Apologia

Apologia

The Life of Pi by Yahn Martel is a significant contribution to Canadian Literature. The book itself presents the reader with very ambiguous themes masked by a cute story dealing with animals and a young boy named Pi. The major theme in the novel is in a round-about way an encompassing reflection on life itself: the main character in the novel, Pi, is searching for the meaning of life – discovering a sense of purpose. Pi achieves this somewhat through a vehicle of recognition and appreciation of the beauty in minor details. There’s also a vague theme suggesting that a person is shaped largely by society and his/her surroundings (in the sense of one’s own identity). The novel would not have had the significant impact were it not for the author, Yahn Martel. While this novel was for the most part his only praised work, his devotion is apparent in the text. Martel spent thirteen months abroad visiting zoos and religious institutions in India; he also did two years of research on most of the settings/nature described in his book. Yahn Martel completely immersed himself in Pi’s environment before he wrote the book; this is why he is able to so-vividly describe colours and settings presented in the novel. The parallel between Martel’s life experiences and Pi’s story creates an honest tone in the novel – one that cannot be replicated by an inexperienced author.

Arguing that the meaning of life is a topic of weighty significance is like arguing that a person requires oxygen to live. Martel utilizes his knowledge of animals and religion to present this topic in a unique light. The theme of discovering a sense of purpose and overall meaning of life climaxes in chapter 99. This is where Pi retells the story of what he had experienced – he first presents the full story complete with the animal characters, then after disbelief, he offers a second version fixed to satisfy his inquisitors. Pi protests, “I know what you want. You want a story that won't surprise you. That will confirm what you already know. That won't make you see higher or further or differently. You want a flat story. An immobile story. You want dry, yeastless factuality.” – In this, a very important point is made: humans cannot discover true sense of purpose or a meaning of life if they are not able to move beyond the confines of empirical knowledge. Humans inherently test stories against fact, and this leads to a downfall – a bottlenecking of the mind. This is a very powerful message which can be explored and applied to the real world. It evokes the reader into deep reflection on one’s self, and modern society.

The Life of Pi is an internationally acclaimed novel. It was first published in Canada in 2001 and a year later in 2002 in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was generally well-received everywhere; The Daily Telegraph insists The Life of Pi is a “hilarious novel, full of clever tricks, amusing asides and grand originality.”. The New York Times says the “story inevitably takes on the quality of a parable.” and “could renew your faith in the ability of novelists to invest even the most outrageous scenario with plausible life.”. The trend continued with The London Observer echoing that “Martel has large amounts of intellectual fun with outrageous fable”. The Life of Pi was Yahn Martel’s first – and so far his only – critically acclaimed novel. He went on to receive numerous awards: including Canada’s Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction for 2001, and the Man Booker Prize in 2002. The novel remained a best-seller for the greater part of 2002-2003 in both the U.K. and U.S, and maintained strong sales thereafter. Yahn Martel’s The Life of Pi sold well over three million copies, and has a movie counterpart currently in production to be released in 2011.

Most people underestimate or completely overlook the capabilities of Canada as a nation for a variety of expressive mediums, including literature. Martel created a novel which effectively invites the reader to explore and ponder metaphysical topics that plague the minds of even the greatest philosophers: What is the meaning of life? Why do we think the way we do? What is our purpose as Human beings? This novel is fortified with a solid backing of knowledge acquired through years of intense research and personal experience on Martel’s part. Yahn Martel’s The Life of Pi is a powerful and compelling piece that not only puts Canadian literature on the map, it circles it with a fancy glitter pen.

- Tyler Scott