Life of Pi Response

India has a population of over 1 billion people and it is the second most populous country in the world. With so many people living there it become necessary to have multiple religions to cater to the ever-growing population. Pi Patel, a teenage boy growing up in the Indian city of Pondicherry as a zookeeper’s son. Pi soon learns firsthand of the different religions in India, and how they aren’t really different at all.

Pi’s native religion is Hinduism. Pi was born into a Hindu family and lives in a mostly Hindu country. Pi is a deeply religious person and greatly enjoys going to the Hindu temple as a boy. When Pi turns fourteen, he and his family take a small vacation to the city Munnar. While there Pi, gets his first real exposure to Christianity. Pi is exploring around the city and stumbles upon a Christian church. The first day he goes in, he’s too intimidated to talk to the priest, but on the second day Pi begins to learn what the Christian faith is about. At first, he can’t believe that the people would treat God’s Son like that, and compares it to the Hindu faith saying that there would be no way a god would be treated like that if they were a Hindu god. However, Pi soon begins to look past the childish comparisons to see that Christianity really is a special religion and that true messages behind it. Pi is so inspired that he asks Father Martin to become a part of the religion to which Father Martin replies, “You already are, Piscine—in your heart. Whoever meets Christ in good faith is a Christian. Here in Munnar you met Christ.”

Pi discovers Islam by wandering through the streets of Pondicherry, until he meets a baker named Kumar. Kumar is a deeply religious man and is a Muslim mystic man. This is the complete opposite of the other Mr. Kumar, Pi's biology teacher. Mr. Kumar the teacher is an aethist, yet he also is a strong believer in his faith. Martel also shows paradox between these two by making Mr. Kumar a biology teacher. Mr. Kumar teaches science, and religion is based on spirit not on religion.

Throughout Pi’s early years in life, his devotion to God is unwavering. From an early age he develops a deep love and respect for God, and religion in general. He practices three faiths, each completely different from each other, and yet all sharing a deep love for God.