★ Life of Pi: The Second Story tells the Truth
Yann Martel's best selling novel Life of Pi was successfully translated to a moving picture directed by award-winning director Ang Lee. An epic movie that shows the survival experience of a 16-year old skinny indian boy named Piscine 'Pi' Patel (Suraj Sharma) after their ship was wrecked by a storm and found himself the only survivor with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker on a life boat for 227 days in the pacific.
That isn't the meat of the film. There is a deeper sense that you need to dissect as the plot progresses.There is a mystery. A big question on your head that both Lee and Martel wanted you to answer by yourself. How? By deciding which story of Pi do you prefer. I will discuss it later. Meanwhile, here are the things that you need to consider first before watching it.Things to consider before watching it.
- Manila is mentioned as supposedly one of the stop overs of the Japanese ship where Patel's family was on board. Yes, not Philippines but Manila. Don't over react.
- Know your math. Get your old notebook where you write the definition of Pi. Well, I will give you its definition for your benefit. Perhaps, you were having sex with your girlfriend while your math professor taught it in your school. Well, ‘Pi’ is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of the circle’s circumference to its diameter and is approximately equal to 3.14159…its decimal representation never ends and never settles into a permanent repeating pattern.
- If you love Bollywood, you will love this film more so consider their intonations but I found it so cute as if I'm watching Aamir Khan's films.
- Several religions were discussed briefly but the character of our GOD as the omnipotent Being is highlighted. If you have issues on this matter especially theology, don't watch it if you are too philosophically oriented with that divine facts. I tell you, Lee made it fair to everyone.
- At the end, you will have to choose and interpret the elements of two stories that really describe what had really happened in 227 days. I suggest, you pay attention to the last part.
- Are you an animal rights advocate? Control your temper. Don't fight for CGIs.
- Watch it in 3D. Ang Lee sees to it that the projection must be perfect. 3D gives life to some of its cinematic effect.
- Bring your family, you will all learn something new after watching it.
Let's divide the 'Pi' chart
It was Suraj Sharma's first acting on a film but his character was powerful enough to convince that he was struggling. He was able to captivate the viewers heart by his tender voice yet enliven with intriguing lines. Pi in the film is not strong the way we describe superheroes to our children. His courage and new wisdom owed him to his character as an inquisitive school boy. Those virtues were unleashed when he tried to save his life and his first-enemy-then-become-friend bengal tiger (Richard Parker).
The film didn't endorse any religion but instead combine Christianity, Hinduism and Islam as his greatest tool to survive. Yes, he was a christian,hindu and a muslim because according to him, regardless of the different stories those religions have, they meet all at the crossroads through one God.He learned to sacrifice when he met Christ and learned Jesus deed from father Martin. Hinduism as his first religion in India and his third religion islam taught him brotherhood and reincarnation. He applied it to Richard Parker, a tiger that seemingly reincarnated to something that can be tamed and has self-control.
Mixed feelings
Mixed feelings
Pi's struggle would be your struggle too. The film keeps you in a state of trouble when Pi is in trouble. Makes you disappointed if he is frustrated to save some lives. Gets you mad if he is angry with the fact that he is with a predator. Brings you smile if he successfully eaten at least one fish or a biscuit. Keeps your nerve functioning if he falls asleep as if you would like to do something to help him but you couldn't. A mixed feelings that consume your precious time to contemplate and realize the lessons you would grab.
The seamless computer generated images of Richard Parker, flying fish, and the meerkats unconsciously convince you that you are seemingly watching real wild animals before you. The cinematography and its approaches to 3D framing created a one powerful movie that tells thousands of reasons to love life.
The controversial
The book and the film both leave us a question "Which story do you prefer?".
At the final frames, when 2 Japanese writers interviewed the surviving Pi at the hospital and seemingly unconvinced with Pi's fantasy story, Pi narrated another version of his story with no animals involved. He said, there were 4 of them who actually survived, his mother Garit, the cook, wounded sailor man and himself. The cook killed his mother and the sailorman before him and he later killed the cook. With all the emotion, he narrated it with conviction. No fantasy. Tears went out from his weary eyes while sharing the second version of the story to the said japanese writers.
I believe on the second story
Assuming you have seen the film, my answer to the grown up Pi's question must be "I will prefer the second story". I believe that Richard Parker was Pi himself. I must agree to what other interviewer said that a banana cannot float on the sea.How much more with an Urangutan on it?
How come that a Hyena was able to hide with a tiger? He must have heard them growling or fighting each other that night. How could a Hyena hide himself during the big waves moment and later revealed himself after the storm?Pi must have noticed it. Can a zebra or urangutan or a tiger escape to a cell knowing Pi's father was sensitive in preserving wilderness. His father knew how dangerous these animals are and you would say they have escaped? How?
This unrealistic placement of characters forced me to believe the second version. Notice how sincere Pi was when he told the second story to the Japanese (with flowing tears plus a zoom in to his eyes).
There was no Richard Parker inside the boat. That character is Pi's wildest side. That traumatic event of his life must have forced him to hide the truth to unbelievable characters because he was still holding the darkest days of his life and could not describe how The Cook killed his mother Garit before him and later he killed The Cook.
The tiger, for me,was his imaginary subject that for Pi, his savior. Had it not been for that tiger, he would have been dead. The survival kit suggested that to keep his blood circulating amidst crisis, you have to think of something that will keep him alert. He must have diverted his mind to something that will keep his senses awake. Remember how his father apprehended him when he tried to feed Richard by his hand at the zoo. That was dangerous. He never forget it. That scene must have stored to his subconsciousness and brought back to life to keep him alive for 227 days.
Was he fool and he even shared it his american friend? Wait, he didn't omit the second story to give his friend choices. Of course, one would choose the first story because you will learn a lot like brotherhood,sacrifice, friendship, and faith. That's how Pi wanted them to perceive the story and not the killing of his mother which would surely give him depression and instead he preferred to hide it behind the characters of the zebra with broken leg, a hyena, a female Urangutan and a tiger.
This line of Pi after he was rescued by the mexicans, I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye." concluded it all and brought pain to the viewers heart when Richard Parker didn't give a single glance so Pi could say goodbye. That destroyed him. Now, how would I relate it if there was no Richard Parker from day 1?
It is because he lost the biggest part of his life. A portion of his entire being that he could not bring it to life again. Knowing the character of Pi, he has sparks among the crowd. His inquisitive mind and his obsession to divinity and natural forces especially lightning, you would also agree with me that everything was Pi's imagination. He is a good story teller. A literature genius.
The second story tells the truth. If asked which is better/entertaining, the original plot tells the most inspiring messages about sacrifice and relationship.
How about you? Which story do you prefer? Can you leave a comment? I might as well consider yours too.
At the final frames, when 2 Japanese writers interviewed the surviving Pi at the hospital and seemingly unconvinced with Pi's fantasy story, Pi narrated another version of his story with no animals involved. He said, there were 4 of them who actually survived, his mother Garit, the cook, wounded sailor man and himself. The cook killed his mother and the sailorman before him and he later killed the cook. With all the emotion, he narrated it with conviction. No fantasy. Tears went out from his weary eyes while sharing the second version of the story to the said japanese writers.
I believe on the second story
Assuming you have seen the film, my answer to the grown up Pi's question must be "I will prefer the second story". I believe that Richard Parker was Pi himself. I must agree to what other interviewer said that a banana cannot float on the sea.How much more with an Urangutan on it?
How come that a Hyena was able to hide with a tiger? He must have heard them growling or fighting each other that night. How could a Hyena hide himself during the big waves moment and later revealed himself after the storm?Pi must have noticed it. Can a zebra or urangutan or a tiger escape to a cell knowing Pi's father was sensitive in preserving wilderness. His father knew how dangerous these animals are and you would say they have escaped? How?
This unrealistic placement of characters forced me to believe the second version. Notice how sincere Pi was when he told the second story to the Japanese (with flowing tears plus a zoom in to his eyes).
There was no Richard Parker inside the boat. That character is Pi's wildest side. That traumatic event of his life must have forced him to hide the truth to unbelievable characters because he was still holding the darkest days of his life and could not describe how The Cook killed his mother Garit before him and later he killed The Cook.
The tiger, for me,was his imaginary subject that for Pi, his savior. Had it not been for that tiger, he would have been dead. The survival kit suggested that to keep his blood circulating amidst crisis, you have to think of something that will keep him alert. He must have diverted his mind to something that will keep his senses awake. Remember how his father apprehended him when he tried to feed Richard by his hand at the zoo. That was dangerous. He never forget it. That scene must have stored to his subconsciousness and brought back to life to keep him alive for 227 days.
Was he fool and he even shared it his american friend? Wait, he didn't omit the second story to give his friend choices. Of course, one would choose the first story because you will learn a lot like brotherhood,sacrifice, friendship, and faith. That's how Pi wanted them to perceive the story and not the killing of his mother which would surely give him depression and instead he preferred to hide it behind the characters of the zebra with broken leg, a hyena, a female Urangutan and a tiger.
This line of Pi after he was rescued by the mexicans, I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye." concluded it all and brought pain to the viewers heart when Richard Parker didn't give a single glance so Pi could say goodbye. That destroyed him. Now, how would I relate it if there was no Richard Parker from day 1?
It is because he lost the biggest part of his life. A portion of his entire being that he could not bring it to life again. Knowing the character of Pi, he has sparks among the crowd. His inquisitive mind and his obsession to divinity and natural forces especially lightning, you would also agree with me that everything was Pi's imagination. He is a good story teller. A literature genius.
The second story tells the truth. If asked which is better/entertaining, the original plot tells the most inspiring messages about sacrifice and relationship.
How about you? Which story do you prefer? Can you leave a comment? I might as well consider yours too.
I believe the first story because that's what written in the book. :) hahahaha!
ReplyDeletehehe..but even the book isn't sure. Yann Martel leaves two stories.
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping by.
I believe the first actually, and believe he gave the 2nd as a result of how he had come to understand that humans will accept stories of dirt and murder instead of choosing to believe in the divine...in miracles.
ReplyDelete