Life Of Pi Light Vs Dark Research Paper

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Recommended: Essay about religion in life of pi

Anh Truong
Mr. Schutte
English 2 HN
21 September 2015
Light vs. Dark "Darkness? I was puzzled. I thought, Darkness is the last thing that religion is. Religion is light. Was he testing me?'" (Martel 27). In the book Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the contrast between light and dark is being interpreted in different ways, depending on the individuals opinion. It is up to them whether or not to find the light or darkness within their aspects. With a comparison between two opposite views, Martel brought to the reader a continuous contrast between the motif of light vs. dark. This motif conveys the theme of good and immoral within life. To bring a clearer picture of the motif, Martel constantly gives the reader clues and comparison throughout the …show more content…

The first contrast of light vs darkness being interpreted between two different point of views. When Pi heard Mr. Kumar says religion is darkness, he asked himself, "Darkness? I was puzzled. I thought, Darkness is the last thing that religion is. Religion is light. Was he testing me?'" (Martel 27). Martel shows the reader the different views between each individual. Pi believes in God and constantly searching for his the light to find his faith and hope. He also refuses to be in darkness throughout the novel. On the other hand, Mr. Kumar, Pi's biology teacher and an atheist; therefore, he believes religion is darkness. Beside giving the contrast of light and darkness, the reader also gets to interpret the balance of the motif. Pi is a good example of a character who possesses a balance between light and dark. Before the shipwreck, Pi was living a normal life in Pondicherry where he has devoted his life to being a Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. At this time, his life had been consisted with brightness and innocence. When Pi was stranded out in ocean, it is evident that he transitioned from being a regular innocent boy into an animalistic person. Pi says, "I wept heartily over this poor little deceased soul. It was the first sentient being I had ever killed. I was now a killer [...] I was sixteen years old, a harmless boy, bookish and religious, and now I had blood on my hands" (Martel 183). Pi's animalistic behavior is considered to be his "dark side" that he struggles to master, in order to

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