3.1 Exposition
The novel begins with an anonymous author figure who explains that he traveled from his home in Canada to India because he was feeling restless. While
sipping his coffee in an Indian Coffee House, on Nehru Street in the town of Pondicherry, he met an elderly man named Francis Adirubasamy who offered him
a story that would make him believe in God. Then he refers the story to Piscine Molitor Patel Pi Patel in Toronto.
I was at the Indian Coffee House, on Nehru Street. It’s one big room with green walls and high ceiling. Fans
whirl above you to keep the warm, humid air moving. The place is furnished to capacity with identical square
tables, each with its complement of four chairs. You sit where you can, with whoever is at the table.
Martel, 2010: XII And so, a spry, bright-eyed elderly man with great
shocks of pure white hair was talking to me. I confirmed to him that Canada was cold and that French
was indeed spoken in parts of it and that I liked India and so on and so forth–the usual light talk between
friendly, curious Indians and foreign backpackers. He took in my line of work with widening of the eyes and a
nodding of the head. It was time to go. I had my hands up, trying to catch my waiter’s eye to get the bill.
Then the elderly man said, “I have a story that will make you believe in God.”
Martel, 2010: XII
The author then moves into the story where Pi tells his story of his experience where the first part of the novel starts. In part one, the story is narrated
in first person by Pi. He narrates from an advance age, looking back at his earlier life as a high school and college student in Toronto. Pi explains that after a year in
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high school he attended the University of Toronto and took double-major Bachelor’s degree of religious studies and zoology.
Academic study and the steady, mindful practice of religion slowly brought me back to life. I have kept up
what some people would consider my strange religious practices. After one year of high school, I attended the
University of Toronto and took a double-major Bachelor’s degree. My major were religious studies and
zoology.
Martel, 2010: 3
Then Pi even explains further back to his boyhood in Pondicherry. He relates that he was named after a pool. His family’s business associate friend,
Francis Adirubasamy, whom Pi calls Mamaji gave him the name of his favorite French pool, Piscine Molitor.
Pi tells that his father once ran the Pondicherry Zoo. He reflects his life in the zoo is like paradise on earth.
To me, it was paradise on earth. I have nothing but the fondest memories of growing up in a zoo. I lived the
life of a prince.
Martel, 2010: 14 My alarm clock during my childhood was a pride of
lions. They were no Swiss clocks, but the lions could be counted upon to roar their heads off between five-thirty
and six every morning. Breakfast was punctuated by the shrieks and cries of howler monkeys, hill mynahs and
Moluccan cockatoos. I left for school under the benevolent gaze not only of Mother but also of bright-
eyed otters and burly American bison and stretching and yawning orangutans.
Martel, 2010: 14
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Pi is frustrated that his friends call him “Pissing” and then he made it clear to everyone to call him Pi, from two first letters of his given name and is
pronounced just like the mathematical geometric symbol π pie on his first class at Petit Séminaire secondary school in Pondicherry.
I got up from my desk and hurried to the blackboard. Before the teacher could say a word, I picked up a piece
of chalk and said as I wrote
My name is Piscine Molitor Patel,
known to all as Pi Patel
– I double underlined the first two letters of my given name
Martel, 2010: 23
Pi’s father teaches him and his brother, Ravi, about the dangerous nature of animals by feeding a live goat to a tiger before their young eyes as they are
trying to get near a tiger’s cage. Father turned to us. “What animal is this?” he bellowed
above Manisha’s snarling. “It’s a tiger,” Ravi and I answered in unison, obediently
pointing out the blindingly obvious. “Are tigers dangerous?”
“Yes, Father, tigers are dangerous.” “Tigers are very dangerous,” Father shouted.
“I want you to understand that you are never–under any circumstances–to touch a tiger, to pet a tiger, to put
your hands through the bars of a cage, even to get close to a cage. Is that clear? Ravi?”
Ravi nodded vigorously He kept his eyes on me.
I nodded so hard I’m surprised my neck didn’t snap and my head fall to the floor.
Martel, 2010: 34
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Pi grew up a Hindu, discovers Catholic faith at age fourteen during a trip to Munnar.
There are three hills within Munnar. They don’t bear comparison with the tall hills–mountains, you might
call them–that surround the town. But I noticed the first morning, as we were having breakfast, that they did
stand out in one way: on each stood a Godhouse. The hill on the right, across the river from the hotel, had a
Hindu temple high on its side; the hill in the middle, further away, held up a mosque; while the hill on the
left was crowned with a Christian church.
Martel, 2010: 51 I booted up that hill. Though Father Martin was not IN–
alas, his block was slid over–thank God he was in. Short of breath I said, “Father, I would like to be a
Christian, please.” He smiled. “You already are Piscine – in your heart.
Whoever meets Christ in good faith is Christian. Here in Munnar you met Christ.”
He patted me on the head. It was more of a thump, actually. His hand went BOOM BOOM BOOM on my
head.
Martel, 2010: 57
Then, about a year later he was fifteen he discovers Islam and diligently follows the religion.
He stood straight. He murmured in Arabic. He brought his hands next to his ears, thumbs touching the lobes,
looking as if he were straining to hear Allah replying. He bent forward. He stood straight again. He fell to his
knees and brought his hands and forehead to the floor. He sat up. He fell forward again. He stood. He started
the whole thing again.
Martel, 2010: 60 I challenge anyone to understand Islam, its spirit, and
not to love it. It is a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion.
Martel, 2010: 61
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Pi chooses to practice all three religions simultaneously even he is told to choose one of the three religions by the religious teachers, to which he announces
cannot. His parents are speechless to see Pi and his beliefs. The pandit spoke first. “Mr. Patel, Piscine’s piety is
admirable. In these troubled times it’s good to see a boy so keen on god. We all agree on that.” The imam and
the priest nodded. “But he can’t be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim. It’s impossible. He must choose.”
“I don’t think it’s a crime, but I suppose you’re right,” Father replied.
The three murmured agreement and looked heavenward, as did Father, whence they felt the
decision must come. Mother looked at me.
A silence fell heavily on my shoulders. “Hmmm, Piscine?” Mother nudged me. “How do you
feel about the question?” “Bapu Gandhi said, ‘All religions are true.’ I just want
to love God,” I blurted out, and looked down, red in the face.
Martel 2010: 69
In this part, it shows how the anonymous author meets an elderly man and gave him a story recommendation; it is written in the author’s note. As the
exposition part of the plot, it jumps to Pi’s point of view to which he describes his gloomy state of mind in the beginning and how his religious and zoological
studies helped him to rebuild his life. Then the story jumps back to Pi’s childhood life in Pondicherry which is also the exposition part of the plot where it introduces
the main character, Piscine Molitor Patel Pi Patel, his life in a zoo and his aspiration to learn various different things such as religions and animals. With a
glimpse of Francis Adirubasamy, we can see how he is related to Pi’s life in the past and present life.
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3.2 Rising Action
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