I also want to make efforts to distinguish symbolism from allegory. In an allegory, a very specific message is illustrated through one-to-one relationships between a symbol and idea. In the type of symbolism I refer to, symbols supplement the reader's understanding of a concept, from which they can draw whatever inferences they wish. What follows are some of my inferences.
The most prominent symbol throughout the book is the tiger. The literary reader will first infer that the tiger illuminates Pi as a foil (a character whose contrast to another character emphasizes key concepts). However, as the novel ends, the tiger is revealed to be a symbol for Pi. We also see that Martel uses animals to symbolize the most raw qualities of many different people.
This idea of animals symbolizing deeper qualities of humans is one I found fascinating. My favorite chapter is the one where Pi describes how certain animals can be tamed (taught to live in very close proximity to humans) but not domesticated (forming a friendship with humans). Martel illustrates this in the final moments of the novel when the Tiger leaves without looking back.
My favorite quote from the novel comes from the section where Pi describes animals that remain hidden, which I interpret to symbolize those raw qualities of ourselves we keep buried within ourselves.
“If you took the city of Tokyo and turned it upside down and shook it you would be amazed at the animals that fall out: badgers, wolves, boa constrictors, crocodiles, ostriches, baboons, capybaras, wild boars, leopards, manatees, ruminants, in untold numbers. There is no doubt in my mind that that feral giraffes and feral hippos have been living in Tokyo for generations without seeing a soul.” (Martel, 402)
Of course, this is not the main point of the novel. The main motif of this novel is storytelling. Martel captures the attention of the reader with his ability to tell a story, but the story in itself is a symbol. In order to help the reader see this I will start from the beginning of the book.
Martel spends a great deal of time (about half the novel) detailing Pi's life as a convert to three religions. The literary reader will at once see that Martel intends to make religion a central theme of the novel. This is confirmed by Pi assuring the fictional author that he has a story to make him believe in God.
At the end of the novel, Pi asks the audience which story they prefer and then states "and so it goes with God." Martel is exploring the concept of religion as a story. The point to ponder from this is the following: in the face of uncertainty (meaning if you don't know for sure what is true or not) doesn't it seem more fitting to choose the "story" of religion?
In this context Pi's journey across the ocean signifies (as does almost every other journey in literary novels) his life. The departing of the tiger is his death. Life has many possible stories, why not choose the best one?
One final symbol to explore, only because it has baffled so many others. If you use symbolism as a means to supplement a concept, one of the best symbols of Life of Pi is the meerkat island. I interpret the island to primarily symbolize (for I believe there are host of other concepts it symbolizes) wanton indulgence. The novel paints a vivid picture of Richard Parker slaughtering meerkat after meerkat.
"He was moving through them, blazing a trail of murder and mayhem, devouring one meerkat after the other, blood dripping from his mouth... He killed beyond his need. He killed meerkats that he did not eat." (Martel, 298)
Pi could have chosen to remain on this island. It was a lot more comfortable than going back on the life boat and trying to find land. It would have allowed him to be reasonably free from Richard Parker. However, although there does appear to be unlimited indulgence, Martel does an exceptional job of displaying how shallow that indulgence truly is.
There is food and water on the island, which are sufficient, but do not truly satisfy. There are many parts of our society that encourage us to settle for the instant gratification pictured here. Of course, Martel symbolizes the end result of this as a devouring acid that slowly wears its consumers away.
"He was moving through them, blazing a trail of murder and mayhem, devouring one meerkat after the other, blood dripping from his mouth... He killed beyond his need. He killed meerkats that he did not eat." (Martel, 298)
Pi could have chosen to remain on this island. It was a lot more comfortable than going back on the life boat and trying to find land. It would have allowed him to be reasonably free from Richard Parker. However, although there does appear to be unlimited indulgence, Martel does an exceptional job of displaying how shallow that indulgence truly is.
There is food and water on the island, which are sufficient, but do not truly satisfy. There are many parts of our society that encourage us to settle for the instant gratification pictured here. Of course, Martel symbolizes the end result of this as a devouring acid that slowly wears its consumers away.
I have much more I wish to explore, but I have written to much already. I fear I have validated the Bard all to well: "Brevity is the soul of wit" (Hamlet, Act II Scene II)
Works
Cited
Martel, Yann. Life
of Pi: a novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.
Shakespeare,
William, and Harold Jenkins. Hamlet. London: Methuen, 1982. Print.
