Wednesday, October 31, 2012
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.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
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.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
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.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
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.
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.
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