LAURA CASTILLO

               9a

 Description of 6 images:                

1. DESCRIPTION:

Teaching religion is one of the most important things nowadays. The spiritual way is important for everybody and we learn that from our parents initially and it is strengthened at school. In the image we see a mother teaching her son the principles of religion. They’re looking at the cross as the biggest symbol of religion or the spiritual presence.

HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOOK?

 “Academic study and the steady, mindful practice of religion slowly brought me back to life. […] My majors were religious studies and zoology.” (Life of Pi, page 3)

  In the story we find Pi getting into religion at his school. His doubts about religion make him think about what beliefs to follow.

As Pi does, I also doubt about what religion to follow, and on what I should believe. So that’s why I feel identified in this way to Pi.

2. DESCRIPTION:

This image is a photo of a nebula. After the photo was taken people realized it had a particular shape. It seemed to be an eye, so from then on people called it God’s eye.

HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOOK?

“[…] Scientists are a friendly, atheistic, beer –drinking lot […]” (Life of Pi, page 5)

This image has a clear relation with the book, specifically with the quote extracted from the book, because there are scientists who doubt the existence of God. For them it is important to have tangible or real proofs about the existence of God.

3. DESCRIPTION:

In this image we see a mother feeding her baby, or at least trying to, because it is obvious they are suffering from famine.

HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOOK:

“We are all born like Catholic, aren’t we –in limbo, without religion, until some figure introduces us to God? […]; many people seem to lose God along life’s way.”(The life of Pi, page 47)

Nowadays people tend to blame God for human beings’ misfortunes. This is related to the second image as well, because people stop believing in God when passing through difficult times. This is clearly represented in Dr. Neel Burton’s blog when he says: ” […] however, even if God exists and even if he had an intelligent purpose in creating humankind, no one really knows what this purpose might be, or that it is specially meaningful.”[1]

It also relates to me, because I also stop believing in god when something happens to me.

4. DESCRIPTION:

We can see a group of men being proud of the elephant’s death. Although the elephant is a big, dangerous animal for the human being, it is easy prey.

HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOOK:

“We commonly said in the trade that the most dangerous animal in a zoo is man.” (Life of Pi, page 29)

It is related to the book, because this situation of killing animals and people is something we witness every day. God is not the blame of the situation that most of the people are suffering from all around the world. It is men, because we all are causing irreversible damages.

5. DESCRIPTION:

In this image you can observe a man who is repenting in front of Jesus.

HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOOK:

“I can well imagine an atheist’s last words:”white, white! L-L –Love! My God! “-and the deathbed leap of faith-.”(Life of Pi, page 64)

It is related to the book, because the image shows the repentant. According to the author, the people who don’t believe in God tend to repent when they are about to die.

This is related to my life because for me there is a unique God, that is our father. He is always present at any time in our life. Each time we do something wrong or good, he is always willing to help us, hear us and heal us.

6. DESCRIPTION:

In this image you can see many people working together on a specific goal.

HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOOK:

“It is true that those we meet can change us, sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even unto our name.”(Life of Pi, pages 20)

It is related to the book, because it is important to work together. When we work together we might find people who are willing to help us and change our minds in case we need it.

In my life, it is better to work together for achieving a specific goal. Sometimes we need other for getting what we want. We must realize we are not alone and we need other’s help.

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[1] Burton, Neel. Taken from: http://www.unlimitedmagazine.com/2010/06/the-perils-of-positive-thinking/

DESCRIPTION OF 6 PHOTOS:

1.    1.RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PHOTO AND THE BOOK:

As we are talking about religion, praying is really important for every single religion. Each has a different way of praying.

According to the book this is important because when Pi prayed he said his prayer helped him remember that the earth was the creation of God and sacred at the same time.  (Life of Pi, page 76)

This relates to my life, because as a catholic, for me and my family, it is very important to pray and go to the church every Sunday.

2. .RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PHOTO AND THE BOOK:

Baptism is mentioned in the book. This is well reflected when Pi describes his own baptism. In the description it is clear that it has many elements that make it a complete and important ritual. (Life of Pi, page 77) 

As a catholic, baptism is one of the sacraments I need to have for becoming god’s child. Therefore, I believe in this and I have already baptized.

3. .RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PHOTO AND THE BOOK:

Nature is one of the most important things for Hinduism. This is represented in Brahman as the book says: “Brahman expressed not only in Gods but in humans, animals, trees, in a hand full of earth, for everything has a trace of the divine in it.”(Life of Pi, page 48)

This relates to my life, because I love nature and I think it need to become important for all of us.

4.   .RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PHOTO AND THE BOOK:

“In this trouble times it’s good to see a boy so keen on God. We all agree on that. But he can’t be a Hindu, a Christian or a Muslim, it is impossible. He must choose.”(Life of Pi, page 69)

This photo is relevant, because according to the book there is confusion about what religion to follow. We are told to follow just one religion because we cannot mix them and also we cannot believe in all of them at the same time.

This is relevant to my life, because I understand the feeling he had when choosing a religion. For we all teenagers, it is difficult to understand why we should choose one religion and the reason why.

5.    .RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PHOTO AND THE BOOK:

“Things didn’t turn out the way they were supposed to, but what can you do? You must take the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”(Life of Pi, page 91)

This image is relevant, because having passed through many difficult times; Pi gives up and tries to accept his reality. You could take advantage of everything in life even if you don’t like it. 

In my life I take advantage of all the situations and experiences I have the opportunity to do or to take, because I am aware it is going to be what we call experience for life.

6.    .RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PHOTO AND THE BOOK:

“If I walked by him without seeing him he would be hurt. He would think I had changed my mind and didn’t want to be seen with a poor Muslim baker.”(Life of Pi, page 80-81)

Discrimination of religion is a really big issue nowadays. According to the book Pi doesn’t want to be seen as a disrespectful person. Maybe he doesn’t agree with religion discrimination. It is important to respect people’s beliefs and not to make fun of them.

Something that really concerns me is religion discrimination. It is unbelievable that people are dying because of religion, when the only thing god cares about is loving him and loving each other.

VOCABULARY PART 1:

1.    “Mamaji had to wait until I came into the picture to find a willing disciple.”( Life of Pi, page 9)

                   Willing: adj. disposed or inclined, prepared.

2.    “[…] the sun was shining the breeze was steady, and seagulls shrieked in the air above us I was terribly exited.”( Life of Pi, page 91)

                  Seagulls: n. It is a bird specially found near coastal areas.

3.    “I was more afraid that in a few words thrown out he might destroy something that I love. What if his words had the effect of polio on me?”( Life of Pi, page 28)

   Polio: n. abbreviation of poliomyelitis, it is an illness that produces an                              inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

4.    “The trinity must be tainted by it; there must be a certain stench at the right hand of God the father.”(Life of Pi, page 54)

                  Stench: n. it is a strong foul odor; a stink.

5.    “They are golden calf lovers. They kneel before cows.”(Life of Pi, page 68)

                  Calf: n. a young cow or bull.

6.    “My baptism was slightly occurred affair. Mother played along nicely, father look on stonily and Ravi was mercifully absent because of a cricked match,[…]” (Life of Pi, page 77)                                                                                                          Stonily: adj. In sensitive to pity or human felling. Manifesting a no movement or reaction.

7.    “Why enter this jungle of foreignness where everything is new, strange an difficult.”( Life of Pi, page 77)

   Foreignness: n. Situated in an abnormal or improper place in the body and typically introduced from outside.

8.    “Each must have assumed that the others where there for some business other that a pastoral and had rudely chosen that moment to deal with it. Glances of displeasure were exchanges.”( Life of Pi, page 65) 

                  Glances: v. to look briefly.

9.“Is she the nemesis of my digestive tract?”( Life of Pi, page 80)                                                            Nemesis: n.  A source of harm or ruin.

10. “[…] At that moment I head a slight scrapping of gravel to my right. […]”(Life of Pi, page 83)                                                                                                                Gravel: n. an unconsolidated mixture of rock fragments or pebbles.

11. “Our golden agouti and spotted paca god along very well, contentedly huddling together and sleeping against each other until the firs was stolen.” (Life of Pi, page 84)                                                                              

    Contentedly: adj. satisfied or; content.

12. “The golden agouti, like the rhinoceros, was in need of companionship.”( Life of Pi, page 85)                                                                                                 

Agouti: n. A burrowing rodent of the genus Dasyprocta, native to tropical America and usually having brown fur streaked with gray.

13. “he shows family memorabilia”( Life  of Pi, page 86)                                   Memorabilia: n. objects valued for their connection with historical events, culture, or entertainment.

14. “[…] Father judiciously traded these for an extra orang-utan from the Mysore and a chimpanzee from the manila zoo.” (Life of Pi, page 89)                                   Judiciously: adv. In a judicious manner; prudent.

15. “She giggles and buries her face in the crock of his neck.”( Life of Pi, page 93)                                                                                                                        Buries: v. to place in the place in the ground or to place a corpse in a grave.

CHARACTERS PART 1:

Piscine Patel (Pi): Most of the time Pi is the narrator of the story. He tells the story as someone who has lived from the inside of each event and also he is part of the story, as the main character. On the course of the story he is shown as a person really interested in animals.

The Author: In the story when he writes something he never says his name. At the beginning of the story he took a lot of trips. One place he visits is India. This place is important because during this trip he wrote the story “Life of Pi”.   

Francis Adirubasamy: Mamaji is a good friend of the family. Mama means uncle and ji indicates respect. He is really patient and an encouraging person, and he is a great storyteller.

Ravi: Pi´s brother. At the school he is the captain of the cricket team, he really likes sports and he is very popular.

Santosh Patel: Pi’s father. He is the founder, owner, director of the Pondicherry zoo, as his son, he really loves animals and nature.