Classics Without All the Class discussion

Finished already? Read it prior to it being selected? Tell us what you thought.

Fabulous!

I really took to the storytelling of this book. I bought into this being a real story. That's really my only knock. After the fact, I am wrestling with whether or not I am okay with the author lying to me.

Nevertheless, the three parts were perfectly crafted. I enjoyed the background about the zoo. It didn't take long to see that this was going to be useful information: confined animals have needs and will not attack unless the environment is disrupted.

Thinking this was a true story, I really took to the editorial comment of the Japanese report to close out the story. Brilliant!

I have not seen the movie and am not certain I will. I am not prone to doing so, but if the mood suits me . . .

Anyhow, I am still on a high from how well this story was told. It's not complicated, but it is well done. I found each chapter compelling; I did not put the book down save sleep and mass until it was done.

I completely agree robert. I loved the division and structure of the book. I read this entire book in one sitting from start to finish on my plane ride back to NY.

I was so bored at first. I took a buddhism class at my university, so all of the religion talk was blah to me seeing as I consider myself a true buddhist after taking the class. But as soon as you get through the first part the entire book changes and everything clicks. It took a lot of energy to get through the first part, but when pt2 came it was intense. You realize at the end how important the first part of the book was. All the background info about the animals, how to train animals... etc.

Im a devout animal lover - so it was hard to get through the killing scenes for me. I skipped the details about him eating the turtles. So sad. Poor little animals.

I have so much to say its kind of crazy trying to think of it all right now so ill keep it simple. I loved the book. It captured my attention fully. I was so involved in his life that when he found that "island" and he was hopeful so was I, and as he decided to leave and he was disappointed - my heart broke with his.

This was such a different story. So refreshing from some of the common theme stories that society is obsessed with.

What do you think, Robert... Do you think it was the animal story or the human story?

I think for Pi, it had to be the animal story. A realist will only accept the human story.

I want to think that it was the animals... Makes it easier for me to swallow. It just puts an entirely different feel on the story for me.

Wow. Just finished the book and am amazed by the author's originality and story telling ability. Both versions of the "work."

I'm kind of curious as to what that island was all about (assuming everything in the animal version of the story was merely symbolism).

I think the island was a retreat for both pi and the reader. Thr island just a part of the raft created an illusion to escape the reality of alone and seemingly perilous at sea. I found perhaps the tiger could hsve been real where as the zebra and hyena human. A combination of both stories and if thr zebra was a human would explain the finding of the human tooth plant breaking the mirage of island and snapping this delirium.

Incredibly easy read. Could easily be read in one sitting. (should be?) Very well written.
I don't think it's about which story is real. It wants to provoke you into examining why we choose one story over the other. (sorry call me cynical but I fall in the realist camp)
About the island though remember pi was missing for months so I suspect he landed somewhere before the mexican coast. I think the point of the island though wasn't hope but false hope. It's an island of made of faintly sweet seaweed that he could have lived on but would have eventually killed him: to me meaning feelings of isolation, self pity, and abandoning hope. (Not to mention false companions)
When I read the twist I wasn't surprised. After I was finished with the book though and let it digest for some hours I was impressed but how complex the tale really is.

I should go back and find it, but I recall in the beginning of the book that there is a comment from the man who the author met in the bar and turned him onto the story of Pi that stated something along the lines of: the story ended just recently.

Yet, when I read the story, I didn't get the feeling this story recently ended. I kept expecting something (I was thinking a visit to the zoo) more recent to close out the story.

I didn't get that. Now I am wondering if I was cheated. Have I misremembered that comment?

Robert wrote: "I should go back and find it, but I recall in the beginning of the book that there is a comment from the man who the author met in the bar and turned him onto the story of Pi that stated something ..."

Perhaps the line you are thinking of is "It starts right here in Pondicherry just a few years back, and it ends, I am delighted to tell you, in the very country you come from." ? Maybe this is the comment?

That appears to be it. I just reread the section. It looks lie I misremembered. Thank you kindly for the help.

Well I finished it te other day, rated it 3.5 and put my review up this morning.

I thought it was alright, I liked it, but I didnt thing it was particularly special. I liked the zoo bits, I liked young Pi trying out different religions, and I liked the 'out at sea with a tiger' bits. But I didn't feel invested in either 'story' to care about which one was ultimately true. The aurthorial 'this is totally a real story about a real person I totally met' interludes stopped me from ever forgetting that the whole story was a work of fiction and it doesn't matter which story I might pick because they're both equally made up.

Wow ... I loved this book and found it very moving. I choose to believe in the animal version of the story because, like Pi, I grew to love Richard Parker.

There were some very confronting events in the book, and so much suffering, but it has left me with a sense of hope and a feeling that everything has worked out for Pi and Richard Parker.

This is probably the most original novel I have ever read - very inspiring and thought provoking.

Travis of NNY wrote: "I think the island was a retreat for both pi and the reader. Thr island just a part of the raft created an illusion to escape the reality of alone and seemingly perilous at sea. I found perhaps th..."

Wow, wonderful take on that.

This is by no means a review, but rather my immediate impressions after putting the book down:

For a lack of a better way to describe how I feel after getting to the end: Jesus Christ! I enjoyed the book, but chapter 99 was a whirlwind that has my mind racing.

The ending begins for me in part II with the holy images of an Eden that shows its true carnivorous nature after the fruit of truth is plucked from the tree! Between the imagery, the blind encounter with the Frenchman, and the final story in chapter 99 - between the questions about faith, reality, and the stories of God, I'm overwhelmed. I could not put the book down near the end.

I have to admit, I enjoyed the pleasant pace of the intro, but I found much of the survival story disappointing, and at times tedious. Not because it wasn't interesting, but because survival stories are more interesting when I know they're non-fiction. It's hard not to catch onto the foreshadowing in the first part of the book that it would all tie together in some form around questions of faith and belief, but it snuck up on me and was done so perfectly.

I see why we consider this book a classic already. I can hear my 10th grade English teacher droning in my head about the themes, imagery, character development, blah blah blah - I'm sure much of it will even be played out on this forum over the next month, but I'll attempt to start it as classlessly as possible by using some profanity and improper use of gods and prophets names: Holy F#%$n' Mohammed Vishnu Christ, I really enjoyed the end of part two and all of part three!

Where's my "like" button for that last comment

I have a hard time with this thread because I want to contribute, but I need to also have new stuff to talk about for the podcast. So I'll say this. The book surprised me. I wasn't expecting to like it at all.

I do, however, love reading everyone's take on the island as well as which story we believe. Very interesting what we all get out of it.

I loved this book, from beginning to end. None of it dragged for me, mainly because Pi's sense of humor was so woven into the descriptions that I was continually delighted.

As for which story is true.....one was a breathtaking adventure, the other was bitterly heartbreaking. So bitter in fact that one can't help but yearn toward the animal story. Pi talks about the need for hope. The animal story represents that for me, even though the animal deaths were also hard to read.

What a departure from "Age of In nocence." I loved this story and couldn't put it down. Each page of "Innocence" was like my own merciless, tedious day lost at sea.

This was a great book. I read it a few years back, then saw the movie and reread it now. It makes you think about what you need to survive life. You have to have something to believe in, and at times you have to make hard decisions. I think Pi had to create Richard Parker to be able to do the things he had to that went against everything he believed. The Moslem, Hindu or Christian part of him would not have been able to kill someone else. He needed his faith to survive, so he had to create a way of keeping faith and surviving.
Deffinetly a book that you can ponder on for hours.

When I started the book, I was enchanted with Pi's view of religion and God. It is something I have felt passionately about for a while. If I love God and want the relationship, why should it matter what my title is? It was a personal moment for me to read those moments, we will leave it at that so I do not get soap boxy.

I had a hard time with the second part. It moved so slow and it was s depressing read for me. (I tend to become very empathetic towards characters when I read, so what they experience I experience.) But I pushed through and it was worth it.

I am not sure what to make of the carnivorous island. I think Tome hits pretty close with the Garden of Eden reference. One would want to block out the memory of the french man, and finding the tooth (or forbidden fruit) is a dangerous memory.

As for the two stories, I know what I want to believe. Both stories are equally gruesome and horrific, in my opinion. As an animal lover, the intense graphic scenes with the animals were really tough for me. Both stories are so heartbreaking but in the end they have the same conclusion, Pi is alive and his family is gone. Someone mentioned on another thread how this part mirrors the thoughts on religion at the beginning. That connection is pretty spot on, imo.

I liked the book overall. I think it is a beautiful story of one's desire to survive in a physical and spiritual level. It is an amazing story when you sit and think about it. Survival with a happy ending is a rare thing. And by happy I mean being rescued.

Alex wrote: "In both cases, pages were turned, opinions were formed, and we read of a man eating tiger faeces."

I think they really do need a like button in this forum :P

Thoroughly enjoyed this book second-time around. Lot of symbolism. Intriguiging story. Think I will try to see the movie, too.

I'm one of the few who didn't really like the book. I only gave the book 2 stars. I thought the first part was slow and boring, but I kept reading because I always finish a book. For me, thankfully, the book picked up in the second part. I did like the twist of there not actually being any animals on the lifeboat. Overall, the book was not my cup of tea but it was a quick read.

Symbolism of The Algae Island
by davidtoc, December 30, 2012

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65 out of 71 people found this helpful

Quick summary:

Pi's lifeboat = faith
Island = Religion
Sea and Sun = harsh realities of real life, scrutinizing your faith
Trees = clergy/priests/rabbis/imams, etc.
Meerkats = followers of religion

The overall message of the chapter is that although religion (organized faith) can aid us and stabilize us and nourish us spiritually in the short term, it is not a viable long-term answer to our spiritual questions, and will ultimately kill us mentally and spiritually. (Found on Spark Notes under reader's notes btw)

I wanted to share this. I thought this break down on the island was an interesting way to look at it. Religion has many different faces, if you will, in one's life. As a child, you believe without question and love God like a father. As one gets older, you begin to ask questions pertaining to your beliefs, in an attempt to grasp/understand something larger than you. I am not sure if this is what Martel was trying to accomplish. But I know, personally at least, I can relate to this. It is as if my beliefs have grown and matured as I have...if that makes sense.

If great literature can be recognized by it's ability to make people think and to bring their own interpretation based on their own experience, Yann was successful. In a small book club, there is no way to get the variety of view points expressed here. This forum allows us to glimpse the enormity of the impact that Yann has on his readers. I am grateful for the variety of interpretations because they widen my view. In particular, I appreciated Alex's.

On the top layer, the narrative stands on its own as an interesting tale because I connected to Pi early on and I wanted to know what would happen to him. While I was sickened by the possibilities the second story presented, I was not surprised. The author warned us and told us the story would have a happy ending. This made me feel taken care of as a reader.

The book is so much deeper because the author included the the second story. Since both of the stories are fiction, and the author will not claim one over the other as "true" I have no problem choosing the tale that I prefer. The second story challenges the reader to take a close look at all the symbolism and "choose" the true story. How fortunate we are to have the internet to look up the name Richard Parker. Now I must read more Poe. The connections between Richard Parker, Poe and shipwrecks could fill a fascinating thesis paper. I find this character much more interesting than the island.

Lastly, I applaud Yan's ability to engage different types of people in a variety of cultures by creating a multifaceted main character so many could connect to at some point in the tangled journey. Yann manages to discuss religion, an aspect of humanity that fuels many wars at a level people can tolerate. He finds ways to bring them together while exploring differences... fascinating.

I finished this book a couple of weeks ago. I have never taken this much time to reflect on what I read.

I loved this book. There are some scenes I am confused about (will get to in a moment) but I absolutely loved Pi's character. I have a lot of respect for him and admire his "oneness" with the world. I can absolutely relate to him wanting to love God (okay, I am a bit biased here since I am Christian!) and respect him seeking all religions with an open-mind and open-heart. I do not agree that animals prefer the consistency of zoo-life vs. freedom, but his point was well made.

Part 2 completely amazed me. I cried. I cried for the zebra (and was repulsed by how he died). It broke my heart when that damn hyena decapitated Orange Juice. Richard Parker's presence, however, offered me some relief. I know..how can a 450lb Bengal Tiger in a lifeboat with Pi bring relief? Pure companionship. It was RP's presence that gave Pi the will to live. I believe he was not just living for himself, but for RP. RP would not have survived with Pi, nor would Pi have survived without RP.

Okay, the part I found confusing: the other blind man. Was that Pi imagining another castaway? Since the others on his lifeboat had already died, I assumed it wasn't one of them.

The carnivorous island was one of my favorite scenes. Beautifully described, what a majestic place. It doesn't seem logical: an island of meerkats, fresh water, and plenty of fish, and fruit that bears human teeth. Hmmm.. However, I believe that with God nothing is impossible, so I took this scene as Pi's faith being rewarded with rest. He was provided with basic provisions: food, drink & sleep. Had their journey continued without this "holdover" they would not have survived.

Part 3 blew me away! While in a hospital bed, after surviving 277 days out at sea, Pi's wit amused me the most. From proving that bananas do float, to him telling the interviewer that bonsai trees must not exist because they are botanically impossible.

I cried when I read Pi's "other" story. Everything started to unfold and make sense. I realize that we (humans & animals alike) will do anything to survive. I had to ask myself how far would I go to survive? Would I question my faith? Would I put in the same effort Pi put in to surviving? I thank God I have never been in such a situation, but it makes me wonder, what would I do? Hopefully, I will never have to find out.

holly rose wrote: "I finished this book a couple of weeks ago. I have never taken this much time to reflect on what I read.

I loved this book. There are some scenes I am confused about (will get to in a moment) but..."

Oh.and please excuse grammatical errors. I kept typing without really proof reading.

I finally finished last night. Wish I could give the book 2.5 stars - overall, my review is neutral. There were things I liked and things I didn't. Some of it was so tedious and some of it seemed brilliant. I love the idea (expressed above) of the island as Eden.

Not sure why this book is considered a classic. I'm not complaining that it was chosen for this group - I'm glad I read it and I understand it is considered a classic by many. I'm just not sure why. I'm not sure people will still be talking about this book in 50 years.

Still, glad I read it! Thanks for the opportunity to read and discuss it here in this large and varied group!

I finished reading yesterday. I have to admit, I really didn't enjoy it as a whole. Upon beginning this book, I was really hopeful that I would be blown away by Pi's story. But I ignored one pivotal issue---I cannot stand reading survival stories. And honestly, I found teenage and adult Pi to be very tiresome.

The first fourth or so of the book really did hold my interest. I highly enjoyed reading about Pi's experiences growing up in the Zoo, and his observations of the animals. I also was very easily able to identify with Pi's searching for a religion to belong to, finding more than one that fit, and the issues that this caused with others.

That being said, once the announcement is made that the Patel family are leaving Pondicherry and making their way tot he promised land of Canada, the rest of the book fell flat for me.

I did read from beginning to end, and I gave it a fair shake. But I can honestly say that had it not been a book club read, I would have stopped about halfway in.

^ I feel pretty much same, some good parts, I like his writing but whole God stuff didn't interested me at all. I have tried to read this before and without this group I would give up way before ending.

I finished this book before the end of the month, but I wanted to reflect a bit before writing, and time got away from me. So far I'm not doing very well with my reading goal of participating in the group discussions! Here are my reactions, a bit muddled by a head cold, so please forgive me.

I loved this book, and I've really enjoyed reading everyone's reactions to it as well. One of my favorite things about it was the writing style, so it surprised me that many others found it tedious. I did take a long break from the book in the middle, knowing the animals' deaths would bother me. Once I picked it up again though I was amazed how completely I gave myself over to the story. When Pi ran into the Frenchman, I was annoyed at such a farfetched event, and had to laugh at how drawn in by the rest of the story I was. A tiger and boy drifting through the sea on a lifeboat didn't seem bizarre to me by that point.

I was not expecting the human story, but think it really made the book. I'm sure I will be reading this again with an eye to all the parallels between the two stories.

I'm not sure how to express my thoughts about the island. To me it was symbolic that what allowed for survival during the light of day, would kill at night. Perhaps when darkness fell and Pi had little to do but think about the killing he'd had to do to survive, and the general desperation of his situation, he was in danger of being eaten up, as if by the acidic algae.

This is definitely a book I will be thinking about for a long time, and that is one of my personal definitions of a "classic."

Danaë wrote: "I finished this book before the end of the month, but I wanted to reflect a bit before writing, and time got away from me. So far I'm not doing very well with my reading goal of participating in t..."

That is a great review! I am glad you're participating with the discussions. Getting everyone's different perspectives makes for such fun chatter. =) Hope to see you for some of the Sherlock discussions! =)

Karena wrote: "Danaë wrote: "I finished this book before the end of the month, but I wanted to reflect a bit before writing, and time got away from me. So far I'm not doing very well with my reading goal of part..."

Thanks Karena! I'm definitely going to try to keep up with the Sherlock discussions better. :)

Hi everyone, I've loved reading all your comments and it definitely made me think about the book in more depth. This is a strange one for me as I read it about ten years ago when it was first published and didn't think much of it at all. Re-reading it I loved it! This is the first time something like that has happened to me.

I loved the zoo and animal references in the beginning of the book (in particular referring to the sloth who has a "good-natured smile.") Picturing it just makes me laugh. I was also very intrigued and enjoyed reading and learning a little about the different religions Pi subscribed to. And part two, all I can say is wow. I prefer to believe the animal story but I loved that Martel allowed us to make up our own minds. I also posted a review on my blog if anyone wants to check it out - http://www.bibliobeth.wordpress.com

Thanks guys for a brilliant discussion.

I love seeing everyone's thoughts on this one. I, for one, was blown away by some excellent writing, brilliant imagery and incredible wit, something that is all too often lacking in modern literature. I didn't think I would like it as it was too "popular" and for the most part I find that overly popular books just don't do it for me. However, this will be one of the few five stars I've given for the year. I'll post my review after I've settled my thoughts enough to write it.