Life of Pi: Chapters 28-36

I loved chapter 28, since it was a happy chapter in which Pi expresses his joy with his prayer rug and baptism. Afterwards, Pi discusses the reasons and difficulty of going to Canada, and all the hard work his father must do so they can leave. This part of the book I wasn't a fan of. It was boring and I was confused about this whole things with Mrs. Gandhi. I loved the chapter where the Mr. Kumars meet. I found it funny how both of the influential men had such similarities with their interest in zoos, but difference in viewpoints religiously.  However, my favorite part was probably chapter 36. I loved how it takes the author this long to finally meet Pi's family and see a different side of him. I was surprised by his having a teenage son, wife, and young daughter. It is a sort of light at the end of the tunnel while we go through the darker story.

Life of Pi: Chapter 18-27

I personally quite enjoyed these chapters, and the way each little anecdote fits like a puzzle piece in order to form a picture of Pi and his faith. The first portion of the reading covers how Pi sees a Muslim pray for the first time, and slowly begins to learn the brotherhood and beauty of Islam. I found it a confusing chapter to read when Pi’s parents are approached by the three holy men, who all wish to talk to his parents about his faith. There were many references to the difference between the religions, and Pi’s answer of wanting to love god was so very perfect and mature. This is one of the moments which decide whether or not you love a character. Oftentimes, when I dislike the main character I wish to discontinue reading since I don’t care what does or doesn’t happen to them. But these chapters about Pi and how he sees this beauty in religion and how this mixture of gods can result in a view of the world which is both pure and flawed. I can’t imagine being chased away from my own Jewish temple, just because people saw you as unworthy to practice your religion, as happened with Pi. When Pi asked his parents for a baptism and a prayer rug, I was reminded of when I asked for a razor. My parents reacted similarly, with talks between the two of them about whether or not they would allow it. This really make Pi as a character more human, and his life a little more average.

Life of Pi: Chapters 9-17

This reading portion goes over the themes of animals and religion.
Chapter nine covers what flight distance is, and how reducing flight distance allows for animals to be healthy. It leads into book ten, which talks about how animals must have a perfect place to live in order to be at peace, and they will be content to stay put. An anecdote in chapter 11 of a female leopard which hid for 10 weeks, and basically left its zoo in order to be comfortable with its surroundings.
These three chapters seem to sort of form one idea together. It develops the importance of being in a place where you are comfortable and then you will be content with your existence. It was a little boring at this section, and truth be told I took a nap before resuming with the rest of the reading.
Chapter 12 seems like an incomplete idea. It goes from the narrator's fear of how Pi gets agitated by his memories into how the author dislikes spicy food.
I did not understand why this particular chapter was put where it was. While it separated the ideas of inferiority and superiority from that of surroundings and safety, it had little to do with either topic.
Chapter 13 talks about how circus trainers only have control since they establish it as their territory, and makes himself the alpha male. The trainer must make  sure the lions know that they are inferior, and fill their minds with fear. Chapter 14 further describes this idea with pointing out how often the star of the show is the omega animal. It gets protection from the trainer by being compliant, and it is demonstrated in all sorts of animals.
Chapter 15 stresses the ideas of religion. It describes the various religious artifacts around Pi's house with the Virgin Mary, Ganesha, Krishna, Shakti, and Christ being celebrated in various ways. I found this chapter to be beautifully written with vivid descriptions, but confusing with a barrage of descriptive and religious words.
Chapter 16 delves into Pi's first experience with Hinduism and some of its basic ideas with Brahman and atman and Auntie Rohini bringing him to a temple as a baby. Chapter 17 also talks about religion from Pi's point of view, but rather about Christianity. Pi's family had gone to Munnar and Pi went to a christian church and met with Father Martin. Pi explains his confusion with Christianity and how there is only one real story to it. Pi talks about how he met Jesus, and how he feels that Jesus is a sorry excuse for a god for he suffers as a human, and lacks fantastic powers as the Hindu gods have, but rather talks and spreads ideas. The chapter ends with a comparison between the fast religion of Christianity and the slow religion of HInduism, and how Pi finds out that he is/ can be Christian if he so chooses.

Life of Pi: Chapters 5-8

What went down:
Chapter 5
Pi explains how he was tormented for his name and was called Pissing. When Pi changes schools, he changes his name to Pi. He explains how he finds refuge in no longer being made fun of, and how other people had some Greek nicknames as well.
Chapter 6
The author tells us more about modern Pi and how Pi is a great cook, and has many packages of food in his pantry.
Chapter 7
Pi tells about his biology Mr. Satish Kumar, who is atheist. A tale of how Mr. Kumar introduced Pi to atheism, and challenges Pi's beliefs really goes with the theme of religion.
Chapter 8
Pi's father teaches Ravi and Pi about how dangerous tigers are, along with the other animals of the zoo by showing how the tiger ruthlessly killed a goat.

My observations:
The theme of religion was repeated often in this section. References are made to the past people in the various religions, and how their situations are similar to that of Pi's. Also, the idea of faith and atheism is explored in chapter seven, with Mr. Kumar. I enjoy this building of Pi's character, it reminds me of how there is a lot of build up in To Kill a Mockingbird, so we care and understand the characters better.

Life of Pi: Author's Note and Chapters 1-4

Thus far, the Life of Pi has been made up of little short stories, yet we as the reader know very little about Pi himself.
Author's Note
The author talks about his journey to India, and how the story he attempted to write lacked the spark needed to make it a great book. They go on to tell us about how they met an old man, who introduced them to this fabulous tale, which the author gets more detail about from Mr. Patel, whose story it is..
Chapter One
The main character tells us about his life generally in this chapter. He goes on to tell about his study of zoology and religion, and his view on sloths. How sloths move slowly, yet survive both in spite of and because of their dullness and slowness. The character then tells about his being a good student, the strange relationship between death and life, and how work can kill. This all leads into a comparison between India and Canada, a paragraph dedicated to Richard Parker, and how the character was injured and in a Mexican hospital. The last paragraph tells the tale of a waiter making him feel bad for eating with his fingers.
I found reading this chapter to be a confusing yet rewarding task. We learn little small things about Pi and his view on life, and the descriptive passages make the rather uneventful moments spring to life.
Chapter Two
Chapter two was short, and describes a man. The identity of both the speaker and the man is undefined.
Chapter Three
An anecdote about how Pi got his name is described in great detail in this chapter. Pi was taught to swim by Mamaji, a family friend. Pi's brother Ravi and parents attempted to learn, yet they never had quite the same passion for swimming. Pi tells us about how Pi's father enjoys swimming tales, and Mamaji loves to talk about Parisian swimming pools. While many of them were enjoyed by Mamaji, Mamaji's favorite was the Piscine Molitor, and after that pool Pi was named.
Chapter Four
Chapter four is a large description of the zoo Zootown, which Pi's father ran. A large comparison of how running a zoo is harder than running a hotel compares the animals to different people in daily life. Yet this contrasts with Pi's description of the place as a child. Pi makes it seem like a paradise of sorts, with each animal improving the zoo. Pi goes on to compare how being free for an animal does not equate happiness, and how being in a zoo can still result in happy animals. I loved this part with the rich descriptions, and the different viewpoint on zoos than we usually get to hear.

Book Twenty Four: Peace

After a long story the book is over. I was honestly relieved. The suitors come down to the underworld while Agamemnon and Achilles talk about their deaths, Odysseus tests Laertes before finally revealing that he has returned. The parents of the suitors are angry and despite warnings, decide to attack. Athena makes Laertes strong and Antinous' father is killed before Athena stops the fighting and scares the suitors away. I was displeased with the sudden ending of the story, because it was so much faster paced than the rest of the book. Also, I was confused as to why Dolius would still like Odysseus after both Melantho and Melanthius (his children) were killed by him.

Book Twenty Three: The Great Rooted Bed

I felt like this was a very emotional book, but very little actually happened in it. Eurycleia tells Penelope that Odysseus has returned and even after sseing Odysseus, Penelope thinks that he can not really be Odysseus. Odysseus bathes and Athena makes him more attractive and magnificent. Penelope then tests him by telling Eurycleia to move the bed, to which Odysseus gets angry asking if the bed was cut down since it was made from a living tree. Penelope realizes it really is him since only the two of them and one maid have ssen the bed. Athena holds back the night as the couple talk about their past and Odysseus' last quest. Telemchus and Odysseus leave to raid and see his father.
I found it interesting how Odysseus tells the bard and the servants to dance and play music, so it seems like Penelope got married. After violently murdering one hundred some people, it would have been the last thing on my mind especially with truly seeing his wife for the first time in twenty years.

Book Twenty Two: Slaughter in the Hall

The very title of this book leaves little to the imagination. Slaughter= killing in the hall= in the palace. Finally, Odysseus kicks some suitor butt. How things play out:

1. shoots Antinous in the throat
2. many of the suitors think that Antinous killed by chance, but Odysseus then reveals himself saying that they would never imagine he would return
3. the men are scared, and Eurymachus makes a case that Antinous was the worse and just wanted the marriage to become king
4. Eurymachus offers for the suitors to pay Odysseus back, if they leave with their lives
5. Odysseus refuses and Eurymachus rallies the suitors to fight
6. Odysseus shoots Eurymachus, and he dies
7. Amphinomus rushed the king, but Telemachus spears him in the back
8. Telemachus decides to get arms for the four of them, and shields etc.
9. Melanthius accepts that there are on escape routes and decides to get some armor and weapons for the suitors
10. Telemachus realizes that he must have left the door open, and the swine and goatherd go to see if one of the women or Melanthius are responsible.
11. Eumaeus and Philoetius find Melanthius, and tie him up in the storage room.
12. Athena shows up as Mentor and asks Odysseus what happened to his fighting spirit
13. She then turns into a swallow and sits in the roof to test Telemachus and Odysseus
14. the suitors try to hit the four fighters witht ehri spears, but Athena had the spears miss, and the fighters kill suitors with their spears
15. the Cowherd killed Ctesippus and says that the spear is for the cow's hoof that was thrown at Odysseus
16. Leodes megs for mercy, but Odysseus cuts off his head
17. Phemius the bard begs for mercy, and Telemachus vouches for his innocence along with that of the herald
18. Hearing the prince, the herald comes out and begs for mercy, to which Odysseus tells them to stay in the courtyard
19. Eurycleia retrieves the unfaithful maids, and they are hung by Telemachus after cleaning up the bodies
20. Melanthius is hacked apart
21. Odysseus fumigates the house to purify it

Alot happened after the rather long and boring books. I found it weird how Telemachus so easily murdered a dozen women for them sleeping with the suitors. Also, although I understand why Odysseus did not grant their request, he did not even consider sparing the suitors for them to pay him. I would have given it some thought if it would mean peace in Ithaca. Also, 106 people were killed, but we only really heard about maybe a dozen. It just mentioned the stacks of bodies, and Odysseus is still considered a caring and good guy.

Book Twenty One: Odysseus Strings His Bow

Most of this book was pretty boring the usual Odysseus insults and Penelope crying about Odysseus. The book just has all the suitors trying to string Odysseus' bow, and all of them failing after Penelope removes it from storage. Odysseus meets up with Eumaeus and Philoetius and tests their faith before revealing his identity. Odysseus tells them to perform some tasks when signaled to. After taunts and debates with the suitors, Odysseus is allowed the chance to string the bow, which of course he does easily. Zeus decides its time to send a sign by having it lightning, and Odysseus shoots an arrow through all twelve axes. The swine and cowherd get all the women to be locked in their rooms and close the gates. Then, the sign is given to Telemachus and the book ends with Telemachus uniting with his father to kick butt.
After reading this book I was relieved that something was actually going to happen. The past 8 books or so have been about the preparation for this point, and finally blood will be shed. There have been enough predictions, enough signs, enough creepy blood dripping. Bird signs in the past books and seers have told the suitors their doom, and another seer who is also a suitor Leodes says that the bow they are trying to string will kill them all. Alcinous of course refuses his prediction, and antagonizes Odysseus, which is not good since he is fated to be killed first of all the suitors.

Class Analyzation of Book 20: Portents Gather

Portents: signs or omens

• Eagle with dove
• Amphinomus realizes will never kill the prince, concentrate on feasting
• Odysseus killing the suitors
• thunder and curse from maid as an omen from Zeus to Odysseus
• asks for another sign bc impatient
• not fully trust Athena's plan
• blood and laughing
• bleeding
• crazy laughter
• meat bleeding
• crying, grief
• walls with blood
• ghosts 
• mist and no sunshine
• creepy
• seems like the crawling meat with the Cattle of the sun
• used in sacrifices
• change something loved into hated
• don't have choice
• unfair bc make suitors more hated
• enjoys toying with mortals
• cruel to suitors, amphinomus, and Odysseus
• seems like very involved in Odysseus' lives
• make Odysseus suffer
• throw ox hoof at Odysseus
• selfish, needs something to do
• make sure that does not have his doubts

• had worried about people getting revenge after killing all the suitors
• can guard you since i am a goddess
• even if many, you could drive them away
• feel like shouldn't have to fight the suitors
• sort of vague, would continue the cycle of violence
• Melanthius returns
• makes fun of Odysseus
• Odysseus thinks about murdering Melanthius

Book Twenty: Portents Gather

Odysseus plots, and he hears the maids leaving the suitors. Odysseus decides he will kill all of the women for sleeping with the suitors, yet in some quotes he blames the suitors for dragging the maids to their chambers. It seems weird that they would use that as a reason why the suitors are in the wrong, yet since it appears to be the maids' choice, it incriminates them as well. It was weird how after Athena visits him, Odysseus still has his doubts about beating the suitors after hearing Penelope wish for her own death. Zeus made it thunder and a maid complain about the suitors. The next day there is a feast for Apollo, and Eumaeus and Odysseus talk to each other. Melanthius still uses what little superiority he has to make fun of Odysseus and Philoetius the cowherd wishes that Odysseus was back. Again, Odysseus assures that Odysseus will return to kill the suitors. Again, the bird omens present themselves when an eagle flew past holding a dove and Amphinomus told everyone to stop plotting and to feast. Athena is extremely irritating in that she wants to make Odysseus suffer and be angry by making sure that they continue to insult Odysseus, and Ctesippus threw an ox hoof at Odysseus. Telemachus ends up promising that he will not delay the marriage of Penelope, and all of a sudden the suitors begin to laugh uncontrollably. Blood comes from the meat and drips down the walls. Ghosts and mist surround the palace and Theoclymenus points out that none of the suitors will escape Odysseus' wrath. That scene is completely terrifying. How someone would come up with that as a warning is disgusting. Since its supposedly caused by the gods, yet the gods care for people and such, why would they come up with such a disgusting and unearthly way to express their displeasure.

Book Nineteen: Penelope and her Guest

In book nineteen, very little happens. It is mostly just preparation for the slaughter of the suitors. Telemachus and Odysseus move the weapons, Penelope questions Odysseus, Odysseus is bathed and recognized by Eurycleia, and Penelope asks Odysseus to interpret her dream. I feel like women are grouped as evil, such as when Odysseus says that "No women's wildness here in the house escapes the prince's eye." Also, that Odysseus promises to kill all of the women in his palace, seems sort of like an overreaction since they are just working for Penelope. They do not deserve to be killed as they are not hurting his wealth, they only damage Odysseus' pride. Melantho again points out how Odysseus should leave, and Penelope calls her out on being wrong and like her husband, threatens her with death. Killing people is not the best way to solve problems, and I feel that the royalty is letting their power get to their heads.

Book Eighteen: The Beggar-King of Ithaca

Book Eighteen is another chapter that I consider relatively boring. Odysseus reached home almost six chapters ago, and I am waiting for something to actually happen. In book eighteen all that happens is Odysseus fights with Irus, Penelope tricks the suitors into giving gifts, and Antinous and Odysseus antagonize each other. Athena continues to do her godly work when she makes Odysseus look more impressive before he fights Irus, Penelope becomes more beautiful to the suitors, and she stirs up rage among the suitors at Odysseus. The most irritating thing about this book is how Odysseus constantly has his pride hurt, and responds inappropriately to it. When Irus challenges Odysseus, Odysseus takes offense and ends up hurting Irus severely. One of Penelope's maidens makes fun of him, and he threatens to tell Telemachus and have her hurt or killed. Last of all, Odysseus takes offense when the suitors insult him, yet when they feel offended by his remarks it is considered wrong. Yet in their eyes, this beggar of a much lower status is offending them, which if Odysseus was the person it was happening to then it would not be acceptable.