Life of Pi

Nicolas Rodriguez 10.2

Life of Pi revolves around a young Indian man that survives a shipwreck in the middle
of the Pacific Ocean, while he tries to survive as a castaway he experiences a journey of
self-discovery and the struggles with his faith, all while sharing a lifeboat with another
atypical survivor; a spine-chilling Bengal tiger.
Characters
Pi Patel The Hyena
Richard Parker The Zebra
Ravi Orange Juice
Santosh Patel The cook
Gital Patel The sailor
Father martin
Cultural Background
-The film present heavily Indian culture as part of the film is set in India and the
protagonist himself is Indian. Pi present his culture and show Indian religion which is
what motivates Pi, his religion is an integral part of him and his survival.
-Pi’s family is the traditional patriarchal family structure where the oldest male,
normally the father, is the maximum authority and the female, normally the mother, it
the caregiver.
Historical Background
the story is set in Pondicherry, India in 1977. In the story the historical event in India
called “The emergency” is taking place which is what causes pi’s family to flee India
and try to immigrate to Canada.
Vocabulary
Juxtaposition: The juxtaposition of Richard parker and Pi show the difference between
their personalities
Faith: Pi’s faith is something that changes through the film but always keeps him alive.
Conflict resolution: Pi’s lifeboat drifting to the shore and him surviving is the conflict
resolution to his struggle to survive.
Opposition: Pi’s Islam believes and Hindu believes have an opposition in his faith.
Symbol: the color orange was a symbol of hope and comfort in the film.
Authors Purpose
Yann Martels made “a story to make you believe in God” he wanted a story that would
make the reader say thank for the spark of life as he was looking for meaning in his life.
The film uses techniques such as handheld shots, VXF effects, camera zoom ins,
soundtrack to emphases an event, and color to represent different struggles in his faith
and climax.
Protagonist: Pi Antagonist: Richard parker(tiger)

Conflict: MAN V NATURE

Description: -The tiger is a constant danger to him as it threatens to kill him

-Its an obstacle in his survival as it also stops him from going into the boat for several
days

Protagonist: Pi Antagonist: Pi faith

Conflict: MAN VS SELF

Description: Pi struggles to keep his faith when he is hopeless as he is about to die as a

castaway.

Protagonist:Pi Antagonist: Indians

Conflict: MAN VS Society

Description: Pi faces a struggle with society because he practices multiple religions,

something that he gets teased for and shamed by his family and the people around
them.