Casinger 1

Kendall Casinger
Mrs. Webster
English II
10/5/15
Why did Martel choose to express his ideas in so few words? How do these
very short chapters reveal the theme of the novel?

Chapters 22 and 97
Life of Pi is, at the heart, about religion and truth and Yann Martel weaves these motifs
into every paragraph and chapter he writes. From the very beginning of the book, the reader is
able to observe the long winded and detail oriented stories Martel scatters throughout the novel.
At a first glance, none of these stories seem to connect or even be relevant to the plot line,
however with a closer look, the realization of the necessity of these stories kicks in. Martel takes
pages and even sometimes whole chapters to layout intricate details. His seemingly consistent
style of writing comes to a screeching halt when he composes two very brief and crucial
chapters. in chapters 22 and 97, where he deliberately uses very few words to explain what he
means to convey about religion and truth as an author.
In chapter 22, Martel writes a very simple and short chapter conveying the impact
religion, or lack thereof, has on the way people experience the world. This novel very heavily
revolves around the idea of religion and the effect it has on reality and survival. The main
character, Pi, is so wholeheartedly devoted to religion that he is a follower of three different
ones, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. Much of Pis life and character is rooted in his religion
and it is, as some would argue, the very reason he managed to live through his many extreme
experiences. He prays everyday without fail and relies on God throughout his incredible journey.
His trials become miracles as he overcomes them with the help of his faith. In fact, everything he
does and sees turns into an event handcrafted by God when Pi applies his faith to it.
Martel uses the entire novel to unravel what a life with faith weaved into it is like.
However he only uses 71 words to reveal why. In the very brief chapter 22, Yann Martel explains
how Pi survived, the truth behind his reality, and the true effect religion has on life. When first
reading the chapter, it is evident that Martel is comparing atheists and agnostics. He explains the
views of those without religion in their life and the lack of imagination it brings even to the
very last moment of life (64). The reader is left dissatisfied with these seemingly unimportant 71
words and they are easily forgotten. It can be assumed that Martel desired this effect because
thats how he wants the lives lacking religion to be viewed. A life with no luster and God to bless
and be blessed by, is indeed just a small chapter appreciated by only those who read it with
imaginative eyes.
In the shortest chapter of the book, Martel writes only, the story(291). Martel
reinforces the idea of life being a story, read and lived differently by those who are religious. He
designates the majority of the novel to the story of the long and traumatic but miraculous life of

Casinger 1
Pi, who is driven by a firm foundation of faith. The faith infused person who is exposed to
unforgettable horrors will continue to live through it all by their own personal truths and and
incredible blessings. The agnostic who goes throughout life with cold and unbelieving eyes will
crumble and disintegrate into just a simple pile of genes when he or she is left to their own in the
same desperate and unforgiving situation.
Life of Pi is nothing more than one work of fiction describing two truths. It shows the
truth of those who believe in God and the truth of those who do not. Both truths are really just
stories that are told to display how life can be lived if religion is apart of it.