LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 25:8 August 2025
ISSN 1930-2940

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Analytical Study on Life of Pi: Exploring Marginalized Identities Across Cultures

D. Punnamma and
Dr. Shaik Shakila Bhanu

Abstract

Yann Martel's novel Life of Pi explores how identity is shaped by different cultures and religions. The protagonist of the novel, Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi), gets attracted to all three religions - Hinduism, Christianity, and Islamic religions, showing his interest in all three religions and their practices. This narrative reflects India's religious diversity and the challenges faced by people with mixed cultural and spiritual identities. As Pi moves from India to Canada due to unfortunate situations and later survives at sea, his journey represents these struggles. Living on a lifeboat with the animals, it symbolizes how one must adapt, stay strong, and explore one's way to understand the world. Being open-minded and inclusive can help societies embrace diversity. The novel presents a powerful message about identity, survival, and the beauty of blended cultures coming together. The paper explores how people with mixed identities face more difficulties with acceptance and understanding in new environments. The story of Life of Pi illustrates the interconnectedness of identity, migration, and faith in shaping an individual's sense of self. Pi's story is an icon of accepting mixed identities in a multicultural world.

Keywords:Multiculturalism, identity crisis, religion, migration, cultural diversity

Introduction

Cultural identity is an integral part of literature and society. Yann Martel is a contemporary Canadian author who is best known for his Man Booker Prize-winning Novel Life of Pi (2001). His literary output includes Life of Pi, High Mountains of Portugal, Beatrice and Virgil, and Self. His short stories include: The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, Manners of Dying, and Mirrors to Last till Kingdom Come. The novel deals with the themes of religious faith and spiritual belief. Yann Martel explores identity through regional and cultural variations, particularly in the context of marginalized communities.

The protagonist of the novel, Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi), was born and brought up in Pondicherry, a former French colony in India. His parents named him after a famous and luxurious swimming pool in France called Piscine Molitor. His father, Santosh Patel, hails from a Hindu background, but he was secular and rationalist, and his mother, Gita Patel, was also raised as Hindu, but she had a Baptist education as an adult; she is described as non-religious. Pi's mother did not actively participate in any religion, but she encouraged Pi to read as much as he could. His family moved from Pondicherry to Canada due to an emergency declared by the Indian government. Before going to Canada, they sold most of their animals to different zoos. Only two of the animals remained along with them. Pi's father wanted to provide a better life for his sons, unfortunately their ship drowns in the water and his parents die. His journey from India to Canada caused him to feel like a victim of his own circumstances. As an adult, Pi was attracted to Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. He saw the world in two ways. One is Indian culture, shaped by his roots, and the other one is learned British culture. All these situations made him live a multicultural life.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

D. Punnamma
Research Scholar
Department of English and other Indian & Foreign Languages
School of Applied Sciences and Humanities
VFSTR (Deemed to be University), Vadlamudi. Guntur District
Andhra Pradesh, Pin: 522213, India.
susmithadidla@gmail.com
Ph: 7093223985.
&
Dr. Shaik Shakila Bhanu
Associate Professor
Department of English and other Indian &Foreign Languages
School of Applied Sciences and Humanities
VFSTR (Deemed to be University), Vadlamudi. Guntur District
Andhra Pradesh, Pin: 522213, India.
ssb_sh@vignan.ac.in
Ph: 9704762942.

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