Poetry

Despite no explicit reference to poetry, the importance of prose is vividly portrayed in Martel’s, Life of Pi. Throughout the novel, Pi devours any book he can get his hands on. He reads about religion, philosophy, animals, and essentially anything he comes across. His mother knows his weakness and oftentimes would attempt to sway him away from conversational topics of which she did not approve, by introducing him to novels he had yet to read. Because poetry is not explicitly mentioned, some aspects of allusion can be inferred. The trials Pi faces are seemingly similar to those of Odysseus, from the epic poem, The Odyssey. The Odyssey tells the tragic tale of Odysseus of Ithaca, a man who left home for war, and on his return lost almost everything except for his life. He faced witches and sirens, monsters and Greek gods, but his will to survive surpassed even the greatest obstacles. Paralleled in both stories is loss, Pi, his family and his animal friends, and Odysseus his men. This loss of loved ones is the first of many similarities. Pi struggles with a hungry tiger on board a 26 foot lifeboat, and Odysseus has to find a way to escape from a hungry Cyclopes’ prison. Both men manage to dupe their beasts and ultimately gain some form of freedom. In addition, Pi finds himself on what appears to be a beautiful, lush, supply wielding island, when in reality it is a carnivorous death trap. Despite its supply of food and fresh water, it was deadly. Likewise, Odysseus finds himself under the enthralling spell of the Sirens. The songs of these mermaids seduce listeners into joining them on their island, when in reality it is surrounded by rocks and is a death trap just like Pi’s island. What appears to be beautiful, like the songs of the sirens and the supplies of the island, is just a trick that masks the true desire to kill. Pi and Odysseus are both constantly struggling just for their survival, but they manage to live by sheer force of will. Just like Odysseus in the epic poem, The Odyssey, Pi overcomes all odds and lives to tell his amazing story.