General

@Wanton There's so much ideas to write about this essay, and I'd say that you have a really good point! The idea that humanity always think of that "paradise" in the future and how they think it's really easy to get to. But in reality, to gain that illusion/future, you must work. Appreciated you're ideas, thanks

I had to write an essay about symbolism.
OT: Well, I guess you could say that people have many different "faces". We discussed how the animals/cook, mother, etc. were actually different "faces" of Pi. You could say that each animal is present within a human. The Hyena - was basically the predator and the cruel side to humans. The Orangutan - was the mother, the state of security that a human needs/wants. The Zebra - weak and helpless, every human has a weak side. Richard Parker - The survivor I guess? (I can't really remember him) Humans have the will to live. The island is the "paradise", or easy escape that every human wants. It is also the fantasy, and a lie. Example: Some people think that they don't need to worry about the future, and that they'll be alright. That is their fantasy. When Pi leaves the island, it is humanity that realizes that you can't just take the easy way out. You have to work hard. Or something like that. Idk, I'm just taking bits from my own essay I'm not into english. IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED IDEK. Good luck on your essay.

I agree, I guess I am just over thinking things because it's worth a junk-load of my marks... Thanks guys!

I remember my English teacher going on about the ability to adapt? Something like to survive he slowly had to change how he was. He didn't eat meat before right? But on this journey of his not only had to eat meat he had to kill for it. I think what the author is trying to say is that "When the going get's tough people will do whatever it takes to survive." ;D

I have a more religious point of view on the book but I don't know if that's what you were looking for.

@DoNotCare: sure lol, most of the book leaves any views of Yann Martel/Pi to the imagination of the reader, it is never clear in the book; however I do clearly remember reading in the novel that Pi says that without Richard Parker he most likely wound't have survived the "trials". This leads me to believe that Yann Martel wants people to interact with one another because that is how we survive; however my theory can be easily thrown out because in the 2nd story, human interaction leads to corruption and destruction. The book itself seems to go everywhere without one solid theory, that is why I love it so much.

I just wrote my essay on this today as well.. o_o

Wow, I wasn't expecting much people to have read this book, but to @Tyranno2007, would this be an alright idea of his view of humanity? I actually agree with your theory, though.

I skipped the first 250 pages of the book because it was about religious crap I didn't care about.
I read the other 250 pages about surviving with a giant-ass tiger in the Pacific.

I'm going to assume that the first 250 pages were about humanity.

lol I am the self proclaimed expert of that novel! My theory of Martel's views on humanity are that without some type of interaction, we would all go insane. Take the first story for example, Pi loses every animal onboard the raft except Richard Parker, and in the book, Pi says that without Richard Parker, he maybe would not have survived. Now let's go to the second story he tells to the "detectives". Everyone dies on the raft after some time, leaving Pi all alone, so maybe he crafts a story with someone with him so he wouldn't go insane, he needed some type of interaction, and in this case, even if it is fabricated in his own mind.

I LOVE Life of Pi, I had to read it during my Junior year in High School for my AP English class, book seemed boring, but after a while it was amazing and enlightening.

@timmybitty I believe the story without the animals is the true story. I believe Pi simply fabricated the story so he would not go insane due to his loneliness (especially after witnessing the chef butchering the sailor and his mother, and ultimately Pi killing the chef himself). It still racks me because a part in me believes that the animal story is true an that Pi crafted the story simply to give the detectives a more "believable" story. It is an amazing book I have an ebook of it, a physical copy (paperback), and I am working on getting a more "rare" edition of the book in hardback.

I found that book really interesting. What was the true story? That keeps bugging me to this day >.<
I don't know really know how I can help you but I feel what your going to write about doesn't seem deep enough. =P
What grade are you in?