Megan Brosnihan

Prof. Arav

Conference Paper

November 2, 2009

Life Of Pi: Book Review

When we began this year religion was defined as having many characteristics such as a belief system, a community, rituals and ethics. In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism are all practiced simultaneously and seen as one religion by Pi. Pi lives in India where Christianity, Islam and Hinduism are the prevalent religions. Pi claims that “We are all born like Catholics, aren’t we-in limbo, without religion until someone introduces us to God”(47) Gradually, he is introduced to each of these religions and comes to accept them all. One day the priest, the imam and the pandit confront each other about Pi. They each claim that he is a good Hindu, Muslim, Christian. Then the religious leaders begin to insult one another’s religions. The imam says that both Christians and Hindus worship more than one God. The pandit and the imam berate the priest for mistreating their savior by crucifying Him. They ask how Christians could do that to God. Pi then points out that Islam and Christianity are very similar. They share the same God. They both have Abraham, Moses, Jesus and David. His mother tells him that he is Hindu because he is Indian. Pi tells his mother that Islam and Christianity have also been in India for a very long time. He states that Jesus spent time in Kashmir and is buried there. However, despite all the examples that Pi uses to insist that he can follow several religions at once and that all religions are similar. People tell him that he can only belong to one religion. It is not until he quotes Bapu Gandhi famous statement “All religions are true.” that the priest, the pandit and the imam stop insisting that Pi pick a single religion. They continue to allow him to practice in the manner he chooses because Pi believes “all religions are true”. Perhaps, that has been the entire point of this course. Instead of showing the differences of religions and manners in which one religion can slander other religions this course has brought out similarities. All people no matter their religion have to share this Earth and it is better to find what we have in common and celebrate that then fight over our differences.

Sources

Martel, Yann. Life Of Pi. 1st. Orlando: Harcourt Books, 2001. Print.