Anyone here read Life of Pi?

Lurker · 29th January 2004, 12:53 PM

Anyone here read "Life of Pi" by Martel?

I would be interested in hearing thoughts on it.

Lurker

Jas · 29th January 2004, 07:35 PM

Absolutely fantastic. A wonderful read. Probably the best book I read all year.

Graham · 30th January 2004, 05:27 AM

It was a nice story, well told but philosophically, I thought it was disappointing.

His "proof that god exists" that he trumpeted so confidently at the start of the novel was, IMO, childish and rather pathetic.

Basically it boiled down to "You should believe in god because the other version of the story is too gritty and unpleasant"

The funny part was, I thought his story made it seem almost certain that the gritty and unpleasant version was, in fact, the truth and the more pleasant story (the "god" version) was just something Pi made up to make the whole thing less unpalatable.

Graham

ASRomatifoso · 30th January 2004, 06:43 AM

An absolutely superb book. Full of beautiful imagery. It really made me ponder a few things about religion and the nature of belief (things I already ponder frequently). I recommend it without reservation.

Lurker · 30th January 2004, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Graham
It was a nice story, well told but philosophically, I thought it was disappointing.

His "proof that god exists" that he trumpeted so confidently at the start of the novel was, IMO, childish and rather pathetic.

Basically it boiled down to "You should believe in god because the other version of the story is too gritty and unpleasant"

The funny part was, I thought his story made it seem almost certain that the gritty and unpleasant version was, in fact, the truth and the more pleasant story (the "god" version) was just something Pi made up to make the whole thing less unpalatable.

Graham

I thought it was a great read myself. Some of the "tiger" story seemed to slip into fantasy which I think was a clue that the "tiger" story was the fiction and the "human" story was the fact. Thus, Pi, to escape the hideous reality, concocted a far more pleasant story under the heat of the Pacific sun.

If I think along those lines though, the story of Pi is not a story that will make me believe in God but a story that makes me believe in God less! Why? Because Pi created a more pleasant version of reality. Isn't that what we religious people do by "creating" God? The concept of God is then a way to put a beautiful face on reality.

I say this as a Christian. Funny how the author may have had the opposite of his desired effect on me.

Any other thougths?

Lurker

Graham · 30th January 2004, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lurker

I thought it was a great read myself. Some of the "tiger" story seemed to slip into fantasy which I think was a clue that the "tiger" story was the fiction and the "human" story was the fact. Thus, Pi, to escape the hideous reality, concocted a far more pleasant story under the heat of the Pacific sun.

If I think along those lines though, the story of Pi is not a story that will make me believe in God but a story that makes me believe in God less! Why? Because Pi created a more pleasant version of reality. Isn't that what we religious people do by "creating" God? The concept of God is then a way to put a beautiful face on reality.

I say this as a Christian. Funny how the author may have had the opposite of his desired effect on me.

Any other thougths?

Lurker

I find it interesting that as a Christian and an atheist we both got exactly the same things from the story. It's not a matter of perspective, I mean.

Apparently the author had some sort of conversion experience whilst writing the book and was too startled by his revalation to notice the flaw in his metaphor.

Graham

29th January 2004, 12:53 PM	#1
Lurker Illuminator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 4,187	Anyone here read Life of Pi? Anyone here read "Life of Pi" by Martel? I would be interested in hearing thoughts on it. Lurker
Lurker Illuminator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 4,187

29th January 2004, 07:35 PM	#2
Jas Queen Skankarella of Ho Nation Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 3,845	Absolutely fantastic. A wonderful read. Probably the best book I read all year.
	__________________ "Ah, there's nothing more exciting than science! You get all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing down numbers, paying attention... Science has it all!" Lest We Forget

30th January 2004, 05:27 AM	#3
Graham Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,465	It was a nice story, well told but philosophically, I thought it was disappointing. His "proof that god exists" that he trumpeted so confidently at the start of the novel was, IMO, childish and rather pathetic. Basically it boiled down to "You should believe in god because the other version of the story is too gritty and unpleasant" The funny part was, I thought his story made it seem almost certain that the gritty and unpleasant version was, in fact, the truth and the more pleasant story (the "god" version) was just something Pi made up to make the whole thing less unpalatable. Graham
Graham Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,465	__________________ The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling. - Paula Poundstone

30th January 2004, 06:43 AM	#4
ASRomatifoso Thinker Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 186	An absolutely superb book. Full of beautiful imagery. It really made me ponder a few things about religion and the nature of belief (things I already ponder frequently). I recommend it without reservation.
ASRomatifoso Thinker Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 186

30th January 2004, 06:50 AM	#5
Lurker Illuminator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 4,187	Quote: Originally posted by Graham It was a nice story, well told but philosophically, I thought it was disappointing. His "proof that god exists" that he trumpeted so confidently at the start of the novel was, IMO, childish and rather pathetic. Basically it boiled down to "You should believe in god because the other version of the story is too gritty and unpleasant" The funny part was, I thought his story made it seem almost certain that the gritty and unpleasant version was, in fact, the truth and the more pleasant story (the "god" version) was just something Pi made up to make the whole thing less unpalatable. Graham I thought it was a great read myself. Some of the "tiger" story seemed to slip into fantasy which I think was a clue that the "tiger" story was the fiction and the "human" story was the fact. Thus, Pi, to escape the hideous reality, concocted a far more pleasant story under the heat of the Pacific sun. If I think along those lines though, the story of Pi is not a story that will make me believe in God but a story that makes me believe in God less! Why? Because Pi created a more pleasant version of reality. Isn't that what we religious people do by "creating" God? The concept of God is then a way to put a beautiful face on reality. I say this as a Christian. Funny how the author may have had the opposite of his desired effect on me. Any other thougths? Lurker
Lurker Illuminator Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 4,187

30th January 2004, 09:11 AM	#6
Graham Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,465	Quote: Originally posted by Lurker I thought it was a great read myself. Some of the "tiger" story seemed to slip into fantasy which I think was a clue that the "tiger" story was the fiction and the "human" story was the fact. Thus, Pi, to escape the hideous reality, concocted a far more pleasant story under the heat of the Pacific sun. If I think along those lines though, the story of Pi is not a story that will make me believe in God but a story that makes me believe in God less! Why? Because Pi created a more pleasant version of reality. Isn't that what we religious people do by "creating" God? The concept of God is then a way to put a beautiful face on reality. I say this as a Christian. Funny how the author may have had the opposite of his desired effect on me. Any other thougths? Lurker I find it interesting that as a Christian and an atheist we both got exactly the same things from the story. It's not a matter of perspective, I mean. Apparently the author had some sort of conversion experience whilst writing the book and was too startled by his revalation to notice the flaw in his metaphor. Graham
Graham Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,465	__________________ The wages of sin are death, but by the time taxes are taken out, it's just sort of a tired feeling. - Paula Poundstone