The Truth and Reality Behind A Storytelling

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. Life of Pi by
Yann Martel is novel about a sixteen year old Indian boy named Piscine (Pi) Molitor Patel, and
his adventure in the open sea after he was shipwrecked on his way to Canada. Scared by the
current political matter, Pis father decided to move to Canada with his family and sell the
Pondicherry zoo. But during the trip, the boat that they were on, the Tsimtsum, was welcomed by
a storm and was shipwrecked. Luckily, Pi was thrown off into a lifeboat but not an hour later that
he founds out that he is also in the same boat with a hyena, a zebra and a Bengal tiger named
Richard Parker. In the book, Martel begins with the Authors note to deliver the importance of
themes of storytelling, truth and reality in the story.
The reason why Yann Martel started off with an Authors Note is to welcome the readers
and convey the theme of storytelling. The Authors Note is found on the first page, just before
the the first chapter. In the beginning of the note, the author stated that he met a man named
Francis Adirubasamy during his stay in India. In this encounter, Francis tells a story about Mr.
Patel, I have a story that will make you believe in God...Once upon a time there was a zoo in the
Pondicherry Botanical Garden I know him very well. Hes a grown man now. You must ask
him all the questions you want. The first chapter on the other hand opens up with a character
talking in first person, I attended the University of Toronto and took a double major Bachelors
degree. Meanwhile on the next chapter, in an italicized text, the point of view was then
switched back to the author, He lives in Scarborough. Hes a small slim man. From these
details, it is clear that the author is talking about the character on the first chapter, which is Mr.
Patel since the author have stated earlier that he heard his story through him. From the very first
pages of the novel, the theme of storytelling had already started. Francis Adirubasamy and the
author are both talking of the same the character, Mr. Patel. The author gave the readers a heads
up with a theme of storytelling and therefore made it clear that the book will be about Mr. Patels
story and that the rest of the book will be told by different perspectives. But since both stories are
stated in both the author and Mr. Patels point of view, the truth behind the stories still remains
unknown which lead to the novels next theme of truth.
The Authors Note was introduced in the novel to fulfill the theme of truth. The Authors
Note is a note from Yann Martel, the actual author himself. Here he expressed how he wrote Life
of Pi which was through Francis Adirubasamy, who is also Pis mamaji or respected uncle. Pi
Patel, the main character was shipwrecked and was able to survive through a lifeboat together
with a hyena, zebra, orangutan and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. But in the end, only Pi
and Richard Parker were the only survivors during the 227 days of survival in the sea, When we
reached land, Mexico to be exact, I was so weak I barely had the strength to be happy about it.
Skipping to the end of the novel, after Pi was rescued in Mexico, he was asked by the maritime
officials to tell them about his journey in the open water. After hearing his story, one of the
maritime officials, Mr. Okamoto said, Mr. Patel, we dont believe your story. They then
requested a better and more realistic story. Pi therefore replaced the animals with humans who
were part of the shipwreck but in the end Mr. Okamoto found it horrible and finally accepted the
animal version. Even though the ending ended with an ambiguity, the theme of truth still
remained in the novel. In the Authors Note, there werent concrete evidences whether the author
was stating the truth or not. The author wrote the Authors Note to simply parallel with Pis
story. Did Yann Martel really meet Francis Adirubasamy? Was Pi telling the truth about his
encounter with the animals? The readers are maritime officials and it was up for them to choose
which ever account they believe seems more reasonable. Yann Martel used the theme of truth as
a device to leave the readers something to think about. Not only did the theme of truth was used
as a device but also reality.
The author began with an Authors Note to deliver the theme of reality. In the note, as an
author himself, Yann Martel explained his thoughts about writing a good book. He claimed that
his second book failed and when he tries to write another novel, he fails. An element is missing,
that spark that brings to life a real story, regardless of whether the history or the food is right,
Martel stated. Throughout the book, during his adventure in the sea, Pi had encountered a
carnivorous island that contains algae, meerkats and dead fishes. When this part of the story was
told to the maritime officials there responded, Im sorry to say it so bluntly, we dont mean to
hurt your feelings, but you dont really expect us to believe you, do you? Carnivorous trees? A
fish-eating algae that produces fresh water? Tree-dwelling aquatic rodents? These things dont
exist. Even in the note, the author believes that a story should be written like an element that
brings life a real story. Yann Martel delivered a real life story and so did Pi. The officials dont
believe the existence of the carnivorous island just as how some readers dont believe that Yann
Martel actually met Francis Adirubasamy in person. In real life there is no such thing as a
carnivorous island filled with dead fishes, algae and meerkats. Again, the author might be
writing this only for the purpose of giving a spark to the story. There is a reality check that is
implemented to the readers and therefore making this a fictional novel.
The Authors Note guided the readers by giving them a heads up on the themes that will
be covered in the book. Themes such as storytelling, truth and reality were carried out
throughout the book. The note planted the idea that made the readers believe that a part of the
novel was true even though it was fiction. Yann Martel used the Authors Note as a device to
deliver a well-written novel. If Martel didnt include the Authors Note what would have been
the reactions and views from the readers?



reality-bananas
reality- him writing a novel
Not only does he want for the readers to accept what kind of truths do they want to accept
but also
Without the authors note there will be support to Pis story. Yann Martel is the author
and this might be the way to engage the audience on Pis

storytelling- Aeither from the beginning of the book because Pi was telling story or the
last part of the book where he tells the story. Francis Adirubasamys way of storytelling gives the
readers a sense of truth behind Life of Pi but at the end, Pi himself lied and told the _____a
different story from what he had experienced to save himself from letting the ___- to think that
he went insane. Just us how Pi lied, maybe Yann Martel lied too just to get the readers attention
to indulge in the book. This doesnt mean that Authors Note was used as a device to trick the
readers but to get the meaning behind it. Without the Authors Not itself, Pis story will just be a
mere fiction without imagining the excitement of the truth behind it.

The Authors Note was introduced in the novel to fulfill the theme of truth.
Martel begins with the Authors Note to deliver the theme of truth. The Authors Note gives a