Truth And Reality In Yann Martel's Life Of Pi

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Recommended: Literary devices english 10

Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, an award winning novel offers not only one but two stories within its pages. Yann Martel emphasize the truth and reality is often far more complex than we perceive. Readers cannot deny the similarities of both stories, and perhaps understanding Pi’s experience lie somewhere between the two versions. Why should reader acknowledge both stories? Martel withheld which story to be the “truth” therefore stating either story to be the sole story would be mere speculation. If one were to assume either story to be the truth, it is dependent on the reader’s mindset, bias, and experience. However what they believe to be the correct answer is an assumption. “You can’t prove which story is true and which is not. You must take my word for it.” ( p.352) There is no way of proving Pi story to be true or to be false. Regardless, we are taking Pi word that he is indeed answering the question. Being the sole survivor of the shipwreck, he alone is the only one who can tell the tale. “So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can’t prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with the animals or the story without animals?” (p.352) Both stories make no difference to the reader, Wang 2 however when asked which story is preferred, they are given the option of what they believe in. Nonetheless what they take comfort in whether it to be in faith or science, the story they perceive to be the better story does …show more content…

Pi miraculous journey was as emotionally draining as physical. Pi animal story gives great insight of his spiritual journey whereas the human story was gruesome, harsh and straight to the point. “I was giving up. I would have given up – if a voice hadn 't made itself heard in my heart. The voice said, "I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so

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