Belief In Yann Martel's Life Of Pi

The theme of life of Pi is belief. Throughout the book Pi is challenged with belief in plot conflicts which are shown through his first person point of view, actions, and words. He must even compromise some of his beliefs to survive. The book also allows the reader to choose which story to believe the one with animals or people. Yann Martel has said that chapter 22 is the key to understanding the book. In chapter 22 it says, “I can well imagine an atheist’s last words: "White, white! L-L-Love! My God!" - and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeast less factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying "Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain," and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss

One day Pi’s religious leaders the Priest, Imam, and Pandit all meet at the same time by chance. Once they all realize he is a part of all three religious organizations, they insist he must choose one to believe. The Pandit says, “"But he can't be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim. It's impossible. He must choose." (49-54) The three men think he can’t be a part of all three religions because they have contradictory customs and values. While the three men see the differences between their religions, Pi sees the similarities. Pi says, “Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims.” To sum it up, Pi is trying to say that although there are differences between churches in their practice of faith they are really the same in the way they love god and see the world. In the end, Pi tells all of his religious leaders, “Bapu Gandhi said, 'All religions are true.' I just want to love