Life of Pi: Week 7, Post B

FINAL BLOG POST!

I would like to post some comments about the book as a whole, and then maybe about blogging? Is that allowed? 

The book was a slight disappointment. Too much talk, too little action. Really not what I was hoping for. The beginning parts with the zoo were good, but once you got to the middle it was too philosophical and just plain bland--it's not that they weren't nicely written, they were just...boring? I think that's the word. And I don't like boring books. Even when the story moved away from that, the pace really never really picked up and overall I was let down. The set up definitely didn't pay off in the end. I don't know how to rate it exactly...I want to say 2.5/5. Not that it's a 50% bad, it's just....It's a tough call. There's too much bad to warrant a 3 star rating.

About blogging...let me just say I'm not a huge fan. While I like the concept, the execution is a little off...I think that the same prompts every week got old...It's nothing personal, just something that I feel could be perfected.

Life of Pi: Week 7, Post A

Cultural Differences

All right, well I've talked a lot about the way a woman behaves as a mother, but I haven't really talked about how she behaves a wife...which is interesting. First of all is the way she is chosen. And I mean, that's the weird part, isn't it? She's chosen, it's not a mutual decision, at least not for the most part. That's one main cultural difference. Second is the way she's treated...We don't really see her in the book--but maybe that's the point? Pi's father plays a key role in his development, like on page 50 with the tigers, but we never see Pi's mother, other then brief glimpses when she says very motherly things, like "be careful." I know in my family, my dad plays an equal if not slightly lesser role in my life, but they both treat each other equally--something we can't safely say Pi's parents do or don't. If Pi's father won't introduce her, we won't get to see her--and that's a bad thing.

Life of Pi: Week 6, Post B

What I'd like to talk about in post B isn't actually part of the story per se, but it is part of the text...It's the italicized portions in-between chapters. 

When reading them, I instantly got confused. They're about a man, described as "an excelled cook" (22) and "a small, slim man...Dark hair, dark eyes. Can't be older than forty" (7). I really had no idea who this was describing--Was it Pi in the future? It can't be, he talks to Pi. Was it Pi's father? No, wrong description. Maybe it was a character we would meet later on in the book...Why would we get a description of him now, and why was his text weird???

Well,  I went to the best possible source (Wikipedia) and it says:

"In the novel, Pi is met by another fictional character, the supposed author of Life of Pi...Although somewhat unclear, it is the fictional author who writes the story in Pi's own words" (Wikipedia). Ohhhhhh! That makes......no sense. Not kidding. It's a lame literature device to try and provide another level to the story. 

Not only is it confusing, it's pointless and I don't like it. That's all there is. 

Life of Pi: Week 6, Post A

The cultural difference featured in this section is the idea of a better life.

In The United States, people like to ponder the belief of the American Dream. What is the American Dream?  I think the American Dream is a better life--One where everyone can get along, no matter the race, gender, or age of the person in question. This elusive dream, however, is not easily found. I think people in America have to want it, really want for it to be achievable.  Simply moving here isn't enough. I think the bigger hurdle though is the people here--they have good lives and are reluctant to change.

In India, there is much strife, it's much worse than it is here. It says "The answer is the same the world over: people move in the hope of a better life" (77). I don't even think most Americans considering moving, especially not out of the country. Maybe to get away from crime or poverty, a family will move across the town. Maybe to get access to a better job, a family will move 50 miles south. Maybe a career of a parent will even take a family across state lines. 

But hardly ever do families move from America, and especially not to achieve better lives. There's something to ponder.

Life of Pi: Week 5, Post B

I'd like to talk about what I felt on the argument between the Christian, Muslim, and Hindu leaders. First, I thought the argument was flat out funny. Some of the insults were just like...I don't even know. They were so uncalled for it wasn't even funny, but most of them were actually pretty good. Beyond that, though, I thought that the argument was completely and totally pointless, and honestly quite immature. (It's not that the writing was uncalled for, on the contrary, I thought it was very well written. It's just that the argument itself was very childish and selfish.) 

However, I don't think Pi Piscine can be blamed at ALL for trying to experiment with new religions. He's a young boy and honestly admits it himself when he says he doesn't know what to believe. Just because he's trying different things doesn't mean he's practicing all three, and even if he is, it should be celebrated that someone is so open, not looked upon as a crime. I think the reactions toward Pi's many religions was quite rude and completely wrong to do. No fingers should be pointed at Piscine, rather, he should be looked upon as a hero and one who can carry multiple religions.

Life of Pi: Week 5, Post A

One main cultural difference I have found throughout the book was the relationship between Pi Piscine and his parents. Pi's father is a tough man, who demands the best and wants to show the dangers of life, and his zoo, to his family. Like in America, he doesn't always share the same ideas as his wife. Unlike here, he has much more say in the family. Also, I feel like, and maybe it's wrong for me to say so, but I feel as if Pi respects his father much more than we respect our parents here. Pi never questions what his father does, and also goes with his plans. Even when his father asks him to watch a lion slaughter and eat a goat, Pi does it without question. Today, one of us might say something along the lines of "Dad! No way!" but Pi does it without any doubts. His blind following is something we don't often see in today's world. 

Something we also do (or don't see) is the presence of Pi's mother. Everyone loves their mom, but I feel Pi's mother plays much smaller of a role in his life than my mother does in mine. For example, in the zoo, Pi's father makes all the rules, he makes the decisions, and he watches over everything. Pi's mother is not mentioned once! I found the differences between family relationships shocking.

Life of Pi: Week 4, Post B

Dear Pi,

So far, I've had some very interesting thoughts on your book. First off, I really like your simplistic, peaceful perspective on life. I think it's very cool to have such an open mind and be able to think things in a unique way. One of the coolest things I got from the book, however, was the fact that you live in a ZOO! That's so awesome. Seriously. I would love to live in a zoo, with all the animals around you. Sure, it could smell, but you'd get used to that. And it would be like living in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Antarctica all at the same time. All the cool animals...It's something I would imagine to be sensational. However...I do think when your father showed you the Tiger eating a goat, I was shocked. However, come to think of it...I feel it was a good idea, to be honest. Sometimes, you need to see something to belive it, and that was a very powerful example for a very powerful action, and sometimes that is needed to prove a point. While it may seem disturbing now, I think you'll find it'll pay off in the long run in your respect and knowledge of animals, and will help you treat them as equals rather than lesser things.

Keep an open mind,

Michael