Wednesday, December 11, 2013

READING RESPONSE: LIFE OF PI BY YANN MARTEL

I am reading a very interesting book called the Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Although I am barely five chapters into the story, I can already see the book's potential. Using my knowledge so far I know that the book is told from the perspective of an Indian man looking back and reflecting on his past, starting from when he graduated college. This man is called Piscine Molitor Patel and he is narrating the story and informing the reader about his life when he was younger. 

Piscine, the main character, is a very clever (he graduated with double majors in religion and zoology) and thoughtful person. I predict that Piscine will tell us about his earlier years and will lead up to his great past adventure. I can relate to Piscine, and his yearn to reveal his past and the good times he had. I sometimes have the similar feeling of wanting to dive into the depths of my fondest memories of the past, and to embrace and reflect on them.

The social issue question I chose for this book was 'how does this text address the points of view (perspective) of other groups, especially those who usually don't get to tell their side?' This book largely focuses on the perspectives of the animals that Piscine is trapped on the boat with. Although the animals don't physically speak, the author focuses on their actions to show how they feel.
 
The author, Yann Martel, is an extremely descriptive writer. He makes the vibrant colors and feelings of the character's past come to life and explode in a shower of remarkable writing.He manages to somehow grasp the exact description of each moment and make it seem s real. I love reading his work because it makes me feel as if I am actually in the moment, and experiencing all the same feelings and thoughts as the main character.

I think Yann Martel wants us to comprehend our pasts and wonder about our futures, just like Piscine.  I think about the interesting way the author sets up the book, starting from the past and leading up to the future, but in the end, I actually makes the book more enjoyable. 

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