In Life of Pie, Yann Martel uses an interesting blend of human characters that, while completely human, lack any real definition or insight, and animals, while not actually human, emit human emotions and insights in greater amounts than many of the other characters. The animals occupy a more important role in the story than any other human except for the narrator, Pi Patel.
In looking at these characters, there is one that must be examined first and foremost: Richard Parker. And there the examination must start, with his name. See, with just a name, the reader has no idea who, or in this case, what, is being talked about. Someone who has never read the book would assume that the one being mentioned is a person. This, from the very outset, gives Richard Parker, a 450-pound adult Bengal Tiger, a human aspect. Richard Parker is not just some nameless creature, but is an active force in the novel, and one that the reader finds himself becoming attached to, because he has a name. But just because he has a human name, does not make him human. He is an animal, a carnivore, a predator.
When Pi is first in the life boat, just after the Japanese ship sank, Richard Parker is not depicted in the light of a dangerous predator. Instead, he is shown as almost pathetic, weak in the raging waters. Pi describes when he first sees Richard Parker, "He looked panic-stricken. He started swimming my way. The water about him was shifting wildly. He looked small and helpless." Pi tosses a lifebuoy to him, to try and help him reach the boat. Richard Parker is dependent upon Pi to bring him to safety. This is important in bringing human characteristics to Richard Parker. Throughout the novel, Richard Parker becomes increasingly dependent upon Pi for survival, in the way of food and fresh water. This not only lessons the threatening presence of Richard Parker in the eyes of the reader, but it puts Pi in a position of equality with Richard Parker, which not only brings Pi up to Richard Parker's level of superiority, but also brings Richard Parker to Pi's level of humanity.
Another powerful piece that really clarifies Richard Parker as a almost humane character appears towards the end of the novel. After Pi tells the Japanese investigators the story of what happened to him, he is confronted with doubt and disbelief. So, to satisfy them, he tells a different, shorter story involving humans instead of animals. However, one of the investigators, Mr. Okamoto, finds similarities between the two stories in the actions of the people and the animals, and the ultimate fate of everyone in the boat. The actions of Pi on the second story are the same as those of Pi and Richard Parker in the first. Realizing this, Mr. Chiba exclaims, "...which means [Pi]'s the tiger!"
Those these actions take place at the end of the novel, they have a profound influence on how one views the book. Richard Parker is personified through Pi in the second story he told the investigators, and in this way the reader looks back on the novel and thinks of the similarities of Pi and Richard Parker. Thanks to the ending passage, the reader can't help but think of Richard Parker as nearly human. And by combining the actions of Pi and Richard Parker into a new story, one with characters that parallel each other, the reader begins to question whether what was thought of Richard Parker the tiger was in reality human all along, in the form of Pi.
Ultimately, the reader has a choice to make, one which Pi gives Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba: "Which story did you like better?" You can choose either a story of a miracle of survival, or a story of utter tragedy, one which leaves an almost bitter taste in the mouth after reading the first.
For me, I like tigers (661).
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
What reading/writing means to me.
Reading, and writing. Both seem to go together, as one writes so that others may read, and for one to read others must write. It's like a circle. Sort of. Well, it can't be a triangle, since that has three sides, and it can't be a square, as squares have four. Pentagons are just ridiculous, and no one likes hexagons, so we'll stick with a circle for now. If you think I'm wrong-- though I don't know why or how you would, since it really was a silly argument to begin with-- then too bad.
It has been said that, "Books are gateways to new worlds" (Some Guy). But I disagree. I think books are gateways to new imaginations. Some would argue that those are the same thing, but no one cares about what they have to say. The reason I think this is because the imagination is apart of you, and all that occurs within books occurs within you. Your imagination creates the characters, setting, and plot within you. All the writer does is provide an outline, a skeleton. You fill in everything else with your mind. Have you gone to a movie remake of a book, and just been taken aback at how the director's vision of the story was so much different than yours? That is just one example of how the imagination can provide different interpretations of the same story.
When I was much younger, I marveled at how much my older sister read, and how well she did it. So, with my courage gathered and young mind focused, I sat down to pound my way through One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. When the dust had settled, the book was finished, and I, the victor, sat triumphantly on my bed, reveling in my victory. Then my puppy attacked me, and I couldn't just let him get away with that, but that's not the point. The point is, the first book I ever read on my own was One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Don't look like that. It's not like I jumped right from Doctor Seuss to Hemingway, Chaucer and Milton. No, it was a much more gradual transition, moving on to The Billies Goat Gruff and other such tales.
Mr. Coon, my English teacher, mentioned that after the age of twelve, many people begin to read much less, and when asked some answered that they had read only one or no books in the past year. This, to me, is odd. See, I've read twenty-four books in the past three months, the longest of which was 1256 pages, and the shortest of which was 297. So the idea that anyone could go a year with reading only one book is foreign to me.
With regard to the types of books I enjoy, I can't really say. The genre isn't as important to me as the author, or style of writing. To me, the genre is just the generalization that the books I like are filed under. Generally, the types of books I read are under fiction, horror, fantasy, mystery, and science fiction. It's just coincidence that my favorite authors happen to write under these genres. Some of my favorite authors include Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchet, Robert Jordan, Tom Clancy, L.E. Modesitt jr., S.M. Stirling, Mike Shaara, Jeff Shaara, Thomas E. Sniegosky, Dan Abnett, D.J. Machale, Sergei Lukyanenko, E.E. Knight, Steven King, and Jim Butcher, just to name a few. I've never been a fan of biographies and such books, because there's no real room for imagination. It's all based on fact. Not much creativity there.
Since imagination appears to be a recurring theme so far, lets stick with it and apply it to writing. I have an active imagination. It's all over the place. Maybe that's why my creative writings have always been a step above my other writings, such as my essays and research papers. In my AP US History course, I was told to write a research paper about John Brown. BOR-ing. In my Writing Seminar course, I was told to write about any cultural phenomena the I wanted. I wrote about zombies. That's much more exciting.
As to my favorite writings, there are many. One that was particularly successful is in the hands of my sophomore English teacher, Dr. Carter. I think she still reads it to the class as an example. One of my other favorites would be my sixth grade creative writing assignment. Here's a summery: the cast of Lord of the Rings tries to open a pickle jar. I still go back occasionally and fix it up a bit and add to it.
Often, while lying on my bed, statistics book laying open, homework untouched, I'll be living some scene or imaginative situation in my head, and I'll come upon something that is just so profound that I have to write it down, so I can look at it later and feel proud of myself. I'll then run it through my head for days, weeks, months, even years, and if I find some aspect of it that can be improved, I improve it. This is the source of most of my writings, and the reason I haven't yet written a novel. Although several stories may include characters from previous works.
There's one more thing that should be noted in describing my reading and writing habits: my music. Reading and writing is always accompanied by music, varying depending upon the story or topic, or just how I feel at the time. Even as I write this blog, I'm rocking out to various artists and genres of music (genres do matter to me when it comes to music). I think I even wrote an essay about how music effects me in my Writing Seminar course. I'll have to see if I can find it...
Well, that's all for now (983)(Wow, I got a little carried away. Sorry!)(991).
It has been said that, "Books are gateways to new worlds" (Some Guy). But I disagree. I think books are gateways to new imaginations. Some would argue that those are the same thing, but no one cares about what they have to say. The reason I think this is because the imagination is apart of you, and all that occurs within books occurs within you. Your imagination creates the characters, setting, and plot within you. All the writer does is provide an outline, a skeleton. You fill in everything else with your mind. Have you gone to a movie remake of a book, and just been taken aback at how the director's vision of the story was so much different than yours? That is just one example of how the imagination can provide different interpretations of the same story.
When I was much younger, I marveled at how much my older sister read, and how well she did it. So, with my courage gathered and young mind focused, I sat down to pound my way through One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. When the dust had settled, the book was finished, and I, the victor, sat triumphantly on my bed, reveling in my victory. Then my puppy attacked me, and I couldn't just let him get away with that, but that's not the point. The point is, the first book I ever read on my own was One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Don't look like that. It's not like I jumped right from Doctor Seuss to Hemingway, Chaucer and Milton. No, it was a much more gradual transition, moving on to The Billies Goat Gruff and other such tales.
Mr. Coon, my English teacher, mentioned that after the age of twelve, many people begin to read much less, and when asked some answered that they had read only one or no books in the past year. This, to me, is odd. See, I've read twenty-four books in the past three months, the longest of which was 1256 pages, and the shortest of which was 297. So the idea that anyone could go a year with reading only one book is foreign to me.
With regard to the types of books I enjoy, I can't really say. The genre isn't as important to me as the author, or style of writing. To me, the genre is just the generalization that the books I like are filed under. Generally, the types of books I read are under fiction, horror, fantasy, mystery, and science fiction. It's just coincidence that my favorite authors happen to write under these genres. Some of my favorite authors include Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchet, Robert Jordan, Tom Clancy, L.E. Modesitt jr., S.M. Stirling, Mike Shaara, Jeff Shaara, Thomas E. Sniegosky, Dan Abnett, D.J. Machale, Sergei Lukyanenko, E.E. Knight, Steven King, and Jim Butcher, just to name a few. I've never been a fan of biographies and such books, because there's no real room for imagination. It's all based on fact. Not much creativity there.
Since imagination appears to be a recurring theme so far, lets stick with it and apply it to writing. I have an active imagination. It's all over the place. Maybe that's why my creative writings have always been a step above my other writings, such as my essays and research papers. In my AP US History course, I was told to write a research paper about John Brown. BOR-ing. In my Writing Seminar course, I was told to write about any cultural phenomena the I wanted. I wrote about zombies. That's much more exciting.
As to my favorite writings, there are many. One that was particularly successful is in the hands of my sophomore English teacher, Dr. Carter. I think she still reads it to the class as an example. One of my other favorites would be my sixth grade creative writing assignment. Here's a summery: the cast of Lord of the Rings tries to open a pickle jar. I still go back occasionally and fix it up a bit and add to it.
Often, while lying on my bed, statistics book laying open, homework untouched, I'll be living some scene or imaginative situation in my head, and I'll come upon something that is just so profound that I have to write it down, so I can look at it later and feel proud of myself. I'll then run it through my head for days, weeks, months, even years, and if I find some aspect of it that can be improved, I improve it. This is the source of most of my writings, and the reason I haven't yet written a novel. Although several stories may include characters from previous works.
There's one more thing that should be noted in describing my reading and writing habits: my music. Reading and writing is always accompanied by music, varying depending upon the story or topic, or just how I feel at the time. Even as I write this blog, I'm rocking out to various artists and genres of music (genres do matter to me when it comes to music). I think I even wrote an essay about how music effects me in my Writing Seminar course. I'll have to see if I can find it...
Well, that's all for now (983)(Wow, I got a little carried away. Sorry!)(991).
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