Faith Vs. Logic

   It was in this book that I took refuge from the chaos of reality. Merely the title of the novel, The Life of Pi, stirs curiosity. The idea that one can mix the finite nature of life with the infinite nature of the number 3.146... presents a beautiful, intriguing paradox. Yann Martel makes a statement just in the title that this story will live forever, surviving through generations. He sheds his wisdom any chance he gets by crafting not just a tragic, lackluster bildungsroman but a biblical tale that bends the mind's framework of reality. The Life of Pi is a fantastical mélange of the absurd and the real, taking the form of a nuanced interpretation of Noah’s Ark. It beckons one to question whether one should rely on logic or faith to lead their journey through life.

     As one delves deeply into the many facets of the novel, it is apparent that religion is a guiding force in Piscine’s young life. Unique in nature, Piscine’s tale represents not just another tragic teen’s saga, but a life led by passion and zeal for not just religion, and “more than rite and ritual…[but] what the rite and ritual stand for” (Martel 48). Martel crafts him as a renaissance man that defies generational norms and society's mundane expectations for the youth. Amidst the controversy of his religious diversity in being a Christian, Hindu, and Muslim, he stays true to himself remarking, “it is my heart that commands me so” (Martel 48). His religion plays into his unflagging spirit throughout his voyage in the Pacific with a man-eating beast, the dangerous Richard Parker. While nearing towards starvation and dehydration, he clings to faith stating, “you get your happiness where you can…[it is like] reach[ing]…a point when you’re at the bottom of hell, yet…you feel you’re the luckiest person on earth” (Martel 217). It is his blind vulnerably in faith that makes his story both addicting and perilous.

     Another facet that Martel explores in the novel is atheism, or dismissal of faith and religion. In addressing this complex subject, he constructs two key characters in the beginning and the end of the novel; Mr. and Mrs. Patel introduce agnosticism into Piscine's life, then the Japanese Maritime officials, Mr. Chiba and Mr. Okamoto, represent staunch, unapologetic atheism in the end. It is these characters that fuel Piscine's interest in faith in an ultimate being over logic. For instance, after hearing the young boy's account of his voyage across the Pacific with Richard Parker, Mr. Chiba questions the plausability of the floating tree island that Pi described as carnivorous and filled with small rodents. In an effort to build his credibility, Mr. Chiba references his Uncle from Japan who studies unusual plants, stating that no such tree could exist--prattling on non-sensically about bizarre plants that he claims to have existed. With a witty response, Piscine replies, "whoever heard of such trees? They're botanically impossible...I believe [only] what I see" (Martel 295).  Paradoxically, Martel uses humor and mockery to highlight key argument flaws by those who use logic. He fights logic with logic to prove how "reason"can limit the perception of an individual. Piscine openly mocks the rigidity and coldness of atheism in chapter twenty-two:

        

I can well imagine an atheist’s last words: “White, white! L-L-Love! My God!—and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostic, if he satys true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying “Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain,” and, to the very end, lack of imagination and miss the better story. (Martel 64)

Logic represents that which omits the mystery, vulnerability, and flawed nature of humans. In the end, Martel's character choices create a fine line between those who have faith and those who use logic.

     Penultimately, a key componenet of Martel's persuasion towards faith is the connection between the two stories at the end of the novel. One could say the development of a logical, more plausible story relates to the difference between literal and metaphorical interpretations of the Bible.

     Overall, interfaith dialogue, mockery of atheism, and an alternative ending suggests The Life of Pi is a strong proponent of faith over logic. This book reveals to the reader whether they value the vulnerability and mystery of faith or the realism and reason of logic. I learned a lot about myself in reading this book, because it defined my interest in my religion and faith sharper. Martel's writing truly betters the relationship between the reader and faith.

   

Post #2: A List of Memorable Books

1. The Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling. I picked up the first book in the third grade on a dare. It was in the sixth grade reading section, so I thought I was living on the wild side. Ever since, I've been hooked on Rowling's healthy combination of fantasy, love, and rebellious youth.
2. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. Something about the mindless chatter intrigued me. Stream-of-consciousness writing evokes a sense of personality and vulnerability with the writer.
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. After seeing a world without books, I learned to appreciate the power of reading in society.
4. Gender Trouble, Judith Butler. Though a rather short read, Gender Trouble took me almost two months to finish. I found it memorable because I had never taken that long to comprehend a piece of writing. It really requires an open mind and focus.
5. The Empire of Tea, MacFarlane. Exploring the relationship between man and tea, Macfarlane introduces some surprising finds on how the tea plant influences international politics, imperialism, and colonial economies of the world.
6. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll. It is the best escapist novel yet. Carroll makes words into pictures, both literally and figuratively. I am blown away every time I read his book (roughly six times so far), much less open it.

Entry #1: Reading is a Gamble

     Reading a book is a gamble. You bet your time, patience, and interest against all odds, hoping in return that the author gives you what you're looking for--good storytelling. The majority of us readers have fallen into the trap of investing our precious time in dull, forgettable books, practically selling our souls to hackneyed plot twists just to feel some sort of accomplishment by the end of the book. The mediocrity of it all becomes tiresome and discouraging to those that ache to find the next classic.

     One book is worth the gamble. A rarity in the literary doldrums, The Life of Pi written by Yann Martel, truly exhibits exceptional storytelling. Raw and zesty, Yann Martel's writing invests in the passions of the youth, the religions of the world, and the instincts of the animal realm to intrigue readers. He sought not to write a book that would be simply read once and then tossed to rot on a dusty bookshelf, but he sought to write a book that would perplex the reader and badger them to pick the book up again and read it a second time; in order for one to fully engage in the text, one must maneuver through the book the first time with child-like naivete then follow up with deep meditation. One passage in the text caught my attention, because it demonstrates Martel's ability to captivate readers with the absurd:

"All living things contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, sometimes inexplicable ways. This madness can be saving; it is part and parcel of the ability to adapt. Without it, no species would survive" (Martel 51).

     The Life of Pi is arguably one of the most interesting melange of concepts and ideas thrusted into just a mere novel. It touches not only on familial relationships, religious conflict, atheism, corruptive politics, animal rights, evolution, adaptation and human loss but also the historical importance of a great story; the idea that a great story is one that is absurd, implausible and unforeseeable, but yet, through the ages, is accepted by society. Even the title The Life of Pi suggests that the main character's story is infinite in nature--much like the timelessness of classic literature. All in all, Martel has written something that is not limited to our generation but to the generations to come.