Comment of two of the significant passages in the "Author's Note" of Life of Pi. These passages can be found on the ENG4U website at: http://sites.google.com/site/fungeng4u/life-of-pi-author-s-note
Also respond to at least one comment posted by another student.
Due date Monday September 21st.
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54 comments:
Life of Pi Significant Quotations " Author's Note"
Septerber 16th, 2009
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" I think the significance of this quote has to do with the boundaries that we as a society and our government create. If we let them control the craetiness in ourselves like artists then what dreams could we have when out creatiness dyes off.
"it starts right here in Pondicherry just a few years back, and it endds, I am delighted to tell you, in the very country you come from"
"and it will make me believe in God?"
"Yes"
"That's a tall order."
"Not so tall you can"t reach"
I think the significance here is people and God. Here one is saying that to make him believe in God will be difficult " tall order " but the other man says basically that you are tall enough to reach out if you really want to. Many of us could reach out to God if we wanted to but most of us will not try our best to reach out. Some may be closed minded, chooce a different path or simple think it all is a waste of time. One can do anything if you truly want to.
"This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
I think that this quotation can be interpreted that the author had a hunger for writing, or an eagerness to start over. The context of the quotation pairs with the idea that he had just had a failed novel and was looking for a new start. I think the fact that he describes his will to start again as hunger, can also relate to having a passion for something. In the author's case, this passion was writing. I think it is important to be able to have a hunger or craving for something, to be passionate is bliss in my eyes.
"Despite my best efforts at playing the clown or the trapeze artist, the media circus made no difference" (v).
The quotatoin seems to be an analogy of being in the hands of media critics. The media has a way of taking your words and twisting them into something that they were never intended to be, almost like a mockery of the inital work created. I think that the circus analogy comes into play in the sense that mockery is common in a circus, and everyone wants to fit into the game that they are playing. This could lead to the referance of being a trapeze artist or clown. It is like looking for acceptance and feeling like, and realizing that the media has turned you into something you are not. I think that the author felt like he was part of the circus, and was not winning their games.
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for that sake of greater truth, I would turn to Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it bringing out its essence?"
This Quotation seems to be saying that when we transform reality we find the truth in reality that we do not wish to see or worse we miss from the blink of an eye.
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believeing in nothing and having worthless dreams."
This quote tells us that if we do not support those that make stories of far off lands and keep our imaginations working then what do we have? Nothing we do not have an imagination and thus do not have dreams that are worth something but so long as we keep our imaginations growing and developing we have something to dream about doing and accomplishing.
"And it will make me believe in God?
"Yes."
"That's a tall order."
"Not so tall you can't reach" (ix)
We learn here that the author is already closed his mind to the idea before he even considered it. I find this, seeing as that most authors are generally open minded in order to acquire a larger perspective. He also points out that god isn't out of reach either. So people automatically dismiss something as being unattainable without even trying.
"The voice that answered had an Indian lilt to its Canadian accent, light but unmistakable, like a trace of incense in the air" (x
Its interesting to note that the author refers to the mans Canadian accent, having a lilt to it. Almost an accent within a accent. The author then puts this into a visual representation by associating his accent with the smell of incense.
This book has many quotes that will make us question our thought about the world.
Whether this book has changed me and my thiughs on the world well not yet.
thoughts to be added later.
Thank you to those who have bravely started to post their comments. Good work, and equally important -- good time management skills.
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
I think that with this quote the author is trying to convey the message that fiction is what you make of it. The author doesn’t need to go to Portugal to ensure that he has all the facts straight because with fiction, he can write Portugal however he pleases and make it real. As an author, he has the ability to pick and choose which parts of reality he wishes to portray, thus ‘transforming reality’ as he sees fit and shining a light on the elements he thinks most important.
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"Actually, I had a preparation of one word" (v).
Here I think the author could be saying one of two things. Firstly, he could be trying to show not only how unprepared he was, but how it didn’t really matter. Martel went without any real knowledge of what he was getting himself into, but that was part of the appeal of the adventure. Secondly, the author could be trying to express the importance of language, showing that knowledge and experience can stem from just one word.
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For the response to another student’s comment, I will respond to Sydney’s comment on "This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
I agree that the author is using these words to portray his passion for writing. Like Sydney said, his previous novel had just failed and so Martel was eager to start anew. Food is a basic need, something absolutely necessary for survival. I think the author chose these words in order to show that he writes for more than passion; he writes because he needs to do so in order to survive
1. "If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" (xi).
- I think this passage is pretty straight forward. In my opinion, it means that artists that surround us with these stories, drawings and everything else, have a way of keeping our mind open, and let us wander into a different world full of imagination, and if we don't support these artists, than life becomes boring, we do not have anything to help us imagine or dream, and life becomes worthless to some. I think our imagination keeps us sane in a way, because if we had to live life, doing and thinking the same things everyday, than it becomes too boring to live in, and I think we'd all end up going insane, if we didn't have some kind of imaginary world to drift off to once in a while.
2."This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
- I think what the author ment when he said this book was born as I was hungry, was that he was hungry for selling his book, or hungry for being heard of. I think in the beginning of the book, he didn't seem to put alot of care and thought into his books, and that could have been the reason why he wasn't selling, so being so hungry to sell, he would just write and write and write, but nobody would buy, maybe because the book didn't hold alot of deepness to it, and I believe that Pi Patel's story will change that about the author, and help the author realize why he was so hungry all the time.
I think this passage came out in an act of desperity.
3.- Along with my previous statement about the author being so desperate to sell, after reading sydney's comment, I think the author could just have a passion or eagerness for writing. But I also believe it's something more deeper than that, because the author mentions that his books are always the ones to be the last sitting on the shelves. So I think because of the lack of selling, he's becoming "hungrier", maybe starting to become a little too anxious about selling his books.
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
i believe this passage is stating he wanted to touch on Kierkegaard but he stuck to the truth. No matter how beautiful or rough the truth may be he told it, and kept the humble facts. In the world the truth is an important essence to tell and as much as you feel like avoiding it, its always best to tell it and be honest when you feel like lying and disregarding the facts of truth. Thats also what makes this book factual is the creation of truth and how he tells it.
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
I think that this quote reflects the entire author’s note. The author’s note leads us to believe that the text is nonfiction, when it is clearly a work of Martel’s imagination. Martel is blending fiction and nonfiction right from the very beginning, as this fictitious novel allows him to relay harsh truths in an ironic and even humorous way. By leading us to believe the origin of this novel is nonfiction, the reader is more likely to project oneself into the novel. By creating the fictitious story, Martel can change reality to reveal truths that are not confronted in society.
"Actually, I had a preparation of one word" (v).
As the one word Martel had preparation for was “bamboozle,” I think that this quote again relates to the theme of the connection between fiction and truth. The clerk at the train station claims he is not bamboozling Martel on the fare, but Martel cannot be sure. Martel’s blend of fiction and nonfiction at the beginning of the novel disallows the reader from knowing if Martel is revealing truths, or if we are being bamboozled.
2. "This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
To me this quote isnt talking about the author writing when he was physically hungry. But when he was mentally hungry, as in to start creating and writing a book. I believe the author may have had an idea waiting in his mind to escape down on paper and he was ready to creat it so others could read it. It also shows a passion of writing and self modivation to start creating his work.
Response to Sophia's comment----"Actually, I had a preparation of one word" (v).
Here I think the author could be saying one of two things. Firstly, he could be trying to show not only how unprepared he was, but how it didn’t really matter. Martel went without any real knowledge of what he was getting himself into, but that was part of the appeal of the adventure. Secondly, the author could be trying to express the importance of language, showing that knowledge and experience can stem from just one word.
My comment: i think this is totally true, but i also think because the word was bamboozle which is a unique but weird word for a word of preperation. But i think what was meant by this word was is it truth he will find or lies. Therefore will he be bamboozled by people or will he bamboozle them.
" Your theme is good, as are your sentences...... But it all adds up to nothing." VIII-1X
Here I think the author is saying that you can have an amazing book that in reality should be great but will sit on the shelfs untouched by anyone. I think this shows how hard it was for the author to write this novel how much thought and time also effort he put into the writing of "Life of Pi" He did his research, gathered all the facts and still had to use an imagination to get the great story. The next line is "from the back of your mind is speaking the flat, awful truth: it won't work. We all have this voice that tells us we can't succeed and think the author was describing what his mind was telling him. This tells me that I should be listening to the voice in my head although I don't always.
"Books lined the shelves of bookstores like kids standing in a row to play baseball or soccer, and mine was the gangly, unathletic kid no one wanted on their team". (VII)
This is a simile the author uses to help picture this book that no one wanted. I picture this little kid who is awkard with thereself and therefore no one sees how great this kid really is. I think this is the case with the book, on the cover it looks gangly and awkward but on the inside this book is great and perfect in every way. I think this is Martel's way of telling us to not judge this book by the cover.
Response to Sydney's Comment on "This book was born as I was hungry"
I agree completely with what sydney said I think this had a lot to do with the fact that the Author's first book did not go over well and I think that he was hungry for more, hungry to write a new novel that will be a classic. I think he was ready to start over and wanted to start over.
Good work. Try to support your observations with direct reference to particular words in the text.
One note to make your writing stronger: state what you have to say without using the words "I think" . . . when you are tempted to use these words just delete them and write what you think.
One other comment:
Be sure to add your full name and course section to your posts. I have many students in my classes with the same first name. If you want to have credit for your work, make sure you identify who you are, and what class you are in. Thank you kindly.
I am responding to Kelsey's comment on "Books lined the shelves of bookstores like kids standing in a row to play baseball or soccer, and mine was the gangly, unathletic kid no one wanted on their team". (VII)
I agree that this quotation gives a very strong mental image when reading. The moral message that she described as "not judging a book by its cover", is very suiting to the context of the novel and the quotation. Sometimes you need to look deeper into something to find the true meaning, not everything can be seen with the naked eye.
Previous post by
Sydney Clackett
ENG4U1-02
"This book was born as I was hungry." (v)
To me, this quote states that at the time he was really thriving for success and to share his stories with the world. Martel was not literary hungry as somebody has already listed about, he was just hungry to write.
"Actually, I had preparation of one word."(v)
He knew that they used the word bamboozle, and that was the only thing that he knew. When Martel says that he was unprepared I think it was because he did not know what was coming. He was not prepared for the adventure that he was about to have.
ENG-4U1-02
"This book was born as I was hungry"
i found this to be a very interesting quote, especially to open the book with it. I wasn't sure if the author was speaking metaphorically, i thought the quote ment he was looking for success, he was striving with ideas. The author may have also been literally hunary but towards the books perspective he had set out large goals for himself and the book.
"I stuck to the bruised truth"
For this quote i thought the meaning was to lay everything down, there was no if, ands, or buts, only the truth. The Charater to me didn't want to lie or not say anythin but the truth so he stuck to the humble facts. This quote can also be taken a a metaphor because of the brusied truth, which could mean not the whole story but what really matters, twisted in some sort of small way.
I agree with Samantha's view on the quote " i stuck to the bruised truth" i agree with it because i have the same view as she does, i think that no matter how beautiful or rough the truth might be, it must be told. Honeslty is key!!
Please use proper, standard Canadian English with proper spelling and punctuation. Proof your work carefully before you publish your responses. Be sure to include the page #s and even paragraph when possible. Although this is a blog, it is a forum in which formal English is praticed.
Be sure to include your first and last name as well as the section of your class -- even if you think I know who you are.
Last, but not least -- please read all the blogs previous to yours. Creativity, independent thought, and the acknowledgement of others' ideas is important. Make every attempt to avoid restating what has already been said.
I look forward to reading and evaluating the remainder of responses.
"The voice that answered had an Indian lilt to its Canadian accent, light but unmistakable, like a trace of incense in the air" (x).
Yann Martel was born in Spain in 1963 and grew up with Canadian parents. You're able to see that he would be recognize the Canadian accent and possibly lived in Canada at that time. When I researched the definition I found that a lilt is a rhythmic swing or cadence, or a lilting song or tune. (dictionary.com) This made me assume that Mr. Patel had a soothing voice, possibly one that he could use to his advantage in getting people to hear his story. Martel recognized the Indian lilt as one could only recognize incense if you know what it smells like. Similarly Martel had to know the Indian accent to recognize it. This quote also creates a strong image of 'the smell of incense'. The incense itself is connected with many religions using incense in their practices.
"It seemed natural that Mr. Patel's story should e told mostly in first person -- in his voice and through his eyes. But any inaccuracies or mistakes are mine" (xi)
Yann Martel shows integrity (the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished) by admitting that if there is a mistake it is because of him and not due to Mr. Patel. He acknowledges that he did not create the story himself and allows it to be told in a way that truthfully represents the text. I enjoy reading in first person because I feel that it more powerfully engages me. Whether Yann Martel assumed that it is easier to read or not the first person point of view help many people understand the text.
I am going to respond to Diamonds comment based on the quote here;
"It starts right here in Pondicherry just a few years back, and it ends, I am delighted to tell you, in the very country you come from" (ix)
"And it will make me believe in God?"
"Yes."
"That's a tall order."
"Not so tall you can't reach" (ix)
I agree with Diamond about the 'tall order' being about someone trying to reach God. I would simply change the "many of use could reach out to God if we wanted" to "all of us could reach out." Although I agree with the beginning of her comment I do not agree with the statement "one can do anything if you truly want to". I don't believe you can do anything if you want but you may have to put forth effort or have a faith in God to achieve some things. For example I may want to raise someone from the dead but I do not have the power or ability to. Or I might want a job but I can not achieve that by simply wanting to. We still have to work at our circumstances to achieve certain things.
"Once upon a time there was a zoo in the Pondicherry Botanical Garden" (x)
While reading this quote, I thought back to childrens litereature, and how stories are generally started. By stating "Once upon a time", the mind automatically assumes that the author will not offer facts in the story, but indeed tell of a fairy tale or fantastical tall tale. It is interesting that Yann Martel would choose such words to describe a story that is intended to be of truth, when in reality the statement has the reader pondering whether or not the novel will be of fictitious nature. Because of this quotation, we as the reader begin to understand that if we do not pay close attention to the story (as another quotation mentions paying close attention), we may play the fool and mistake a lie for the truth.
"He showed me the diary he kept during the events. He showed me the yellowed newspaper clippings that made him briefly, obscurely famous. He told me his story. All the while I took notes. Nearly a year later, after considerable difficulties, I received a tape and a report from the Japanese Ministry of Transport. It was as I listened to that tape that I agreed with Mr. Adirubasamy that this was, indeed, a story to make you believe in God." (xi)
As this quotation is read through, once again the question of truth and fiction come into play. However, this time there seems to be no doubt that the story is real, seeing as Yann Martel has described to the reader the official documents and diary kept that proved the story to indeed be an event from the past. I think that the purpose of the confusion between truth and false reality in this novel is honestly to make the reader pay closer attention to the text. The fine ballance of the "truth" elements gives the reader a chance to decide for themselves whether or not the story was real, based on the sufficent evidence provided from the text. Although the meaning behind this text is intended to give way to a truthful side of the story, there are many other sections throughout the novel which make you, as a fellow reader, question the actual facts of the story.
In responce to Destiny's interpretation of the quotation,
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii), I agree with the statement that the character did not want to lie about anything that could be found out either by intention or mistake. Also, on another note, I think that this quotation sets the reader up for the impression that the entire story will be truth filled, because Yann Martel expresses at the beginning of the novel that he was going to stick to the bruised truth. At the same time, when Destiny said that the bruised truth could we a twisted reality, Yann Martel could have uesd the truth and twisted it in a way in which the user is lead to believe that it is the truth in its entirety. This of corse, is no the truth, and once again could become bamboozled very easily.
Darcy Derbecker
ENG 4U1 - 02
"It's a misery to would be writers . . . It leaves you with an aching hunger" (vii).
This quote makes me think of writers who are striving to become somebody and who want to have their names heard of as successful authors. Since they may not have been successful in getting their work published or have not achieved the recognition they hope to get, they’re left with a frustration. They may feel that their ability as a writer is worthless and that they won’t achieve the success they dream of.
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" (xi).
For me this quote is saying that without our artists we would not have imagination. We would live in a world where we are constantly faced with truth and reality, which makes for a pretty boring life. Believing in such things as ghosts or aliens would become pointless because our imagination plays a large part in that belief. Having dreams for the future would be nonexistent since you wouldn’t have anything to imagine yourself doing. Artists have the ability to make us think of things that we may never have imagined had we not explored their works. These artists have the ability to create a world that for many is an escape from the difficulties of life.
"Books lined the shelves of bookstores like kids standing in a row to play baseball or soccer, and mine was the gangly, unathletic kid no one wanted on their team". (VII)
This is a simile the author uses to help picture this book that no one wanted. I picture this little kid who is awkard with thereself and therefore no one sees how great this kid really is. I think this is the case with the book, on the cover it looks gangly and awkward but on the inside this book is great and perfect in every way. I think this is Martel's way of telling us to not judge this book by the cover.
My Comment: I agree with Kelsey’s analysis of this quote because when I read this quote the first thing I pictured was an unpopular child who was left behind. I agree with Kelsey that Yann Martel was using a simile to make us give his book a chance and to not judge the book by the cover or by the first page.
In response to Diamond's comment on: "If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams."
I agree with Diamond that we as people need to believe in creativity because it is the only way to grow as human beings. The government often does put restrictions on how we share our ideas in the form of censorship. Also if we as people do not believe that we can advance, we will not dare to dream and break new ground. The quote is trying to say that we need to use our imagination to live to our full potential.
Josh Winters
English 4U1-02
Period 2
In response to "Once upon a time there was a zoo in the Pondicherry Botanical Garden" (x)" Posted by Kim, I am inclined to agree with her, it is hard to tell whether or or not the novel will be of fictitious nature. Sometimes children's books can have a happy or light connotation attached to them. When in reality most children stories are about horrible circumstances. (if Mr. Shaw has ever told you the REAL story of little red ridding-hood you know what i mean) So i think it will be interesting to see how "light" or fictional this story will be.
"Despite my best efforts at playing the clown or the trapeze artist, the media circus made no difference" (v).
I believe this quote is the view of someone who is being harshly criticized by the media. It describes this person trying to please their critics by fitting into their mould. Clowns and trapeze artists "belong" in a circus. The speaker wants to belong in the spotlight but it seems no matter what they do, the people will not be pleased with them. The quote says that the media circus made no difference, which means people are forced to change or be different just to fit in.
"This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
This quote references the perfect convenience of a certain book. Convenience means life's choices are simple and easily solved. When this person was "hungry" to learn or relate, this book was there for them. Was this fate or chance?
Josh Winters
ENG 4U1-02
Period 2
Just a helpful hint, if your a less than perfect speller such as my self. If you use Safari for Mac,(its available for the PC too) it has a built in spell checker in the web browser that may be helpful. You can download it at Apple.ca
Eric Vande Velde
ENG 4U1-03
Quote 1:
"Despite my best efforts at playing the clown or the trapeze artist, the media circus made no difference" (v).
Through this quote, Yann Martel outlines how great of an effort he put forth in promoting his novel. The reviewers were unenthusiastic towards it, and as a result, the response of readers were equally depressing. A great deal of work is required in promoting a novel. However, what we, as readers, do not see is that authors must be compliant with what publishers and bookstores demand of them. He tried to play their game. He did what was expected of him. This, however, did not clear the bookshelves in a store. This, in my opinion, is what Martel is referring to as "the media circus."
Quote 2
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" (xi).
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines an artist as: "one who professes and practices an imaginative art; one who is adept at something." I believe this quote is very accurate. Society does not always use their imaginations in daily life. We are often focused on getting tasks completed, taking little time to think outside of the box. Without music, books, art, or movies, where would we find a creative outlet? Society is mentally and physically drained. As a result, we seek these outlets to provide us with an escape from this "crude reality." These creative sources enable us to dream and to believe that success can be achieved.
Response to Darcy's Comment
"It's a misery to would be writers . . . It leaves you with an aching hunger" (vii).
I agree with Darcy's response in that authors strive to make themselves known among society, which in turn, produces success. If this success is not reached, authors develop a great sense of failure and incompetence. This creates frustration if success is not reached.
The following is my analysis of the significance of two quotations from the Life of Pi Author's Note:
1. "This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
The speaker of this quotation is Yann Martel, and he is referring to the creation of Life of Pi. It bears great significance to the entire novel. It is the very first line of text that you read when beginning the novel and thus is very important. It is spoken in the first person and speaks of a hunger for something other than food. Watching his first attempt at a literary masterpiece 'sputter and die', Yann was hungry for a critical acclaim. Like all great and passionate writers, Yann feels a compulsion to write. He has an insatiable hunger to dictate his ideas. He feels driven to write much the same as other people feel driven to acquire food. The author's note later mentions (on page vii) that the discovery of his first novel being emotionally dead was "soul-destroying". The failure of his first novel left Yann "with an aching hunger" (vii). A hunger that can only be satisfied by the birth of a successful novel.
The use of the word hunger also brings to mind the image of the 'starving artist' and also connotes poverty and malnourishment. Poverty and malnourishemnt both are staples to the theme of Life of Pi. We later find out tha Yann is also an avid supporter of the arts and lobby's for increased government funding towards the arts.
2. "His name was Francis Adirubassamy. "Please tell me your story," I said. "You must pay proper attention," he replied" (X).
This quotation is spoken by Yann Martel in the first person. He is regailing the reader with the tale of when he first met Francis Adirubassamy. This quote was spoken in the "Indian Coffee House" on Nehru Street. Francis, who later comes to be referred to as 'Mamaji' is the one who told Yann about Pi's story. This meeting and thus this quotation is arguably the most important part of the entire text as the story would be impossible without it. Francis had just informed Yann that he had a story that would make him believe in God. A skeptical Yann agreed to listen out of curiosity and kindness. Little did he know at the time, the following story would inspire a modern classic. By listening and paying proper attention to the story of this "spry, bright-eyed elderly man with great shocks of pure white hair" (ix), Life of Pi was born. Yann's hunger would soon be satisfied by Mamaji's story.
My response to my peer's comments:
Gina responded to the first quotation as did I. I agree with her comment that the hunger Yann wrote about was not a hunger for food, but rather a hunger for success. Yann wanted others to know of a story contrived by him. He was compelled to write out of a hunger for a successful novel. He was not driven to write for a means to an end. He was financially secure and could 'put food on the table' (as enforced by his later mention of having'a little money').
Destiny responded to the first quotation as well. I agree with her that this an interesting quote as it was the first one of the text. She mentioned that she was unsure of whether or not the author was speaking metaphorically. I believe (similar to Gina) that Yann is not speaking of a hunger for food. His hunger is that of a compassionate literate, hungry for a successful novel. Yann makes various references to food in the author's note including tea, coffee, and French toast. I do not believe that Yann's physical consumption of an adequate amount of food is ever in question. Due to the novels popularity, Yann now has more than enough financial support to live out his days in comfort. By satisfying his hunger for a successful novel and satisfying the need to write, Yann never has to worry about being hungry for food ever again.
-------Evan Heenan
Danielle Poissant ENG4U1-03
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.” (XI)
I believe Yann Martel wants his readers to realize the consequences humanity will face if we do not encourage our artists. If we do not support our artists for their creations, eventually they will not compose. Imagination gives meaning to occurrence; it is an essential ability through which we interpret the world and it also is vital in the learning process. Imagination is boundless. If imagination were absent in society then our minds would be limited; no notions of the impossible or impractical. Artists produce works for us to escape from actuality and truth. Without that escape we are caught in reality. Being stuck in reality would cause us not to have valuable aspirations.
“And it will make me believe in God?”
"Yes."
"That's a tall order."
"Not so tall you can't reach" (IX)
Yann appears questionable when Mr. Adirubasamy tells him “I have a story that will make you believe in God” because perhaps he is an Atheist. He questions Mr. Adirubasamy’s statement, which makes you assume he is unconvinced that anything could change his current opinion. Yann’s response “It is a tall order” is typical and expected. It makes the reader expect a really intriguing story that will hopefully change Yann’s belief in God. Yann Martel seems to write this as the ‘spark’ to start the story off. Without this dialogue the story would move closer to non-fiction. The author’s notes cause the reader to believe the story is based on facts. Currently I believe this novel blurs fact and fiction. However, if Yann didn’t write the dialogue in this manner, it would be more unlikely for the reader to ‘Believe in God’ at the end of the story, and it appears that is Yann’s objective.
In response to Kelseys comment -- "Your theme is good, as are your sentences...... But it all adds up to nothing." VIII-1X
I agree that many authors strive to create books that will be successful and their audience will enjoy, but despite their exertion its unpredictable what will be accepted. Yann states all the literature could be faultless, and yet it’s considered “nothing” because it won’t be positively received by the literature media. The pieces must connect, and fit together to form a picture, without one piece the puzzle then it is not complete, and sometimes that puzzle piece shows up when you least expect it (At least in Yenn’s case).
1. "It seemed natural that Mr. Patel's story should be told mostly in first person -- in his voice and through his eyes. But any inaccuracies or mistakes are mine" (xi)
When Martel mentions inaccuracies or mistakes he is admitting up front that they may exist in his story. It is up to the reader how much of the story they believe to be inaccurate compared to what may have happened in reality. This quote relates to the fact verses fiction theme in the novel. In addition, I find a story more believable when it is in first person and that may or may not have been the effect Martel was going for.
2. "I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
Before Martel states this he is explaining how he wanted to lie about his profession. The only reason he sticks to the bruised truth is because he fears being exposed for his lies. This leads me to believe that Yann Martel would lie if he could pull it off, such as in a novel. If Martel leaves no concrete evidence that this story is untrue he couldn’t be exposed for his lies. I’m not saying it is wrong to write a fictional story because you aren’t telling the truth, I just find Martel’s way of setting up this story for the reader, if it is in fact fictional, clever.
My comment to Josh’s comment:
"The voice that answered had an Indian lilt to its Canadian accent, light but unmistakable, like a trace of incense in the air" (x)
Josh: Its interesting to note that the author refers to the mans Canadian accent, having a lilt to it. Almost an accent within a accent. The author then puts this into a visual representation by associating his accent with the smell of incense.
I agree with Josh’s idea of the author describing Pi’s voice as having an accent within an accent, but the representation of the incense is sensual rather than visual. The author uses this simile to help the reader imagine the subtle yet unmistakable accent Pi has. Tiny details such as the main characters accent may be used by the author to make the story more believable. After reading the novel of Pi’s experiences the reader may agree that his accent would in fact sound just as the author had described it, therefore making the story more convincing.
-Amy Johnston Eng 4U1-04
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
I think that this statement is completely true, however I have never thought about fiction and non fiction in this way. I have never thought that both of these concepts were related to reality. The truth of this is that now we have the power to make reality what ever we want it to be by twisting it what ever way we wish. How do we really know what the truth is? Someone could switch around reality and claim it to be the truth, if we don't know the information for ourselves we have no choice but to beleive what others say. It is so easy to make a story out of reality, and if you think about it most stories are in fact based on true events but they are changed slightly so they are not completely truthful. This way the stories are not directly related to reality but they are very close and hinting towards it. If we don't tell the complete truth of reality it is easier to uncover the truths of reality.
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
I think that references to truth are going to appear many times in the text like in the manner above. Truth is expressed as being almost hurtful like a bruise. I guess the main question that we need to ask ourselves is truth good or bad? In some situations I think that telling the truth is needed because it will either benefit you or someone else. In other times we keep what we think to ourselves because the truth might interfere with our relationship with that person, or it could even hurt that person. Maybe that's why he refers to the truth as "buised" because most of the time the truth hurts. The truth has the power to uncover things that someone is hiding, and it has the power to completely change your views on a topic. So the fact is I think that we shouldn't always tell the truth but we shouldn't always lie either, I thik that there has to be a fine balance between truth and lie.
Response to kimberly McDiarmid's comment:
"Once upon a time there was a zoo in the Pondicherry Botanical Garden" (x)
Kimberly: While reading this quote, I thought back to childrens litereature, and how stories are generally started. By stating "Once upon a time", the mind automatically assumes that the author will not offer facts in the story, but indeed tell of a fairy tale or fantastical tall tale. It is interesting that Yann Martel would choose such words to describe a story that is intended to be of truth, when in reality the statement has the reader pondering whether or not the novel will be of fictitious nature. Because of this quotation, we as the reader begin to understand that if we do not pay close attention to the story (as another quotation mentions paying close attention), we may play the fool and mistake a lie for the truth.
My comment: I think that this quote is also interesting because it is an example of how Yann Martel will twist reality to make the story sound fictional. By adding the simple words "once upon a time" it is amazing how our minds start to think of this far off land. By translating the words to make our minds think the story is fictional he can now tell the truth about reality and the real world, without using direct examples from the reality of our lives.
Jacquie Wanamaker
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our im agination on the alter of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" (xi)
This is an important point that we often don't think about in our day to day lives, but it is very true. Citizens need to support artists because artists of various kinds are what help us get through the day. If you think about it, just about everything we do and think has been helped along by the work of an artist of some kind. Reading helps our imaginations grow, and give us knowledge that we may not aquire if we didn't have access to them. Music helps us express feelings, and television gives us entertainment and can also help us learn. Artwork can also capture one's imagination. If artists were not given enough compensation for their work, then they would eventually have to stop, and we would be left without any of these things. So in not supporting artists, Yann Martel is right, our imagination will ultimately take the punishment and we wouldnt have anything to believe in, and our thoughts would amount to nothing because what good do thoughts do if they cannot be proplerly formed and articulated at any point in time?
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
This says a lot about Yann Martel because he is talking about something as firvilous as telling a stranger that he was a doctor instead of being a writer. This proves his credibility because with this phrase he decided to stick to the truth no matter what the truth may be, even if it is "bruised" and wont make him look better. The truth may not be most appatizing to him, but he will tell it no matter what the consequences or how it makes him look. In doing this, he gives his work credibility and shows that he isn't a coward in that he wont say something that may look or sound better than the truth. I applaud Yann Martel for staying honest. Sticking to the truth in situations where it may be more popular to do otherwise is a humbling thing to do.
I agree with Destiny Pailey in that this phrase is also meant as an encouragement and reminder to always stick to the truth. While it may be very hard to "lay everything down, there was no if, ands, or buts, only the truth" it is very important because you don't want to get caught in a lie and if you do get caught in a lie, even a small one, your credibility goes down the tubes.
Erica Gilbeault-Ryan (ENG4U1-03)
""What now, Tolstoy? What other bright ideas do you have for your life?" I asked myself" (vii).
I think that Yann Martel uses Tolstoy to refer to himself in this quote, simply to signify that he thought he was going to write a marvelous piece of work. He mentions earlier that his characters were full of life and every minute detail was perfect, yet it lacked the emotional life that only comes from great authors. After his realization that his novel about Portugal in 1939 will not work, he feels crushed and disappointed. Like anyone who has just failed at something they felt passionately about and thought would work, he is left somewhat lost and unsure what to do with his life. Plot-wise, this failure and feeling of lost sets him up to be "found" by Francis Adirubasamy in the coffee house, and to get back on his feet in his writing career. Also, had he not realized that his novel about Portugal was a failure, he never would have decided to travel in the south of India, and never would have ended up in Pondicherry.
"And it will make me believe in God?"
"Yes."
"That's a tall order."
"Not so tall you can't reach" (ix)
This quote is significant because it shows us the skepticism that Yann Martel has about God. It also tells us that his story must be very convincing because Martel says himself that it is "a tall order", but writes a book about it. The fact the Yann Martel did decide to share this story with the rest of the world could mean that the old man was right, and that this is a story that made Yann Martel believe in God. This quote shows Francis Adirubasamy's belief that anyone can start to believe in god ("Not so tall you can't reach"), which is important to note since many students will be going into the novel thinking that it will not change their thoughts on God or the world as a whole. The use of the word "Reach" could also mean that you cant just sit back and wait for proof of god or anything else you believe in, that you need to go out and find information for yourself, this could be a piece of advice for the reader to both keep an open mind as well as make sure they think critically about what is going to be presented to them.
In response to Kim's comment on the quote "He showed me the diary he kept during the events. He showed me the yellowed newspaper clippings that made him briefly, obscurely famous. He told me his story. All the while I took notes. Nearly a year later, after considerable difficulties, I received a tape and a report from the Japanese Ministry of Transport. It was as I listened to that tape that I agreed with Mr. Adirubasamy that this was, indeed, a story to make you believe in God." (xi)
I agree with Kim that the purpose of making the story seem real and fictitious at he same time was intentional so that we would pay attention to the text. In this book, I think that Martel has left a lot of information below the text to make us think and question our own beliefs while reading, and wants us to remain skeptical until we have all the information he has to give us. This story is not only about whether or not there is a god, but also will make us question how we determine if something is true or false as a society, and as individuals.
1. ""What now, Tolstoy? What other bright ideas do you have for your life?" I asked myself" (vii).
Martel asks himself this after the failure of his second novel, one which he says lacks a certain 'spark' to bring the story to life, meaning interesting. This quotation is clearly a sarcastic comment to himself, as he tries to write a realist fiction, as was the style of Leo Tolstoy, the internationally known Russian author of War and Peace. Since Tolstoy is so well known, and was successful in his writings, Martel makes this personal sarcastic comment to make the point that although he is remaining historically and culturally correct in his writings, he still has a long way to go to be successful in his plight to create a fiction which remains adamently connected to truth, which he intensely values. We know this value, as the word 'truth', or metaphors for truth appear several times in the Author's Note. This quotation shows us that Martel has hit rock bottom (in his eyes), which made me instantaneously think that there was a turn of events about to happen, that his inspiration for his successful novel would soon make itself known.
2. "Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
This is true, now that Martel brings it up. Facts about society, and life in general are in every work of fiction. It is simply the altering of certain realities, events or peoples that make a work fiction. For instance, war is a fact of history, of life, however, if one were to write a story and add dragons, unicorns, wizards and the like, we instantly have a fantasy novel, the ultimate work of fiction. This quotation also raises scepticism in that Martel is stating, although there is evidence to suggest that 'The Life of Pi' is a true story, this quotation states that Yann Martel will have facts skewed throughout the novel. These altered facts could be as respectful as name changes, to something as large as the tiger changed from a metaphor used in his interview with Patel to a live, breathing feline. It is contradictory to say, while Martel values truth, he will create fiction throughout to help create his spark.
Commenting on Amy Johnston's comment:
"It seemed natural that Mr. Patel's story should be told mostly in first person -- in his voice and through his eyes. But any inaccuracies or mistakes are mine" (xi)
"When Martel mentions inaccuracies or mistakes he is admitting up front that they may exist in his story. It is up to the reader how much of the story they believe to be inaccurate compared to what may have happened in reality. This quote relates to the fact verses fiction theme in the novel. In addition, I find a story more believable when it is in first person and that may or may not have been the effect Martel was going for."
I agree with Amy in that a story can be more believable when it is told from the first person, perhaps because we get to know the character so well, that we are emotionally attached to them, that we want to believe what they say, rather than what we would initially conceive to be real. I feel that telling the reader that Martel met with Patel and then writing the story from the first person view of Pi allows the reader to believe everything written wholeheartedly. I personally think there is more to Martel's disclaimer ('But any inaccuracies or mistakes are mine'). I feel that Martel is giving this disclaimer to the reader authentically, in case he actually does make an honest mistake. However, I also feel that Martel mentions the possibility of error as a way of giving himself poetic licence with the story, to change anything he wants, in order to make it magical, while still keeping even the slightest version of the truth.
Kyle Drouillard
ENG 4U1-03
I agree with Blaire’s comment :
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
I think that this statement is completely true, however I have never thought about fiction and non fiction in this way. I have never thought that both of these concepts were related to reality. The truth of this is that now we have the power to make reality what ever we want it to be by twisting it what ever way we wish. How do we really know what the truth is? Someone could switch around reality and claim it to be the truth, if we don't know the information for ourselves we have no choice but to beleive what others say. It is so easy to make a story out of reality, and if you think about it most stories are in fact based on true events but they are changed slightly so they are not completely truthful. This way the stories are not directly related to reality but they are very close and hinting towards it. If we don't tell the complete truth of reality it is easier to uncover the truths of reality.
I also agree that I have never really thought about the connections between fiction and nonfiction. We intend most stories we tell to be truthful, yet we almost always twist the story in some way, even unknowingly, to either get the point of the story across or to make it more exciting. As Blaire said, by doing this we have the power to make reality whatever we want it to be.
Christi Steele
ENG 4U1-03
Good work! The later posts reflect the quality of work expected for these blogs.
Remember to include your first name, your last name, and your class section.
"Then the elderly man said,"I have a story that will make you believe in God" (ix).
This quote astounds me and makes me feel unsure of the story. I have read many sections of the Bible and none of its stories have made me believe in God. I have heard peoples stories in church before when I have attended with my grandparents but not once have I believed that some higher being is controlling our world with miracles. So, when I see this old man telling someone that they have a single story that will make you believe in God, I and curious but also skeptic of this mans courage in his story. It is true stories are powerful things, but memory is a failing opperation. It can be distorted, mangled and utterly wiped in a matter of days from a major event occuring. This means that stories are also riddled with false details, events, occurances and anything else that can be changed. This kills my personal ability to connect with stories of such power because the mortar that strengthens and holds it together is slowly whitted away over time.
P.S. Don't hate me Mrs. Fung, I know you love the power of a story.
"This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
1.This quote comes from the start of chapter 1. I believe that this quote has various significant meanings. Hungry could have the meaning of desire to strive and succeed which in most cases is the interpretation of the word rather than hungry as in "starving." Yann Martel was dissatisfied with his first novel which did not win over many reviewers. Martel uses this quote to show that he is determined to be successful and show that he will strive off the hunger and he will not be "full" until he can create his best work.
"It's a misery to would be writers . . . It leaves you with an aching hunger" (vii).
2. This particular quote has a lot of truth and filled with meaning. It tells of how a writer uses literary devices to bring the words to life and bring a broad and vivid theme to the readers mind. Every word, phrase and sentence is key. The writer must prove their point while showing a connection to the readers lives or lives around the world. Every detail causes the page to pop out and a book of fiction or non fiction can bring a whole world of imagination to a reader, which is what the author strives for. An authors story can be great, but it does not mean anything unless they can put what they have in the back of their mind into clear, conceise imagery for the reader. If you miss one specific spark to the story that could make it that much greater and full can bring the whole story down. Compare it to a "hole" in a persons mind. If this hole is not filled then nothing can come together and it will all come crashing down breaking every belief the reader had of the authors intended imagery for the reader. This is what causes the author the aching hunger. They cannot feel successful and complete until they have every hole filled to bring the story together
Response to Samantha's comment "I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
I believe this passage is stating he wanted to touch on Kierkegaard but he stuck to the truth. No matter how beautiful or rough the truth may be he told it, and kept the humble facts. In the world the truth is an important essence to tell and as much as you feel like avoiding it, its always best to tell it and be honest when you feel like lying and disregarding the facts of truth. Thats also what makes this book factual is the creation of truth and how he tells it.
My comment- I agree with this response and how the truth is hard to stick to because the truth is not always the best thing to hear even if it is the honest opinion. Some say truth can be the easy way out rather than lying and building upon lies which becomes a mountain of lies until it is crumbled down by one truthful fact. I agree that the truth is important in reality and in real life but there is not one person that has not lied. Most people hide the truth from become because some times the truth is the worst thing to hear even though lying is so frowned upon and becomes such an issue. If people did not lie a lot of what people said could cause the world to be an unhappy place. Telling the truth is always the best don't get me wrong, but truth can cause choas and retaliation. The truth is looked at such a beautiful thing but in most cases the truth can hide such dark secrets that can lead you to a much worse place, mentally than what road lying can take you to.
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
I think that this quote he has decided to stick to the truth no matter what because it is the truth that nobody wants to believe in so they go against it and criticize it, "Bruised". This also shows his persistentness on trying to show the truth that he believes no matter what happens. This also shows how dedicated Yann Martel is for staying with the truth even if it makes him more popular or if it makes him hated.
"Once upon a time there was a zoo in the Pondicherry Botanical Garden" (x)
This quote shows me that the zoo was once there but now is gone. It also says that it was like a fairy tale and was a very beautigul looking enviroment. It also shows that the zoo ended with a good note because fairy tales usually have good endings. If it didn't it wouldn't really be called a fairy tale.
1."Despite my best efforts at playing the clown or the trapeze artist, the media circus made no difference" (v).
It is almost as if Martel is admitting to writing his second novel solely to please the readers, publication companies, media and other institutions alike. My interpretation as I read this quote was that Martel wrote something that he believed would please everyone around him who held a preconceived notion of his literary abilities. I believe this mind-set is the single factor that damned his second novel from the very first words he put to paper. The whole process of writing, especially in fiction, needs to be personal no matter how formal the reason for writing may seem. There are most certainly times when one needs to remain impartial in their writings, but this does not mean a personal aspect cannot resonate through what you are articulating. I do not think that Martel was personally dedicated or involved in his second book and it lacked the passion of a great novel. I do not believe that many people, regardless of pending factors such as education, life style, resources etc, can write something worthwhile in the midst of playing, “ the clown or trapeze artist”.
2."Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
This quote directly links to the quote by Jean Jacques- Rousseau that we previously discussed in class, “The world of reality has its limits, the world of imagination is boundless.” The connection between the two quotes is startling. Although Yann Martel utilizes entirely different devices and imagery, both quotes are in essence striving to prove the same point. The reality of it is that an author may implant a certain setting or idea in the readers imagination, however, it may not necessarily be his/hers intentions for the rest of the story. These simple facts that are stated may have nothing to do with the rest of the story entirely. A perfect example of how words are slippery and thoughts are viscous. This also brings about a connection to critical thinking. This quote may require the reader to take a mental step back and take a look at a broader meaning by abandoning, for the moment, the simple facts we assume are absolute. Perhaps, that novel about Portugal you are reading has nothing to do with Portugal, consider different perspectives.
Reply to Kelsey "Your theme is good...to nothing."
I agree with Kelsey's interpretation of this quote. In continuation however, I believe it is a reference to writers who write without passion. There may be nothing wrong with the structure, word use, metaphors etc. but they are not entirely sincere about the words they are writing. It takes a great writer to capture a reader, it takes more than a "text book" format for a novel, ingenuity and their ability to develop empathy and sympathy with the reader is a large part of being successful. Martel devotes his life to his lieterary works, every part of him comes out of the pages and it's this devotion that makes his writing superb.
"This book was born as I was hungry"(V)
Possibly the best opener I have ever read, after only moments of reading Yann Martel has the audience captivated, and pondering about what exactly this meant. It can be interpreted in several ways, and probably has more than one meaning. I believe that when Yann Martel says “This book was born as I was hungry”, he was trying to relay the fact his mind was seeking something unordinary, the story of a lifetime. The hunger represents his drive as a writer to create a story that will captivate his readers and make them think critically about the story he is about to tell. Martel has already caused most readers to scratch the surface of critical thinking, an ability I believe he wishes to improve in all readers after reading the novel. When I read this quote in my mind I imagine a writer who is having a complete mental block, which has all the necessary tools and literary tools to accomplish great feats, but lacks one crucial element An Idea. Another interpretation some readers may have is that Yann Martel was actually “hungry” during the writing process of this book; he had little money on his journey to Pondicherry and to meet Pi and possibly was running low on funds. If this however was the only interpretation made by the reader, you have already been “bamboozled” by Martel and haven’t heard his faint plea that was an attempt to make the readers think more critically. Without breaking a sweat, Yann Martel has invoked hunger in the minds of the readers to continue literary consumption, and critical analysis of the book.
"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams"
In this quote Martel is expressing his gratitude for the Canadian Council for the Arts which granted him the funds necessary to gather the information required for the making of the novel. I believe this quote relates to today as well, due to illegal downloading, we no longer “support our artists” and purchase the albums they have worked hard to make. The same idea is slowly becoming true for motion pictures as well; watching them online at no expense is much more appetizing than renting or purchasing the movie. This will slowly decay the media industry over time, until it deteriorates to the point of extinction. I agree with the fact artists should make music, and be content at least that the listeners are enjoying it, however many musicians only obtain income from the music they poured from their souls, and do not have university degrees that enable them to produce their music for free. The imagination of Artists is sacrificed to a changing world where new ways to obtain ones wants and needs are constantly advancing. In my opinion this must come to a stop for the sake of the Artists, whose dreams and beliefs must not be crushed at the hand of freeloaders.
Main Message: “STOP ALL THE DOWNLOADING”
-Scott Charbonneau
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, I would turn Portugal into a fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi).
-This quote is telling the readers from the start that the novel is a mixture of the author’s creative imagination and nonfiction. It is a balance of a real story of Pi Patel and the author’s work of fantasy. To me it seems that the author believes in being able to balance the two very different writing styles of fiction and nonfiction, he is able to create a masterpiece of writing that allows the reader to become deeply involved with the story and characters of the novel. Martel’s belief is that with fiction you are able to create a reality of your own, a reality with its own qualities apart from the realities that everyone else is used to.
"This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
-At the time of writing in Martel’s career, he describes to us that his past writings were all forgotten. Therefore, I believe that this book was more important to him than the others, not because of its success after publication but because of the struggles he overcame in writing the novel. This quote tells us that Life of Pi was written through his mental hunger, not physical hunger, of wanting to succeed. His wanting to forget the failures of his past work and succeed with a new work of literature shows us that he was far from giving up. He wanted to forget the past and begin a new path. Martel’s passion for writing allowed him to continue on his journey to “satisfying his hunger”.
Reply to Evan's Post:
I agree with your inference of Yann Martel's first quote "This book was born as I was Hungry". I espcially connect with your imagery of a "starving artist", which relates to the story itself during Pi's Hardships during his venture in the Ocean with the Tiger. Yann Martels hunger was satisfied after the creation of this novel, however I believe he will forever have an undying hunger as a writer to continue trapping readers in a world of his imagination.
In response to Scott:
I found a lot of the things you said very interesting and I agree with most of what you said, except for the physical hunger part. Even though it does say that he had little money, it stated that he still had enough money to get by. Other than that, I would have to agree with what you have said.
"Despite my best efforts at playing the clown or the trapeze artist, the media circus made no difference" (v).
Every artist strives for success and to be accepted, yet many do not accomplish these things. Some artist’s fail greatly, and there work is left unacknowledged. Martel is referring to his failure with his first novel, which did not receive many compliments or acknowledgement. For writers they become the trapeze artist. The audience would be compared to the media, everyone is watching to see if they trapeze artist/writer will fall/fail. Some writers only write about what they think society would want to read or would find exciting. Martel did this with his first novel, he solely tried to impress everyone else but did not write about what he believed or how he felt. He was to caught up in trying to impress the media that his book was not meaningful or important. Martel felt he had to change his writing style to fit in with the circus. This proves that sometimes trying to fit in can lead you to failure and that no matter what the circumstances you should always be true to yourself and be yourself.
"This book was born as I was hungry" (v).
This quotation is very interesting. It can be interpreted in many different ways, it could be physical hungry or mentally hungry. In Martel’s case he is referring to being mentally hungry. Throughout the novel so far, there has been many references to being reborn. Martel perhaps was reborn after he finished this novel because he realized the potential this novel could have, unlike his last one. By being “reborn” Martel could start over, have a clean slate, and hopefully people would take to his new novel and he could forget about the failure of his past novel. His hunger is referring to his hunger for writing. He was hungry to release this novel and to be successful.
My Comment on Samantha’s blog:
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii).
I agree with your statement that “truth is an important essence to tell and as much as you feel like avoiding it, it’s always best to tell it and be honest when you feel like lying and disregarding the facts of truth.” Honesty is a very important quality to have. Although the truth might not be what people want to hear, or what you want to tell people, it is always better to tell the truth and be honest then getting caught in a lie. Many people will tell lies and in the end they end up being more embarrassed then if they would have told the truth from the beginning.
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments. Posts written after this will not be evaluated.
Christine Lao 4U-02
---- "His name was Francis Adirubassamy. "Please tell me your story, " I said.
"You must pay proper attention," he replied "(x).
The author said, "Please tell me your story." I think he’s wanted to know more about him, the main thing is he’s want to get more inspiration for his write. And also, when you travel another country, then you have a good timing to made a friend and talk with you, how wonderful of matter it is. So he very expected his friend talk about his life. "You must pay proper attention," Mr. Adirubassamy used "must"” and "proper" to strengthen his intonation and he was care the author attention or not, he was really want to share his story with him. It is hard to find of scene.
---- "The voice that answered had an Indian lilt to its Canadian accent, light but unmistakable, like a trace of incense in the air" (x).
I always think intellectuals were like leisurely, speaking cultured and they kind of know everything that we don’t know. They also have a eccentric nature and elegant behavior. Like that section, an Indian lilt to its Canadian accent, light but unmistakable. It just let me think he must a erudite person and he is kindly. It is really like my grandmother who always tell my mother a story as same, light but unmistakable, although it is not use the second of language. And my mom was very enchantment, do not want to stop the moment, a trace of incense in the air.
"Thus set up, pen in hand, for the sake of greater truth, i would turn Portugal into a
fiction. That's what fiction is about, isn't it, the selective transforming of
reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?" (vi)
I think the importance of this is to inform the reader of the fact that a fiction
novel is just a story with selective facts inserted into the story to manipulate how
the reader will interpret the story. Martel does this so his readers will think what
he wants him to think and he is in control of the reader now.
"I stuck to the bruised truth" (viii)
In this quote Martel notifies the reader that everything they will read is the god's
honest truth, nothing is hidden or censored. bruised truth seems like the painful
truth, which could possibly mean even though what we read could possibly be depressing
or hurtful, it is still the truth and that is what Pi has gone through. Martel is
ruthless and hungry to write and he is not willing to write the truth and tell the
truth with no "add-ons", just tell the story.
Diamond Campbell: My Comments For Adam Veldboom's Quotations
For Adam's first quotation I totally agree with what he is saying about a fiction novel is just a story that has selective facts inserted into the story to manipulate how the reader will interpret the story. If the writer wants us to see more of his/her point of view he will manipulate us to have that opinion and view. However the writer wants us to take in what they are writing and know how to manipulate us the readers to feel and think how they do. Most often fiction novels are based on real life truth but it is manipulate and turned into a fairy tale story so we (if an in depth reader) will find the truth, morals and the reality of what the writer is trying to get across to the reader.
In Adam's second quotation I understand the concept and the feeling of the way Martel says “ I stuck to the bruised truth.” This quotation gives the feeling of a harshness that society ever so desperately to push away and to hind to create a “sheltered” society or at least the allusion of this. Usually we do not respect or like an individual who is “brutally honest”, we see them as mean and hateful yet they are just saying what we will not see.
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