The Next Best Book Club discussion

OK, I'm glad I wasn't entirely alone. :-)

I'm finding the boat fun to read.

My favourite things about this book so far:
1. The fact that the tiger is called Richard Parker makes me giggle at least once every time I pick up the book to read.
2. The humour the author added in random moments.

Warning of boat spoiler: I found it a bit difficult to read the details of how the zebra suffered and have an intense hatred of the stupid hyena. I'm looking forward to his death now. Lol

Chelsea wrote: "No takers on my last discussion question? Here's another...[spoilers removed]"

Several of us have discussed one of the key issues at the end of the book, hearkening back to a question from Chelsea: (view spoiler)[that is, the role of the "other" story Pi tells and which one is the true one. I've been thinking of this in terms of how the stories interact and what this says about Pi.

If we assume that Richard Parker represents Pi - or, at least, a major aspect of Pi - then what does this tell us about the story itself? Can we view it as an allegory of some type? And, if so, what do you think it means? (hide spoiler)]

Mark wrote: "If we assume that Richard Parker represents Pi - or, at least, a major aspect of Pi - then what does this tell us about the story itself?"

Mark: I believe it is some kind of an allegory. Richard Parker, as Pi said in the end (view spoiler)[ "keeps me alive". I think it is the savage part of Pi that would do anything to keep himself alive. I believe it's inside of every one of us, and we can't 'kill' it since it is too strong, so we can only tame it. I think this is also the reason why Pi never really had any contact with Richard Parker, he was also afraid of 'embracing' this side of himself and change who he are. (hide spoiler)] This, I believe, is one of the crucial difference between the movie and the book. (view spoiler)[In the movie, Pi pulled Richard Parker's head on top of his lap. Whereas the book does not allow any physical contact between Pi and Richard Parker. (hide spoiler)]

I have the book to read but I think I will read it but I got other books I want to read first

I read The Life of Pi quite a while ago and loved it. This discussion makes me want to read it again!

Kimberly wrote: "Mark: I believe it is some kind of an allegory."

Thanks, Kimberly. Nice analysis. (view spoiler)[I didn't recognize that difference between the book and the movie.

So, if Richard Parker is the savage side of Pi, then what does the journey itself represent? Is this a kind of journey each of us takes?

Maybe the idea is that we are ultimately separate from and separated from our families and loved ones, alone on a journey in a beautiful, hostile, mysterious universe. Alone, but also multiple - fractured even.

Hmm, I'm not sure if this clarifies anything or just makes it more obscure. I guess "allegory" is the wrong word. The book is richly symbolic but there are few one-to-one formulas to apply. (hide spoiler)]

I'm wondering how the Pi's name fits into all this. We know where his dad got the name and we know about its mathematical meaning. But what does it mean in terms of the book itself?

This is an amazing book, but I do agree about the struggle in part one. It takes a while to get into it. And there's more surprise in store, especially at the end!

Mark: I believe so, it is a journey of life that we have to do on our own. Even though our family and friends may influence our choices, we still have to go through the voyage of life on our own.

Mark, regarding your question about the meaning of the number Pi, I just remember near the end (view spoiler)[ Pi says he likes "round" numbers, He even ask the writer if it is possible have 100 chapter in the book, and he says that his problem his number Pi is that it never ends, but it goes on and on (hide spoiler)] I think it is something interesting to think and try to go deeper...
(I don't have the book with me since I read it from the library, I'm trying to remember it as truly as possible)

Pi was nothing to do with the numerical! It's all about story telling! Was he called Pissine (spelling sorry) because of the pool his Uncle swam in or did he MAKE IT UP, did he find an island or did he MAKE IT UP - did he make up the story for the journalist or the Japanese? That for me was the whole point fact/fiction :)

Sanlema wrote: "Mark, regarding your question about the meaning of the number Pi, I just remember near the end [spoilers removed] I think it is something interesting to think and try to go deeper...
(I don't have ..."

Great point, Sanlema! There are, indeed, 100 chapters in this book. Perhaps as in "100%." And pi the number is inextricably related to circles, the representation of a whole, or 100% (which is why we have pie charts). I imagine there are other possible meanings here as well.

N wrote: "That for me was the whole point fact/fiction"

In many ways true, but even if we consider this fiction from an unreliable narrator, he is adding those details for a reason. I don't think we need to choose between swimming pool story or the number. Both details are relevant.

it's very hard to make a point clearly on this phone app version of Goodreads as I don't have a spoiler button! I'll admit it's been a long time since I have read this book so I'll have to have a re-read and see what I think then. Twas a brilliant book so it's not a hardship :)

i never noticed that there were 100 chapters- that's an interesting concept to consider. Before now, I had not given much thought Pi's name.

Just a quick question, did anybody actually gone through the first chapter? I still don't know how the hell should that relate to anything in the whole story...

Yeah, it's interesting. I hadn't thought about it much either. But, once you get started, it goes off in lots of directions:

- a number that represents a circle, which is the shape commonly associated with God in centuries past

- a number that symbolizes unity and yet goes on and on into infinity

- a name of a character that traverses a large part of the circumference of the planet, which is a globe, which is a circle

And then there's Pi's companion (view spoiler)[and, as it turns out, alter ego (hide spoiler)]. Here's some background on the name Richard Parker, according to Wikipedia:

- In Edgar Allan Poe's only novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, Richard Parker is a mutinous sailor on the whaling ship Grampus. After the ship capsizes in a storm, he and three other survivors draw lots upon Parker's suggestion to kill one of them to sustain the others. Parker then gets cannibalized.

- In 1846, the Francis Spaight foundered at sea. Apprentice Richard Parker was among the twenty-one drowning victims of that incident, though there were no cases of cannibalism.

- In 1884, the yacht Mignonette sank. Four people survived and drifted in a life boat before one of them, the cabin boy Richard Parker, was killed by the others for food. This led to the R v Dudley and Stephens criminal case.

- Playwright Owen Thomas wrote a play called "Richard Parker". The play was a dark comedy exploring the notion of coincidence.

I don't think any of this is a coincidence in the book. Looks like Martel chose his names very carefully.

Wow! That's facinating! Just more proof of how deep this book is. So many angles to think about.

I read this book several years ago, before the movie came out. I'll just say I didn't like the book and was not impressed, considering all of the hype surrounding it. It seemed to be mostly about animals killing each other, which was only to be expected. I did not see the movie, mostly because I didn't really like the book. Maybe I missed something that other readers found in it. I guess there are different levels on which it can be interpreted but I'm not willing to read it again. Once was enough.

Only two stars from me.

I really had no idea what Life of Pi was about when I picked it up, but I loved it. It was what I like to call a 'sponge book'. I got totally soaked up in it. It was incredible.

Any book that can make me laugh and cry on the same page has to be admired. Astounding.

I read it several years ago, also, but just saw the movie. I found the book totally absorbing, like SJ and agree--any book that can make you laugh and cry simultaneously is great. The movie was absorbing in a different way--the camera work was fantastic. Also, it kept the humor, which is an art I admire.

Judith wrote: "I read it several years ago, also, but just saw the movie. I found the book totally absorbing, like SJ and agree--any book that can make you laugh and cry simultaneously is great. The movie was abs..."

I'm looking forward to seeing the film. I'm glad hear it's held on to the humour!

I agree this book can make you "laugh and cry." There aren't all that many books out there that can accomplish this. Could anyone recommend others in that vein?

Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking trilogy and John Boyne's Boy in the Striped Pyjamas split my sides and then ripped my heart from my chest and stomped on it. With army boots.

Reading this discussion makes me wonder if I should read the book again. I admit that I'm a rather concrete thinker and didn't see that much consideration and symbolism in every aspect of the text. Maybe that's why I liked but didn't love it.

The film is as beautiful as the book is well-written; and emotional they are both. And very colorful - sometimes I even felt overwhelmed. But I guess they do not tell the exactly same story.

The film is as beautiful as the book is well-written; and emotional they are both. And very colorful - sometimes I even felt overwhelmed. But I guess they do not tell the exactly same story. "

I wonder if the film will have the same impact as the book. I wonder if I'll even be able to tell if it has the same impact. I read the book blind to what it was about, so I took in the first story with utter acceptance. Now I know there's a debate, I can't help but watch the film with a different state of mind.

Well, I saw the movie first and it pictured my reading experience as well, but it didn't really conflict with the book - or if it did I had expected worse. It sure did dramatize things that didn't need dramatizing and highlighted different aspects of the story than the book did. But the movie is a visually strong one, so if you can handle some differences between the two versions of Pi's telling, I absolutely recommend it.

Adelefin wrote: "Well, I saw the movie first and it pictured my reading experience as well, but it didn't really conflict with the book - or if it did I had expected worse. It sure did dramatize things that didn't ..."

I'm looking forward to giving it a try. It'll be interesting to see how the book has been adapted into a screenplay!

The first time I read it, I just could not get into it. I tried again & I am glad I did. Although not a favourite of mine, I didn't hate it. I haven't seen the movie yet, will be interesting to see how it compares.

I read this book before the movie came out late last year. Pi's journey was very heart-breaking and hopeful at the same time. You will learn through his experience to not give up even through the worst of times. Though a bit hard to read at times, it is still highly recommended.

I'm a first generation Indian whose parents immigrated from India to the US and Pi's story made me emphasize more with them. I loved the movie, but the book is better.

Kate, I agree with you that the first third of the book was hard to get into but once I got to the last 100 pages I was entranced. My imagination ran wild.

Like most of the readers, I learnt about this book from the movie. Just started a couple of pages last night and kinda scared away by the metaphor used in the book as well as the deepness of the content.

Hopefully I'm able to continue reading. :)

I read the book soon after it came out and watched the movie too.
The book is very well written and it carries you along on an interesting journey but leaves you hanging towards the end. That is the immediate feeling because you are anticipating the end of the journey,that is, what will happen to Pi and to Richard Parker?
Okay, after some reflection you accept this is the logical end, otherwise there are no metaphors but the immediate feeling for me was disappointment.

I see some on the thread are pointing out the difference between religion and the belief in something not as structured as religion. I actually think the story was more about belief in oneself, which is actually the core value of any religion if traced back to its roots. I loved this book for reminding us that we have it within us to accomplish great and seemingly impossible things, that our communion with God or gods is really just communion with our inner, beautiful selves. It's cyclical and always comes back to us :).

Interesting take. Which parts of the book make you believe that communion with God or gods is a communion with ourselves, Amrit?

Mark wrote: "Interesting take. Which parts of the book make you believe that communion with God or gods is a communion with ourselves, Amrit?"

Pi adopted the practices of many religions, understanding—with greater wisdom than his elders—that which god was less of an issue than GOD. The word “faith” often has highly religious connotations that confuse the essence of the word. Faith—at least as I see it—is a surrender to and acceptance of something beyond our very limited scope of comprehension. This, strangely enough, includes our own inner power and value. You know that quote by Marianne Williamson? “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” I think this is what Pi discovered during the course of his journey. He certainly had to dig deep to survive, had to believe in himself in order to coexist with Richard Parker. Searching within, unearthing his limitless power beneath all that doubt and guilt, took much more courage than any physical confrontation with the tiger.

At the end of the day, did it really matter what was true, or did it matter what religion he adopted? I don’t think so. Pi knew the answers to these questions were irrelevant precisely because he learned to have faith in himself, learned that the truth of his experience can only lay within him, not in any other. Which makes sense since the foundation for most—if not all—religions is that God (the great singular energy, or any other name/concept we may have for it) lives within us. We just have to see it.

Sorry for not being specific enough about what parts of the book. I'm always worried about spoiling the story for others :).

Thanks, Amrit!

I really liked this book, and found the ending genius!