Author’s Note

  1. Who is the first speaker in the book? What kind of person does he seem to be? How can you tell?
  2. Do you believe everything the narrator says in the “Author’s Note”? How reliable do you think he is? Why?
  3. Why did the author go to India?
  4. What was the author’s “one preparation” for his trip to India?
  5. Why does the author mail his manuscript for the book about Portugal to a made up address in Siberia?
  6. Who first tells the author about Mr. Patel’s story? How many storytellers does this make in the book so far?
  7. What is most significant about the story that the author hears?

Part One: Toronto and Pondicherry

Chapter 1

  1. Why did the person speaking in chapter 1 choose to study the sloth? Taken with the information we got in the Author’s Note, what might you surmise about this person?
  2. What can we determine about Mr. Patel from his tone?
  3. What cities does Mr. Patel say he would like to visit?
  4. What happens when the waiter accuses Mr. Patel of being “fresh off the boat”?
  5. What were Mr. Patel’s toe majors in college? What connection does he make between the two?
  6. Near the end of the chapter, the story makes an abrupt change. We started the chapter with the narrator talking about his love of animals and his personal beliefs about God. At the end of the chapter, however, he begins talking about doctors, nurses, and his medical health. What do you think the author is trying to convey here?
  7. What can we infer about the narrator so far?

Chapter 2

  1. Chapter 2 is very short. Why do you think the author included this chapter? What is hinted at in this chapter?

Chapter3

  1. What significant trait did the narrator and Mamajishare?
  2. Was Mamaji a good swimmer? Use examples from the text to support your answer.
  3. What does the name “Mamaji” mean?
  4. What distinction does Mr. Patel make between the ocean and the swimming pool?
  5. In this chapter, we finally learn the full name of the narrator. What is it and how did he get it?
  6. What is significant about the narrator’s name?
  7. What did Piscine’s father do for a living?

Chapter 4

  1. What did Piscine’s father do before he became a zookeeper? What comment does Piscine make about the transition from hotel owner to zookeeper?
  2. How, according to Piscine, did his father feel about running the zoo? How did Pi feel about living there?
  3. According to Piscine, what are the only two things that are important to wild animals?
  4. What does Piscine imply when he says that “a house is compressed territory, where our basic needs can be fulfilled close by and safely”?
  5. Does Piscine think animals are better off in the wild or in a zoo?
  6. What does the adult Piscine say about the idea of freedom versus the “prison” of zoos?”
  7. How does Piscine link his statement about freedom in zoos to religion?

Chapter 5

  1. Piscine’s classmates tease him about his name, deliberately mispronouncing it. When he begins Petit Seminaire, what does Piscine do to introduce himself to his new class?
  2. What might be significant about the name Pi?
  3. What qualities does Pi show in choosing to change his own name? What kind of person is Pi Patel?
  4. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

  1. Once again, the point of view shifts from first person to third person. Who do you think is speaking in this chapter?
  2. Whom is the narrator in this chapter describing?
  3. What detail does the author note in this chapter?

Chapter 7

  1. Analyze the description of Mr. Kumar in this chapter. What language and imagery does Pi use to describe him?
  2. Why does Mr. Kumar love the zoo?
  3. Explain what animals represent to Mr. Kumar and how his views on animals differ from Pi’s.
  4. Why does Mr. Kumar call the zoo his “temple”?
  5. Describe the relationship between Pi and Mr. Kumar.
  6. Why does Mr. Kumar not believe in God?
  7. Why does the author have Mr. Kumar call Piscine “3.14”?
  8. How are atheists like believers, according to Pi?
  9. What problem does Pi have with agnostics?

Chapter 8

  1. According to Pi, why do zoologists “commonly say . . . that the most dangerous animal in a zoo is man”?
  2. What animal does Pi’s father believe is “even more dangerous than us”?
  3. Pi says, “The obsession with putting ourselves at the center of everything is the bane not only of theologists but also of zoologists.” What might he mean by this?
  4. Pi’s father thinks that it is important that Pi and his brother, Ravi, know how dangerous animals can be. What does Mr. Patel do to show his sons how dangerous tigers are? What theme of the book does this episode emphasize?

Chapter 9

  1. What is a ‘flight distance”?
  2. How can a zookeeper minimize an animal’s flight distance?

Chapter 10

  1. This chapter is about why animals want to escape from zoos. What are some of the reasons Pi gives?
  2. The author of this book, Yann Martel, spends an awful lot of time explaining both the human and animal experience of a zoo. Why do you think Martel does into such detail explaining how zoos work?
  3. What, according to Pi, does “an animal hate above all else”?

Chapter 11

  1. To illustrate a point, Pi tells us a story about a leopard that escaped from a zoo in Zurich in the 1930s. What happened to this leopard, and what does the story illustrate?
  2. What might Pi mean by the following: “And they expected to find—ha! In the middle of a Mexican tropical jungle, imagine!”

Chapter 12

  1. What does the narrator mean when he says that whomever he visits “bobs” on the “ocean of memory”?
  2. This chapter contains the first mention of someone named Richard Parker, who “still preys on [Pi’s] mind.” Who do you think Richard Parker might be?

Chapter 13

  1. Even though, as Pi has explained, lions are dangerous, circus lion tamers are able to control them relatively easily. How can they do this?
  2. What, according to Pi, accounts for most “hostile and aggressive behavior” among animals?

Chapter 14

  1. Why is the animal with the “lowest social standing” also the easiest to train?

Chapter 15

  1. What is strange about the house that the narrator describes at the beginning of this chapter?
  2. What is the tone of his language as he describes the religious objects—does he sound pleased or disapproving?

Chapter 16

  1. Pi begins his discussion of religion with an examination of Hinduism, the first religion he practiced. Using Pi’s explanation as a basis, describe, in your own words, the concept Brahman nirguna.
  2. As opposed to Brahman nirguna, what is Brahman saguna?
  3. Pi tells us that “we are all like Catholics,” by which he means we have no religious bent, but are in a kind of limbo. What does Pi say made him a Hindu?
  4. Pi tells us a story about Krishna and a group of milkmaids. What happens in this story, and how does it warn us about?

Chapter 17

  1. Although Pi goes to a Christian school, he knows very little about Christianity. What are his first thoughts about the religion?
  2. When Pi first goes to a Christian church, he is “moved” by the priests. What impresses him most about them?
  3. It is a natural thing for people to compare new concepts to what they already know. Pi’s first religious experiences were in the Hindu temple. Now, he has been exposed to Christianity and this new religion in difficult for him to understand. What is it about Christianity that confuses Pi so much?
  4. In Father Martin’s opinion, what does it take to be a Christian?
  5. Compare and contrast the first time Pi goes into the Catholic Church in Munnar with the last time he goes there.
  6. If Pi loves the fact that Hinduism is so broad and that it takes into account the existence of God in all living things, what does he like most about Christianity?
  7. What is ironic about Pi’s reaction to becoming a Christian?

Chapter 18

  1. Compare and contrast the ways Pi comes to know Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.
  2. Although this book deals with complex issues like religion and psychology, it also includes scenes that are very humorous. Describe the humorous scene in this chapter.
  3. What does the Muslim man do that makes the greatest impression on Pi?

Chapter 19

  1. Why does Piscine like praying in the mosque?
  2. In the words of the Muslim baker, Islam is about ‘the beloved.” To what is he referring?

Chapter 20

  1. Mr. Kumar tells Pi, “If you take two steps towards God . . . God runs to you!” What does Mr. Kumar mean in this statement?
  2. What is hafiz?
  3. What does Pi think is “the finest of rewards”?
  4. What are the two intensely religious experiences Pi describes in this chapter? What is their significance?

Chapter 21

  1. The second speaker in this chapter says he “can well imagine an atheist’s last words: “white, White! L-L-Love! My God!” Why does he think that these would be the last words an atheist would utter before death?

Chapter 23

  1. To whom does Pi refer when he speaks of “the (three) wise men”?
  2. Why is Pi scared when he realizes that all of the religious leaders have come to see him?
  3. Pi describes his father by saying he “didn’t have a religious bone in his body.” Even so, Mr. Patel has two small Hindu shrines at his zoo. If he is not religious, why does he have these shrines?
  4. Like Pi’s father, Pi’s mother is not particularly religious. Even so, when she notices Pi reading religious books, she does not protest or make him stop. Why not?
  5. What does Pi say is the only thing that would get Ravi interested in religion?
  6. What is the difference among that religious men, now that they have all come together?
  7. Briefly outline religious man’s argument of his own religion and against the other two.
  8. Although each religious man fights for Pi, what does Pi want for himself?
  9. What does ice cream seem to symbolize in this chapter?

Chapter 24

  1. Why does Ravi call Pi “Swami Jesus”?
  2. Yann Martel limits this chapter to only three short paragraphs, two which contain only a sentence. Why do you think he did this?

Chapter 25

  1. How does Pi’s life change after word gets out that he has been practicing several different religions?
  2. What does Pi do to combat the changes in his life?

Chapter 26

  1. Earlier in this book, the priest, the imam, and the pandit argued over their differences among their religions. Pi, however, does not see the differences in the religions as much as their similarities. What does Pi say are the similarities between Christianity and Islam?
  2. When Pi asks his mother if he can be baptized and get a prayer rug, what does she do to distract him?
  3. What argument does Pi use when his parents say he must choose one religion and stick to it?
  4. Describe Pi’s argument with his mother in this chapter.

Chapter 27

  1. Does Mr. Patel support or oppose technology?
  2. Pi’s father seems to accept Pi’s studying Hinduism and Christianity, but why does he have a problem with Pi’s studying Islam?
  3. Pi and Ravi are pretty close in Age. Compare and contrast these two boys.
  4. Why is Pi’s father confused by Pi’s religious devotion?
  5. Why is Pi’s father more willing to accept Christianity than Islam? Why is it ironic?

Chapter 28

  1. Why does Pi love his prayer rug?
  2. Why does Pi prefer praying outdoors?
  3. What evidence do we have that Pi’s family supports his religious endeavors?
  4. What can we tell about Pi’s personality, based on his religious convictions?

Chapter 29

  1. What causes the Patel family to finally leave India?
  2. Why does Pi make a point of telling us the animals’ reactions to Mrs. Ghandi’s actions?
  3. Although Pi is not concerned over the workings of Indian government, what upsets him about the overthrowing of the government of Tamil Nadu?
  4. What is a major drawback of running a small zoo?
  5. How do Pi and Ravi feel about moving to Canada?

Chapter 30

  1. What is the surprise that Pi has for the writer at his home?
  2. Why would Pi keep this surprise secret?
  3. What does Pi’s wife do for a living?

Chapter 31

  1. Why is Pi worried when Mr. Kumar the baker, asks to see the zoo?
  2. What does Pi do to prepare for Mr, Kumar’s visit?
  3. What is humorous about the way Pi greets Mr. Kumar, the baker?
  4. What is Mr. Kumar’s reaction the first time he sees a zebra?
  5. As pi is entertaining Mr. Kumar, the Muslim baker, Mr. Kumar, his teacher walks up. Both Mr. Kumars end up[ feeding the zebras, animals that have intrigued both of them. What does this meeting symbolize, and why is it important to this novel?
  6. What words does each Mr. Kumar say upon seeing the zebra? Why does the author juxtapose these two statements?

Chapter 32

  1. What is “zoomorphism”?
    Using the text as a basis, list at least two instances of zoomorphism and explain why they are good examples of the term.
  2. What is the greater meaning in Pi’s story about the mouse and the viper?
  3. Why does zoomorphism occur?

Chapter 33

  1. Pi shows the writer a picture of Richard Parker. What can we infer about Richard Parker, based upon the picture?
  2. What is the motto of Petit Seminaire?
  3. What is worse than the fact that Pi only has four pictures of his whole childhood?
  4. What do we find out about Pi’s mother in this chapter?

Chapter 34

  1. Where do most of the animals go when Mr. Patel sells the Pondicherry Zoo?
  2. Why is it that “the paperwork involved in trading a shrew weighs more than an elephant”?
  3. How do Pi and Ravi feel about moving to Canada?
  4. Where does Mr. Patel get the “authentic Brahmin cow” requested by one zoo?

Chapter 35

  1. How old is Pi when he and his family move to Canada?
  2. Why does Pi’s mother really worry about the brand names of items in Canada?

Chapter 36

  1. What surprises then narrator in this chapter?
  2. Upon meeting Pi’s son and daughter, the writer says that “this story has a happy ending.” Why does the writer need to say this?

Part Two: The Pacific Ocean

Chapter 37

  1. What happens to the ship on which Pi’s family travels?
  2. What has happened to Pi at the beginning of this chapter?
  3. At first, Pi wants to save Richard Parker. Then he pushes him away. Why does Pi do this?
  4. Why would Pi want to save Richard Parker in the first place?

Chapter 38

  1. How does this chapter begin? What does this tell us about Pi?
  2. What does Ravi like most about the ship?
  3. What is the problem with the Tsimisum that causes it to sink?
  4. What does Pi mean when he says, “the ship vanished into a pinprick hole on my map”?
  5. On the ship, Pi is awakened in the night by a loud explosion. He goes to investigate, but, at first, does not see anything wrong with the boat. What is the first indication to Pi that something is wrong with the ship?
  6. Since this chapter depicts the sinking of the Tsimisum, it is very dramatic. Using examples from the book, list some ways that Yann Martel creates drama in this chapter, than explain how those examples work together to make this book more exciting.

Chapter 39

  1. When pi is pushed into the lifeboat, it is still attached to the sinking ship. What makes the lifeboat drop in the water?

Chapter 40

  1. To what does Pi attribute his surviving the fall from the ship in the water?
  2. Pi finally hoists himself into the lifeboat. Even though he shares the small lifeboat with a zebra and a Bengal tiger, he really does not give the animals a second thought. He says he “just held onto the oar.” Why does Pi not consider the fact that he will have to share a lifeboat with two large and potentially dangerous animals?

Chapter 41

  1. What is the literary term that is used in the following quote from Chapter 41?—“Fear and reason fought over the answer. Fear said yes.”
  2. What is dangerous about Pi’s fits of trembling?
  3. Part of this chapter parallels what has happened previously in the novel. What are some of the things that happen in this chapter that parallel what has already been said in the book?
  4. Why does Pi think Richard Parker does not try to kill the zebra?
  5. Looking back to when the chip first started sinking, why did the sailors throw Pi overboard into the lifeboat?
  6. Why is it fortunate for Pi that the hyena is in the lifeboat?

Chapter 42

  1. To whom does the following quote refer?—“She came floating on an island of bananas in a halo of light, as lovely as the Virgin Mary. The rising sun was behind her. Her flaming hair looked stunning.”
  2. When Pi sees the “island of bananas,” he does not think to grab them to use as food later. He does, however, retriever an item from the “island” that later proves to be a godsend. What is this item?

Chapter 43

  1. At this point, does Pi think he will be rescued? Why or why not?
  2. What is the last remnant of the ship that Pi sees?
  3. What does Pi thinks is wrong with Orange Juice?
  4. What is the worst threat to Pi at the moment: the injured zebra, the hyena, or the orangutan? Why does this animal pose the most problem?
  5. What seems to agitate the hyena the most?
  6. What kind of strange behavior does the hyena exhibit?
  7. Pi is not a person who would normally criticize an animal, but what does he consider the worst thing about the hyena?
  8. Using examples from the text, write a brief profile of a hyena.
  9. What does Pi say hyenas will not eat?

Chapter 44