild animals are the avoidance of
enemies and getting food and water.
8. Piscine thinks that animals are better off in a zoo. Pi defends the zoo and attacks the
common belief that wild animals are free, whereas captive animals are “unfree.” He
explains that freedom in the wild is a myth, and that animals are restricted by their
survival needs and instinct.

Chapter 5
9. In changing his own name, Pi shows us that he is independent, serious, and possible self
conscious.

Chapter 6
10. The author is speaking in this chapter, once again describing Pi.
11. The author notes that Pi’s cupboards are packed with a reserve of food.
Chapter 7
12. Pi relates Mr. Kumar’s body to a geometric figure. He also describes how he came about
his atheism.
13. Mr. Kumar loves comes to the zoo so often to confirm his belief that everything is in
order without God.
14. Pi believes that atheists are just from a different faith. He states that “They go as far as
the legs of reason will carry them.”

Chapter 8
15. Zoologists commonly say that the most dangerous animal in the zoo is man. This is
because humans are the top of the food chain and the rest of the planet is its prey.
16. ******That zoologists put themselves before

Chapter 10
17. Pi states that an animal hates the unknown above all else.

Chapter 13
18. Pi explains that circus lion tamers are able to tame dangerous beasts by establishing
their territory.
19. According to Pi, the expression of social insecurity accounts for the hostile and
aggressive behavior among animals.

Chapter 15
20. He compares Pi’s house to a temple. Pi practices several deferent religions.

Chapter 16
21. Pi claims that his heart commands that his heart commands him to be Hindu, and that
he feels at home in the Hindu temple. The universe makes sense to him through Hindu
eyes.

Chapter 17
22. It irritates Pi that God would let his son die.
23. At first, Pi was worried of being rejected, and felt out of place. The second time he
entered the Catholic Church he entered without fear, for he knew that it was his house
as well.
24. Pi likes that “Christianity is a religion in a rush.”
Chapter 18
25. Pi was born Hindu. He was introduced to Christianity when he visited the Catholic
Church in Munnar through Father Martin’s stories. While eplorind Pondicherry, Pi finds
a Muslim bakery where he is introduced to Islam. Pi watches the Muslim baker pray,
and later returns to the bakery and asks Mr. Kumar (the baker) about Islam, which he
finds beautiful.
26. The humorous scene is when the baker surprises Pi.

Chapter 19
27. Pi enjoys praying in the mosque because it’s an open construction to God and the
breeze. Pi claims to feel immediate religious contact when praying in the mosque.

Chapter 20
28. Pi feels that the finest reward is the presence of God.
29. The two intensely religious experiences Pi describes in this chapter are when he was on
the way back from the bakery and felt as if he were in heaven. A second time Pi felt an
intense connection with God was in Canada, when pi was a clearing in the woods. When
the snow fell down from a branch, Pi believed he saw the Virgin Mary. The significance
of both these scenes is that Pi feels connections with God in both Islam and Christianity.

Chapter 21
30. The author is writing this passage. He has just spent a majority of the afternoon with Pi.
This chapter summarizes the author’s feelings about what Pi has taught him.

Chapter 22
31. Pi respects atheists because they stay true to their beliefs. Whereas agnostics only have
doubt.

Chapter 23
32. Pi is scared because his parents, who previously were unaware of his religious practices,
were there.
33. All three “wise men” share very different views on who God is and how to go about
worshiping him.
34. *Chart*
Chapter 25
35. Pi changed churches, no longer lingered after Friday prayer, and only went to temple at
crowded times.

Chapter 26
36. Both Islam and Christianity claim Abraham as theirs. Muslims say that the God of
Hebrews and Christians is the same as the God of the Muslims. They also recognize
David, Moses and Jesus as prophets.
37. Pi compares religion to passports.

Chapter 27
38. Pi’s father is confused because they are such a modern family.

Chapter 28
39. Pi is baptized and receives a prayer rug.
40. That he is very opinionated about religion.

Chapter 30
41. Pi’s surprise for the author is that he has a wife. Pi kept this a secret because he is a shy
man who’s been taught “not to show off what’s most precious to him”

Chapter 31
42. Pi is worried when Mr. Kumar, the baker, asks to see the zoo because he doesn’t think
he’ll recognize him.
43. This symbolizes that both Muslims, and all believers in God for that matter, along with
atheists can have similar interests.
44. The baker states “what a wonderful creature,” whereas the teacher describes the Zebra
as “The Rolls-Royce of equids.”

Chapter 33
45. We can infer that Richard Parker is not a human.
46. Pi states that the worst part is that he can hardly remember what his mother looks like.
47. We find out that Pi’s mother has died.

Chapter 35
48. Pi is sixteen years old when he and his family move to Canada.
Chapter 36
49. The narrator is surprised that Pi has two children.
50. The writer needs to say this because in Part two the story becomes much more
depressing.

Chapter 37
51. Pi pushes Richard Parker away because he realizes that they will have to be together on
a lifeboat if Richard Parker is saved. Pi would want this in the first place because the
other animals are dead, and seeing the only living one left, Pi feel the need to save it.

Chapter 38
52. The chapter begins describing how strong the Tsintsum was at first. Pi tells the reader
how much he enjoyed himself. This shows us how excited Pi was.

Chapter 40
53. Pi doesn’t consider this fact because he is so preoccupied with holding on and staying
alive that he is not thinking straight.

Chapter 41
54. The tiger kills the zebra just like he had killed the goat when Pi was younger. The writer
once again describes the beauty of the zebra.

Chapter 43
55. Pi thinks that Orange Juice is dying of shock.
56. The hyena is the worst threat to Pi at the moment. This is because it is not injured and
eats almost anything.
57. Pi describes the hyena as an ugly, disgusting creature. He also tells the reader how
dangerous it is, as it will eat almost anything.

Chapter 45
58. In this chapter Pi is cautious and anxious.
59. Pi is upset by the fact that his sense of empathy is blunted by his hunger for survival.
60. The hyena does not yet attack the orangutan because it is currently focused on the
zebra.

Chapter 46
61. Orange Juice gets up and lets out a roar to intimidate the hyena so that it won’t eat her
like it did the zebra.
Chapter 47
62. This is because Pi has more humanly connections with Richard Parker and Orange Juice.

Chapter 48
63. The significance is that Richard Parkers original name was supposed to mean Thirsty.

Chapter 50
64. This plots two predators which kill the zebra and orangutan.
65. Pi could remember so well because it was such an important in his life. Also, he could be
changing the story, especially because the dimensions were most likely not the first
thing on his mind.

Chapter 53
66. What upsets Pi more than the fact that he is going to die is that his death is oncoming
and with time to spare. Pi is even more upset that his happiness and the happiness that
might have been his will be gone.
67. The voice in his heard turns Pi’s outlook around. Pi says he discovered oppressed
sadness when he started to give up on life.

Chapter 56

68. Pi considers “life’s opponent” is fear. He believes that fear attacks and rots your whole
body, therefore weakening you.

Chapter 57
69. The benefit is that Richard Parker pushed Pi to stay alive, and helped him to not focus
on his lost family and condition.

Chapter 58
70. It is important Pi forgets because he needs to focus on survival, and not concentrate on
being rescued.

Chapter 59
71. Pi considers himself lucky because Richard Parker is a stunning, noble creature; he
makes for better companionship rather than a silly or ugly animal.
72. No, Pi is not alone (aside from Richard Parker), he is surrounded by a sea of life right
underneath him.
Chapter 61
73. Pi had trouble killing the flying fish because he was a vegetarian and the thought of
killing anything made him uncomfortable. However, for the dorado he thought himself
the be a killer now. It was for Richard Parker and not for him. He had to do it so Richard
parker wouldn’t go hungry and resort to eating him.

Chapter 63
74. Pi was shipwrecked for 227 days. He said he survived because he made a point of
forgetting what has happened and forgetting every notion of time.

Chapter 68
75. Pi and Richard Parker are like animals in a zoo. They have their territory and they live
with what they have.

Chapter 71
76. I believe that the most important guideline is number two. I think this because it is
telling the basics of making a comfortable environment to tame a Bengal tiger, and to
have some sort of protection.

Chapter 72
77. Pi says that Richard Parker didn’t want to kill nor attack him because he gave warning
signals using his whistle. He also spared time to see if Pi wanted to make threats before
he “attacked.”

Chapter 73
78. Pi’s greatest wish other than salvation was to have a book One that he could read over
and over, but be entertained and extract new meanings, thoughts and understandings
each time he read. The book would also serve well to pass the time.

Chapter 74
79. Pi means that he is still worshipping God, however, he feels that God is letting him
down.

Chapter 75
80. Pi knew that his mother’s birthday was during his journey and estimated the day and
sung Happy Birthday to her. Pi did this because he is very close to his mother.
Throughout the story it seems that Pi is mostly upset about losing his mother out of all
his family.

Chapter 78
81. Pi’s distress it described in this chapter as being caught up in grim opposites.
Chapter 80
82. The significance of Richard Parker not fighting Pi for the Dorado is that Richard Parker
recognizes Pi as his master.

Chapter 81
83. One reason for Pi’s survival was that he supplied Richard Parker with food so that
Richard Parker would not attack or kill him due to hunger.

Chapter 82
84. Pi is still an intellectual boy, however his intelligence now based on experience rather
than on books.

Chapter 83
85. According to Pi, when one is faced with continual terror they are replaced with
numbness and completely give up.
86. The orange whistle is the only thing that “remain[s] between [Pi] and death” because Pi
lost a lot of items in the storm, and the whistle is the only thing left that will control
Richard Parker.

Chapter 85

87. Pi praises Allah when he sees lightning. This is because he is happy and excited about it.

Chapter 86

88. Pi loves Richard Parker because he thinks without him he would have died of
hopelessness.

Chapter 89

89. It is important that Pi starts to imitate Richard Parker’s daily routine because it is
showing that Pi is no longer fighting for survival as much- he is more so giving up.

Chapter 90

90. Pi is saddened the most by his continual deterioration and the fact that he can do no
more but wait to die. Pi’s blindness marks rock bottom of his suffering.
91. The circumstances that lead to the mystery speaker to kill two people were that it was
either him or them. The mystery speaker seems to have no regrets about killing the
people; he says he doesn’t think about it.
92. The mystery speaker is killed by Richard Parker. When they realize that neither has food
Pi tells a story about a banana to make them feel better.
93. When Richard Parker kills the man Pi feels like something had died in him and never will
come back to life.

Chapter 92

94. The island that Pi had come upon is made up of algae; the alga is edible with a sweet
outside and salty inside. There are trees and on the island along with pools of fresh
water. The island seems to filter the salt water into fresh water, the salt water that
comes upon the island sometimes carry fish with it; then the fish get trapped and
eventually die from the fresh water. They then float to the top of the fresh water ponds;
which then provide as food for the hundreds of thousands of meerkats that live on the
island. However the meerkats all flee to the trees at night because the ground becomes
acidic.
95. Inside the “fruit” there human teeth, the tree has 32 human teeth (a complete human
set.) Pi believes the tree killed the human slowly from acid.
96. They leave the island because Pi finds out that it is acidic, and he would rather die
looking for real land and not alone on the island.
97. I think that the author made this into one long chapter to try and make the reader more
aware that this significant chapter.
98. The symbolic significance of the island is that at first the island was safe haven for Pi but
he soon realizes that it is really a dangerous evil place.

Chapters 93 and 94

99. The last time Pi ever sees Richard Parker, the tiger jumps off the boat and heads
towards the jungle without acknowledging Pi.
100. Pi thinks that it is important to “conclude things properly” because only then one
can let go.
101. Pi said he turned to God after leaving the island because all he could do was
suffer. He trusted God to deliver the fate that he was meant for, and there was nothing
left he could do to fight against the possibility that he will die or find land.
102. Pi credits Richard Parker with saving his life because he kept Pi sane.
Chapters 95 and 96

103. The trip made by the Japanese men resonates as a theme of the book because…

Chapter 98

104. Mr. Okamoto thinks that Pi is making up the story (or at least parts of the story.)
He thinks Pi is trying to play them.

Chapter 99

105. Pi answer to Mr. Okamoto about finding the algae island is that the ocean is big
and crossed by many busy, fast ships, and he was traveling slower and being more
observant.
106. Mr. Okamoto also finds it hard to believe that Pi was traveling with a Bengal
tiger.
107. Pi’s defense against Mr. Okamoto is that love, life, and God are hard to believe,
but people still have faith in all three. Pi asks Mr. Okamoto what his problem with
believing is.
108. Some things in this chapter that were funny are when the assistant is talking to
Pi about bonsai trees which are completely irrelevant and when Mr. Okamoto gets
upset with him. Also, the fact that Pi keeps asking for cookies and hides them under his
bed.
109. In Pi’s alternative version the Japanese sailor is the zebra because the zebra
broke his leg just like he had his cut off by the cook. Both the sailor and the zebra
eventually died and were eaten. The orangutan was Pi’s mother because she was caring,
and against the French cook from eating the sailor, just like the orangutan was against
the hyena eating the zebra. She was also killed by the French cook after like the hyena
was killed by the tiger. The French cook is the hyena because he is disgusting and brutal
like a hyena. He also cut off the sailor’s leg, ate the sailor (zebra), killed Pi’s mother
(orangutan), and was killed by Pi (tiger). Pi is the tiger. He is the last and only one alive.
He also kills the cook (also referring to blind French castaway who was killed by tiger.)
110. Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba think that the story with the animals better.
111. Pi comes up with the story with all the animals because he wants to make the
story more interesting. It is also possible that Pi wants to make the story a little lighter
on himself, rather than telling the one about the people since it was most likely more
emotionally painful.
112. The representatives from the Maritime Department want to focus on the reason
the ship sunk. However Pi wants to focus on his story on the Pacific and how he lost his
family form the shipwreck.
113. Mr. Okamoto feels that Pi’s story is doubtful because he doesn’t believe there is
a acidic island in the middle of the pacific made of algae, nor that Pi was on a life boat
with zoo animals and was able to survive 227 days with a Bengal tiger.
114. In this chapter Pi says “…reason is excellent for getting food, clothing, and
shelter. Reason is the very best tool kit. Nothing beats reason for keeping tigers away.
But be excessively reasonable and you risk throwing out the universe with bathwater.”

Chapter 100

115. The sinking of the Tsimtsum is still unknown.


116. Pi’s story is irrelevant to the sinking of the ship because it has little to do with the
ships sinking, but more about his journey on the pacific.
117. It is interesting that this book ends on chapter 100 because earlier in the book Pi
asks the question of whether the author could tell his story in exactly 100 chapters, not
one more nor one less.
118. No I don’t believe everything the narrator says in the “Author’s Note”. I do not
think that Pi’s story is real, nor that Yann Martel really heard the story.
119. Mr. Okamoto’s final report indicates that he is still doubtful about Pi’s story,
however he seems to respect Pi and find his story interesting.

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