Saturday, February 25, 2012
Life of Pi
"I know zoos are no longer in people's good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both" (Martel 14). The main character Pi in Life of Pi, is both a firm believer in zoology and religion. He is Muslim, Christian and Hindu. The book defends the common spirit between all three religions, allowing a duality between a character. It is through Pi that we see harmonious ground not only between different religions but between science and religion, proving that they can coexist together. In the quote above, Pi talks about the safety that a zoo creates for an animal, yet people find them constricting. Likewise religion is seen by people as an inhibitor of freedom and thought. Is religion constricting or like Pi claims religion is the home and hearth of humans and allows people more freedom?
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ReplyDeleteI could see how it is viewed as an "inhibitor of freedom", religion and the innumerable set of beliefs out there that bind with it have been around for so long. Naturally, it's difficult to find any wiggle room within the realm of beliefs set in religion. For me, the fact that religion (in my experience) can be very cut and dry is the precise reason as to why I stray away from it. Simultaneously, I do think it's important to believe in something, along with standing for something. The reading of Siddhartha solidified my thoughts on that.
ReplyDeleteI feel that religion can allow freedom if you decide to put your own interpretation on what's taught.
Pi’s definition of religion is not constricting at all. He found an aspect to appreciate in each set of beliefs and connected them to the theme of love. His “religious imagination” allows for insight on a new portrayal of the world. Love for human philosophy and the ability to find value in such allows for freedom of thought. With that said, religion is constricting only if you make it constricting by being closed to other ideas.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite books of all-time. I recommend it for your summer reading, for those who have not yet read it. It's a journey, or, coming-of-age story, and though it has similiarities to the message in Siddhartha, it is still unique in its philosophy and the writer's creative story-telling methods.
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