Life of Pi

A brief seep into the Master piece of Yann Martel

 Understanding of plot of the novel to have idea of the story for further
discussion

AGENDA Title justification to get the better understanding of writer’s mind

Characterization and symbolism of the story to indulge audience for

deeper understanding

Important themes of the story which are as necessary for

understanding a story as water is to live

Theories and philosophical perspectives of the story playing vital role

which writer want his readers to understand
 Our Team
Nida
Mariam Zulfqar Irfan Haider
Ayesha Khawja
Chouhan Assadullah

Anam Qasim Shamas Abbas

Abdur Rehman Sadia Kousar
 Topics and Presenters

Plot Characters Themes

Ayesha Khawja Shamas Abbas Postmodern Study
Anam Qasim
Sadia Kousar

Title Justification Significance of

symbols religion Existentialism
Asadullah Abdur Rehman
Mariam Zulfqar Irfan
Haider
 Plot (Ayesha Khawja)
Exposition Falling Action
Story is about Pi’s life Pi continues his fight for survival.
journey and is written
in a narrative form.

Rising Action
Option B
During his journey his ship
sinks and he is stuck in a life
Resolution
a boat with a beast.
Finally reached on island and
interviewed for his success.
Climax Option C Option D
Pi’s success in his effort to find
ways of survival
 Title Justification(Asadullah )
Qoutations

1.Eponymous Title
Pi is a Greek symbol for circumference,
2.Piscine Molitor Patel to
3.14159 measured up to fifty trillion
Pi.
  3.Mathematical Significance decimal places and still there is no
of pattern to digits.
Like pi life is not finite. And so I didn’t
4.Why not the “Life make the title The Life of Pi, I
of Pi”? deliberately left out the definite article.
That would have denoted a single life.
Yann Martel.
 Characters(Shammas Abbas)
1.Piscine Molitor Patel(Pi)
Protagonist
2.Richard Parker
Tiger
3.Satish Kumar
Muslim friend
4.The Hindu Pandit
5.Father Martin Simple
6. Satish Kumar
PowerPoint
Teacher
7.Ravi Presentation
8.Santosh Patel
9.Gita Patel
Mother
10.Francis Adirubasamy
Elderly man
11.The Author
 Symbols(Abdur Rehman)
Pi Piscine’s nickname, Pi, has a symbolic relationship
with the mathematical pi (p). The ratio of the
circumference (circular) of a circle to its diameter
(linear) is pi.
Tsimtsum
The name of the ship comes from the Kabbalist concept of
tsimtsum, where God withdraws himself to make room for the
creation of the universe. The sinking of the ship may symbolize
God withdrawing from Pi to make room for Pi to develop as an
independent creature. Tsimtsum is necessary for creatures that
are to become independent so they can freely choose a
relationship with God
Orange
Orange is the color of survival. The whistles, life jacket,
lifebuoy, tarpaulin, and Richard Parker are orange. It is
also the color of the second Hindu chakra. (See Chapter
40 Notes)
Algea Islan
The island itself is symbolic as a Garden of Eden. It offers temporary salvation to Pi,
but he must leave the island Eden once he discovers the black “forbidden fruit” on
the twisted branches of the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” His illusion of
the island is shattered
Animals
The animals in Pi’s lifeboat symbolize human traits and may also
represent people. hyena - French cook, cowardliness orangutan
- Pi’s mother, maternal instincts zebra - Chinese sailor, exoticism
tiger - Pi, animal nature meerkats - mirage, meekness
  story
Pi’s
The lifeboat ordeal is a metaphor for the human condition. We
aspire to higher things (religion, justice, salvation), but we are
entrenched in our own basic animal needs. These aspirations and
needs are brought together in the lifeboat. If the aspirations are
grand, the journey will be perilous.
Themes( Anam)
●Religious beliefs 
●Identity
●survival
●Relationships 
●wildlife and nature 
●Diverse culture 
●storytelling
●Tolerance 
●Relativity of truth
●philosophy of life
●Subjective experience against
logic
 Significance of Religion
“The presence of God is
Mariam Zulfqar
the finest of rewards.”
― Yann Martel,  indeed hairless Christians, just as
Life of Pi
“I know zoos are no longer in
people's good graces. Religion
faces the same problem. Certain
illusions about freedom plague
them both.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi
“I challenge anyone to
understand Islam, its spirit, and
not to love it. It is a beautiful
religion of brotherhood and
devotion.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi
Hindus, in their capacity for love, are
Muslims, in the way they see God in
everything, are bearded Hindus, and
Christians, in their devotion to God, are
hat wearing Muslims.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi
“I was giving up. I would have given up -
“If Christ spent an anguished night if a voice hadn't made itself heard in my
heart. The voice said "I will not die. I
in prayer, if He burst out from the refuse it. I will make it through this
Cross, 'My God, my God, why have nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as
you forsaken me?' then surely we they are. I have survived so far,
miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into
are also permitted doubt. But we
routine. The amazing will be seen
must move on. To choose doubt as a everyday. I will put in all the hard work
philosophy of life is akin to necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me,
choosing immobility as a means of I will not die. Amen.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi
transportation.”
― Yann Martel, Life of Pi
 Examples of
Postmodern Framing Magical Realism

Study

Sadia Kousar Story with no

beginning no end

Metafiction

Magical Realism

Self Reflexivity
Existentialism in “Life of Pi”
Irfan Haider
“Existentialism and its postulates”
Existentialism is a movement in
philosophy and
literature that emphasizes upon individual
existence. It is based on the view that
humans
define their own meaning in life, and try to
make
rational decisions despite existing in an
irrational universe.
Postulates:
(i) Existence precedes essence.
(ii) Existentialism is humanism.
Quotations from “Life of Pi”
“You must take life the way it comes at you
and
Text Here make the best of it”.
“When you’ve suffered a great deal in life,
each
additional pain is both unbearable and
trifling”.
“The world isn’t just the way it is. It is how
we
understand it, no? And in understanding
something, we bring something to it, no?
Doesn’t
that make life a story?”
“Misery likes company and madness calls it
forth”.
 Life of Pi

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