Cover

1
Life of Pi A Global Allegory?
Allegory a narrative that is contrived to make
sense on a primary level of signification as well
as a secondary level of signification
Globalisation the internationalisation and
interdependence of peoples, places, and things.
2
Yann Martel on Globalisation
If by globalisation, you mean fair trade on a
level playing field, its great. If you mean
hypocritical posturing that favours first-world
economies, I hate it.
3
Images of the Global The Zoo
4
Images of the Global The Zoo

• 1. Zoonation or cityAnd two animals were
  being shipped to the Canada zoo (98) moving a
  zoo is like moving a city (98)
•  
• 2. Anthropomorphism Zoomorphism  
• Both devices suggest a coexistence and
  identification between humans and animals.
•  
• Cf. Pg. 37 Pg. 93
•  

5
Images of the Global The Zoo

• Global allegory
•  Do the exotic zoo animals stand in for peoples
  from around the world collected together?
•  If this is the case and Life of Pi is a
  zoomorphic global allegory, is the novel raising
  questions about immigration, forced displacement,
  and interracial transnational coexistence?
•  

6
Images of the Global 3 World Religions
Pi becomes a practicing Hindu, Muslim, Christian
Cf. Pg. 81
7
Images of the Global 3 World Religions
Global Allegory Pis religious plurality
invites us to read this novel as a global
allegory about the coming together of different
peoples and nations. Is Life of Pi suggesting a
post-national, interfaith global community?
8
Images of the Global Mobility

• Pg. 86
• Why do people move? What makes them uproot and
  leave everything theyve known for a great
  unknown beyond the horizon? Why climb this Mount
  Everest of formalities that makes you feel like a
  beggar? Why enter this jungle of foreignness
  where everything is new, strange, and difficult?
  (86).

9
Images of the Global Mobility

• Global Allegory Is the novel a commentary on
  global immigration, emigration, and diaspora?

10
Images of the Global Indias Colonial History

• --1857--India becomes British Colony
• --Mahatma Gandhi resists British colonialism
  through non-violence
• --1947--India acquires independence
• --Pondicherry, South India, was a French colony
  it becomes part of India in 1954.
• --Indira Gandhi is Prime Minister of India
  through late 1960s and 1970s

11
Images of the Global Indias Colonial History
12
Images of the Global Indias Colonial History

• Global Allegory
• By emphasising Pis national identity and his
  national history, is the novel saying something
  about Indias place in the world, about the place
  of Indian people in the world after its turbulent
  colonial history?

13
Images of the Global The Castaway
The new India split to pieces and collapsed in
fathers mind. Mother assented. We would bolt
(88).
14
Images of the Global The Castaway
Global allegory Can Pis traumatic crossing
of the Pacific be read as an allegorical
representation of the Indian diaspora the
dispersion of Indian people around the world, and
the difficulties inherent in that transition from
old world to new world?
15
Images of the Global Canada
It was announced to us one evening during
dinner. Ravi and I were thunderstruck. Canada!
If Andhra Pradesh, just north of us, was the dark
side of the moon, imagine what Canada was.
Canada meant absolutely nothing to us. It was
like Timbuktu, by definition a place very far
away (88).   Global allegory Is the novel
attempting to give Canada some place in a global
world? Is it attempting to globalise Canada?
16
So, what is the novel trying to say about global
relations?

• Is it attempting to suggest international
  community in a global world through the coming
  together of people, nations, and religions?
• Is it attempting to suggest the insurmountable
  conflicts that come with a global
  worldskirmishes, border wars, death,
  dislocation, confrontation?
• Does it even sustain the allegory, or is the
  global allegory just suggested and then dropped
  and dispersed?