tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post6799961305364010577..comments2010-09-06T14:35:30.308-07:00Comments on The Supercoolest Book Club Ever: Life of Pi: The Better StoryKarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051433364695879305noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-64710398995339923302010-09-06T14:35:30.308-07:002010-09-06T14:35:30.308-07:00Life of Pi was a very good story and I believe, as...Life of Pi was a very good story and I believe, as far as Pi telling two stories, that the second story, the one with the humans, is the real story that happened. Why? Because Pi may actually be trying to escape the trajedy and horror of losing his mother, seeing his mother die, seeing humans being eaten by other humans, and the other monstrous events that happened by telling a story about animals to the interviewers and letting his imagination run wild. I am not sure if this is true but Pi did say "and so it Goes with God." meaning any story can be the real one based on what u see and believe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-32806577678607639652009-11-04T15:43:37.475-08:002009-11-04T15:43:37.475-08:00I agree with Arwen the tiger is relaated to God. I...I agree with Arwen the tiger is relaated to God. I believe that the second story was for the people that font believe in God or miricles. While the one with animals is like faith you cannot tell if it is true or not but if you believe it is true(I believe) Te tiger is almost God because he kept Pi alive. As for IFLYG you did miss the point it is you just have to believe. Pi even said it himsel "you have to believe one story the one that is more far fetchd or the more believable one" some people find it easier to believe like a atheisist (the second story) and some chose believe in the unbelievable which is basically what religion is all about (the fist story)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-4027943648893005662007-03-07T16:56:00.000-08:002007-03-07T16:56:00.000-08:00I finally finshed the book. How do we explain the ...I finally finshed the book. How do we explain the meerkats? Even if he did make it up to deal with the incredible journey, how do we explain the meerkat bones? Do you think that the story of the tiger is a way to explain that god (in any belief system) doesn't exist too? I liked the story of the animals so much more than the 'O. Henry' ending that I will choose to believe that one instead of the easily packaged one (and I am pretty much an atheist).Arwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08291473729882762391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-30540710053911586622007-03-06T12:26:00.000-08:002007-03-06T12:26:00.000-08:00I FINALLY finished!Okay -- it was a difficult book...I FINALLY finished!<BR/><BR/>Okay -- it was a difficult book to commit to -- I don't think I can definitively say that I liked it, but I am glad that I finished it.<BR/><BR/>The writing was good -- although, in places I found myself reading, then re-reading because I got lost. Some parts (the gruesome ones) were told with such detail and offered such clarity that I physically got queasy -- while others kind of brushed up against a description and left me with an incomplete picture.<BR/><BR/>The end tied it up for me -- the mind can protect the soul when necessary.Mrs Big Dubyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011708546823480537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-58113386371151439962007-02-28T07:05:00.000-08:002007-02-28T07:05:00.000-08:00I'm still unfinished, as well, thanks to the narco...I'm still unfinished, as well, thanks to the narcotic cough syrup I've been taking at night. I keep falling asleep before I can read much, but I'm plugging away. <BR/><BR/>Perversely, I'm now looking forward to reading the rest of it after reading the other analyses so far. I have found this book slow going (this is the second or third attempt at reading it for me!), but reading what everyone else is thinking has made me determined to stick with it.Velmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425566563311066790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-89928269633035988752007-02-27T15:10:00.000-08:002007-02-27T15:10:00.000-08:00Kristen- I hear you. I finished it and really like...Kristen- I hear you. I finished it and really liked it by the end. It was really hard to get into but I ended up enjoying it once I finally got into it. I lent it to my mom and, in her words, "It got better, but it could have BEEN better." I have to agree, but still liked it. I love his child-like view of god as love. If only every religious person was unable to see all of those boundaries that organized religion puts onto God...we'd have a hell of a lot fewer wars.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-3072885440181949952007-02-27T06:49:00.000-08:002007-02-27T06:49:00.000-08:00I agree w/ my good pal Cape Buffalo -- you guys ar...I agree w/ my good pal Cape Buffalo -- you guys are very insightful.<BR/><BR/>I'm a bad bookclub member, I haven't finished yet either. It was a very slow start for me, but at least now he's finally in the damn boat!<BR/><BR/>I do have to say that you gotta love his use of language -- I mean, not too many people use words like catholicity.<BR/><BR/>I'm shooting to have it done by the end of the week -- I promise<BR/>SorryMrs Big Dubyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06011708546823480537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-87744962101765162172007-02-27T05:25:00.000-08:002007-02-27T05:25:00.000-08:00You two are brilliant. I haven't finished Pi... y...You two are brilliant. I haven't finished Pi... yet. The events of the last two weeks have made doing much of anything impossible but based on what you guys have to say I'm going to try and finish it tonight.Karahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051433364695879305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-41673492317059009212007-02-26T17:21:00.000-08:002007-02-26T17:21:00.000-08:00iflyg - You just articulated what I was having tro...iflyg - You just articulated what I was having trouble working through in my mind. Pi kept talking about God as love, and referred to "turning to God" during his hardships, but he also talked just as much about despair and darkness (even temporary blindness). I also think because he "accepted" all three faiths, his philosophy / spirituality was more of a coping / survival mechanism (like you mention) than a profound universal / spiritual understanding.Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02667140531327670081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821807720963843649.post-88551582146637890902007-02-26T15:25:00.000-08:002007-02-26T15:25:00.000-08:00I've got to admit, the "second story" (or the "O. ...I've got to admit, the "second story" (or the "O. Henry ending", as I've been thinking of it), did throw me for a loop, and tied things up for me in a comprehensive, though horrible, way.<BR/> <BR/>But at the end of the book, I still couldn't see the relationship between Pi's religious beliefs and his experiences. The preface of the book described a "story that will make you believe in God", and Pi's acceptance of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity in the early chapters reminded me in a way of "Siddhartha"; I was expecting Pi to have reached some sort of enlightenment or deeper understanding of himself or the universe or God or something by the end. This expectation of mine was reinforced by the incredible circumstances of his life on the lifeboat with Richard Parker - I was thinking that his unfailing belief, while going through all of these hardships, was going to pay off for him, somehow.<BR/><BR/>In thinking about the book now, I wonder if "god", or "religion" (be it Hinduism, Christianity, or whatever) weren't just imaginary coping mechanisms for Pi, like the construct of the animals sharing his boat. If so, did they work for him? I guess so - he survived. But they certainly didn't lead to any greater meaning for him, or for me. In fact, like Richard Parker, his belief in god & his different religions seems to be another of those things that aren't true, but helped him to (barely) get by. I'll keep my agnostic doubt, thank you.<BR/><BR/>Of course, I've probably missed the point entirely. I did really enjoy the descriptions of catching dorado, though :)IFLYGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840642464893708408noreply@blogger.com