Exploring Stillness: A Journey through 'Life of Pi'

Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi tells a story set in the late twentieth century of a life changing journey experienced by a courageous adolescent. The book’s primary focus is the conception of stillness, with the plot of the novel capturing the absence of movement. Accompanying the protagonist, Pi Patel, the reader is able to dive into the story and experience the spontaneous expedition which Pi embarks on. Over the course of the novel, the reader is able to gain an outlook on the notion of stillness through the eyes of the author. Through an article titled “What is Stephen Harper Reading?” written by the author, the reader is able to evolve a better understanding of Martel’s views on stillness and serenity. With this perspective in mind, the

Throughout the novel, Martel portrays Pi to be a very spiritual soul whose curiosity drives him to explore the different aspects of three religions; Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. Three spiritualties enable Pi to triple his connections to the metaphysical, taking time out of his day to thank whichever higher power he prays to that day. Hence, these moments of prayer allow Pi to experience a linkage to a place where he is separated from his life on Earth, enabling him to reflect on what he has and develop a stronger bond with the outside world. Presumably, the idea of religion and following it has always been important to Pi. One significant example in the novel that indicates the significance which spirituality has on Pi is shown in the quotation “’Religion will save us,’ I said. Since when I could remember, religions had always been close to my heart” (Martel, 27). As has been noted, the reader is shown that Pi is very passionate about his belief in his multiple religion, granting him a mindset that allows him to feel extremely connected to multiple aspects of each spiritual belief. When taking time out of his day to pray, Pi is taken into a different state of mind, with stillness engulfing him as he speaks a meditative-like prayer. Afterwards, Pi concludes his services, and returns to his normal routine, as the stillness which previously affected him slowly vanishes. Martel embeds the quote “Religion too, makes use of stillness….we become busy and stillness vanishes”

Throughout his time on the small boat, Pi has experienced many instances where he is overcome with fear, whether fearing his carnivorous crew member, to wondering whether or not he will survive the time abandoned in the ocean. Stillness is a state of mind that can be impacted by various factors, from emotions to experiences. In this specific scenario, Pi is overcome with fear, causing him to be frozen in thought. For this reason, Pi is able to be still in his thoughts and analyze the situation he is in, enabling him to come up with plans for survival. Yann Martel sends the reader subliminal messages of stillness through Pi’s stranded situation, as it is up to him to live or let himself die. In the article, Martel shows us a different perspective on the topic of stillness through the quotation “Life, it seems, favours moments of stillness to appear on the edges of our perception and whisper to us, ‘Here I am. What do you think?’” (Martel, n.pag). With this perspective in mind, the reader is able to see how the notion of stillness is not necessarily a state of mind that occurs during positive situations, but also when making the choice between life and death. To be still is to refrain from movement and enter a state where one is quiet. In order to stay calm and find the light at the end of the tunnel, Pi had to be still. In the quotation “I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only