life of pi Flashcards
1
Q
how does Pi’s setting influence his beliefs
A
Pondicherry once a French colony > diverse culture > expose to many religions
2
Q
style of novel
A
magical realism
3
Q
settings
A
pondicherry
india
the pacific ocean
mexico
canada
4
Q
climax of novel
A
pi finds land
5
Q
antagonist
A
hyena/french cook
6
Q
pov
A
first person of implied author and adult pi
7
Q
how is novel set out
A
- fictional author > india > story from mamaji
- interviews Pi > Pi’s pov & interviews interjected in “Author’s Notes”
8
Q
where and when does Pi grow up
A
Pondicherry, India
1970s
9
Q
where does Pi get his name
A
famous swimming pool in paris
10
Q
what does pi’s father do
A
zookeeper
11
Q
how does his father’s job affect his children’s upbringing
A
raised amongst wild animals
12
Q
zookeeping reflected in storytelling
A
zookeeping
animal territories/boundaries
13
Q
important moment of zookeeping for pi in childhood
A
danger of wild animals shown through tiger eating goat
“the most dangerous animal at a zoo is Man.”
14
Q
how is Pi raised, on a spiritual level
A
culturally Hindu but family generally unreligious
15
Q
how does Pi’s religion develop
A
- devoutly Hindu
- Christian
- Islam
practices all at once
16
Q
how do others react to Pi’s religious practices
A
parents and religious leaders protest
17
Q
what is the turning point of the novel
A
political unrest > parents decide to sell zoo and move to Canada
18
Q
how does family move to Canada
A
Japanese cargo ship - Tsimtsum - with zoo animals
19
Q
what happens on the Tsimtsum
A
explosion > Pi awake > thrown into lifeboat by sailors
sinks > only survivor
20
Q
what happens when pi first gets onto lifeboat
A
sees tiger, RP > encourages to climb aboard (DUMBO)
21
Q
developments of lifeboat pi is on after helping RP get on
A
aboard lifeboat with
- zebra
- hyena
- Orange Juice (orangutan)
(doesn’t know abt RP)
22
Q
what happens between initial lifeboat company and Pi alone with RP
A
- hyena kills + eats zebra
- hyena fights + kills OJ
- pi notices RP under tarpaulin
- RP kills + eats hyena
23
Q
what does Pi do on initial days of being alone with RP
A
- raft
- supplies
- marks territory/tames RP
- needs
> kills + eats fish/turts
> filters seawater
> collects rainwater - RP/Pi in own territory in peace, but starving
24
Q
what happens after initial days on lifeboat
A
- loses track of time
- remembers events
25
events Pi remembered in timelessness
- whale
- lightning storm
- ship
- blind/voice
26
blind/voice incident
- temp blinded
- hears voice
> thinks RP
> blind castaway
- discuss
> food
- boats tg
> castaway attacks Pi (kill + eat)
> RP kills castaway
27
what happens after timeless period
island
28
describe island
- made of algae
- thousands of meerkats
29
what do Pi/RP do when find island
- stay there
> recover health
30
turning point on island
- pi finds tree w human teeth as fruit (AWKWARD)
> island is carnivorous
> decide to leave
31
what happens after island
- lifeboat washes up on Mexico beach
32
what happens on beach
- RP into jungle wo looking back
- Pi rescued by villagers
33
after beach what happens
transcript of interview between Pi + 2 Japanese officials > sinking of Tsimtsum
34
what happens in transcript
- pi tells story > don't believe
- pi tells second story
35
how is second story different from story
replaced animals with humans
36
who do the animals translate to in the second story
hyena - French cook
zebra - Chinese sailor
OJ - mother
RP - Pi
37
what happens in second story
- sailor dies + cook eats
- cook kills + eats mother
- pi kills cook without much reluctance
38
how do officials react to second story
- horrified
- believe
39
what does pi say after story
asks which prefer
> animals
40
final report comments
commend Pi for surviving at sea with tiger
41
protagonist full name
Piscine Molitor Patel
42
who is the narrator for most of the novel
Pi
43
how many days was Pi stranded for
227
44
how does pi present in situation
- resourceful
- survival instinct
- gruesome out of desperation
45
what does pi go on to do with his life
- University of Toronto
> zoology
> religion
- married w 2 children
- "has a happy ending"
46
what is RP (age and animal)
three-year-old
male
royal Bengal tiger
47
what does RP serve as
Pi's companion on the boat
48
RP name origin
- hunter, RP, captured as cub
- names switched in paperwork
49
what values does RP reflect
beauty
power
danger
50
where do Pi/RP live on boat
in respective territories
51
how is RP goodbye described
"botched goodbye"
52
how does RP goodbye affect Pi
pains for rest of life
53
what does Pi represent in second story
- part of Pi
> violence performed for survival
54
what is the author
fictional
55
how does the fictional author relate to the actual author
Canadian
resembles Yann Martel
> two books
> inspired through Indian trip
56
what is contained in "Author's Notes"
- sources
- interactions w adult pi
57
Pi's mother full name
Gita Patel
58
Gita belief system
- Hindu upbringing
- Baptist education
> nonreligious, questions Pi
59
how does Gita influence Pi
encouraged Pi to read books in his youth
60
how does Gita die in first story
sunk with Tsimtsum
61
how does Gita die in second story
- takes place of OJ
> protects Pi from cook as long as possible
> murdered, decapitated, eaten by cook
62
pi's father full name
Santosh Patel
63
Santosh job
head of Pondicherry Zoo
64
Santosh history
- ran hotel
> zookeeping (love for animals)
65
what does Santosh teach his children
- zookeeping knowledge
- respect/fear for wild animals
66
Santosh belief system
- Hindu upbringing
> nonreligious, questions Pi
67
Mamaji full name
Francis Adirubasamy
68
who is Mamaji
- friend of Patel family
69
Mamaji history
- champion swimmer in youth
70
what does Mamaji mean
"respected uncle"
71
how does Mamaji affect/influence Pi
- teaches
> swimming
> love for water
- name
- first told story to "author" in India > "make you believe in God"
72
Mr Kumar(s) full name
Satish Kumar
73
what school does Pi go to
Petit Séminaire
74
who is the first Mr Kumar
biology teacher
75
Mr Kumar 1 history
polio survivor
76
Mr Kumar 1 appearance
triangle-shaped body
77
Mr Kumar 1 beliefs
- atheist
- admires nature at zoo
78
Mr Kumar 1 influence on Pi
study zoology
79
name of Japanese official
Tomohiro Okamoto
80
what is the Japanese official an official of?
Maritime Department of the Japanese Ministry of Transport
81
what does Japanese official do
- interviews Pi in Mexico
> investigate sinking of Tsimtsum
82
how does Japanese official feel about Pi's stories and how is it reflected in the report?
- skeptical of 1
- agrees more compelling than 2
- official report commends for surviving with tiger
83
Pi's brother's full name
Ravi Patel
84
Ravi characteristics
- older brother
- sports
- teases
> name
> faith
85
how does Ravi die
- ignores Pi
- keeps sleeping
86
who is the second Mr Satish Kumar
baker
87
Mr Kumar 2 beliefs
- Muslim
- Sufi mystic
- goes to zoo
> praises God for animals
88
Mr Kumar 2 influence on Pi
- teaches Islam
> converts
89
how is the hyena described
ugly
violent
90
what does the hyena do
- eats zebra
> leg
> insides while alive
- kills OJ
- killed + eaten by RP
91
what is the zebra (specifically)
male Grant's zebra
92
how is the zebra described
beautiful
exotic
93
what happens to the zebra
- jumps onto lifeboat
> breaks leg
> suffers from hyena
> dies
94
what is OJ
orangutan
95
how is OJ described
peaceful
maternal
(brave)
96
OJ history
birthed 2 sons at zoo
97
how does OJ arrive
floats to lifeboat on island of bananas
98
how does OJ die
- fights hyena (brave)
> killed
99
who is the Christian guy
Father Martin
100
what is Father Martin
Christian priest
101
how is Father Martin described
kind
102
Father Martin influence on Pi
teaches Pi about Jesus
> converts him
103
full name of Pi's wife
Meena Patel
104
pi's wife in novel
author briefly meets only
105
full name of pi's son
Nikhil Patel
106
Nikhil quality
plays baseball
107
full name of pi's daughter
Usha Patel
108
Usha qualities
shy
close to father
109
who is the blind castaway
castaway man met in middle of Pacific
110
castaway qualities
- blind
- starving
- French accent
> possibly cook
111
castaway actions
tries to kill + eat Pi
> killed by RP
112
Okamoto's assistant name
Atsuro Chiba
113
Atsuro qualities
- naïve
- bumbling
114
how does Okamoto relate to Atsuro
exasperated by his inexperience
115
who is The French Cook
human counterpart to hyena
116
how is The French Cook described
rude
violent
117
The French Cook actions
- eats sailor
- kills + eats mother
- lets himself be stabbed by Pi
118
The Chinese Sailor
human counterpart to zebra
119
how is The Chinese Sailor described
young
beautiful
speaks only Chinese
120
The Chinese Sailor actions
- breaks leg
> infected
> cook cuts off
> dies painfully
121
Mrs Ghandi full name
Indira Ghandi
122
who is Mrs Ghandi
leader of India during time Pi lived there
123
who introduced/influenced Pi regarding Hinduism
his aunt
124
Pi's aunt's name
Auntie Rohini
125
themes
survival
religion/faith
storytelling
boundaries
126
how is survival presented in the novel
- struggle for against seemingly impossible odds:
> stranded on lifeboat in Pacific for 227 days w tiger
127
odds against survival
- starvation
- protection against RP
128
how does survival affect Pi
- break lifelong pacifism/vegetarianism
> kill + eat fish/turts
129
who else does survival affect
OJ
RP
130
how does survival affect OJ
peaceful
> violent when attacking hyena
131
how does survival affect RP
powerful
> Pi gives food > submits to taming
132
what point is made about survival
extremes undergone to survive
> can fundamentally change nature
> good/bad
133
what different effects of survival are presented
great heroism
horrible gruesomeness
134
great heroism as result of survival example
Pi
- resourcefulness
- will to live
- peace over killing RP
> waits for when leaves island
135
horrible gruesomeness as a result of survival example
- French cook
> murder
> cannibalism
- RP
> violence is manifestation of Pi's survival instinct
136
how is survival used as tool in book
- know will survive; happy now
> struggle throughout provides tension
137
when is theme of religion introduced
Francis Adirubasamy presents story to implied author as "a story to make you believe in God"
138
how is Pi raised in terms of religion
secular
culturally Hindu
139
how do religious leaders react to Pi's multitheism
assert that theirs contains whole/exclusive truth
140
how does Pi deal with resistance to his multitheism
- focus on different stories/pathways to God of faiths
- independence of faith
141
what does pi read from all three religions
story of universal love
142
what is most important to Pi in his understanding of faith/religion, and how is this proved?
faith/belief more important than religious truth
> admires beliefs of atheism
> dislikes agnostics
143
why does Pi have an issue with agnostics?
- choose doubt as way of life
> never choose a "better story"
144
when does theme of religion and faith come to the forefront
- stranded at sea
> faith tested by struggle
> grandeur of scene
+ infinite desolation
+ lightning storm as "miracle"
145
what conclusion is made about Pi's relationship to faith and where?
- rescue, officials asked which story preferred - animal
> animal:
+ compelling/memorable
> "so it goes with God"
= choose faith as worldview more beautiful
== facts on God's existence unknown > choose story preferred (involves God)
146
how is the theme of storytelling most fundamentally displayed
novels framework
- complex
- several layers of narration
> real writes as fictional author
> fictional writes as adult Pi
> transcript of young Pi w diff story
= nature of truth in storytelling explored
147
how is the nature of truth in storytelling further explored within the content of the novel
- 3 religions
- animal story possibly invented
= storytelling is its own truth
148
how is the nature of truth in storytelling explored by the 3 religions
> beauty of truth of all > truth not absolute, can coexist and contradict
149
how is the nature of truth in storytelling explored by the animal story possibly being invented
> attempt for greater truth
+ values communicated better through different lens of understanding and hence essence truer
> coping mechanism for sanity
+ euphemised explanation/retelling
150
how do Japanese officials view the two stories
human is "true" one
animal more compelling/memorable
151
how is storytelling depicted as its own truth
in case of unknown events/realities (existence of God, reason Tsimtsum sank, how survived) > choose stories seem most true, beautiful, moving > make own
152
how is the theme of boundaries explored
- contradiction between boundaries and freedom
- territory
- psychological
153
how is the contradiction between boundaries and freedom expressed
- boundless expanse of open ocean/sky BUT trapped in tiny lifeboat w limited territory
154
how is territory represented on lifeboat
Pi: raft and top of tarpaulin
- marks it
> urine
> "training whistle"
RP: floor of lifeboat
155
how is territory explored in the novel besides the physical territories on the lifeboat
- zoo context in Part 1
> animals love rituals/boundaries IF accept as territory
= uses to "tame" RP > "alpha" of lifeboat > safety
156
how are boundaries explored in a psychological sense?
- (possibly) creates RP
> method to deal with personal darkness/bestiality
> brutality a different inhuman being
= sets psychological boundary
> RP disappears when ashore
+ existed only on lifeboat out of necessity
= able to continue on without > "happy ending" DUE TO maintained sanity and humanity in symbolically severing bestial nature
