I appreciate the first-person narrative the most in Part 2. I don't think that the story would survive if not for a personal, "I was there", account of the events from Pi, himself. The piece is much stronger because of the unconcealed, unreserved narrative.
This style of narrative allows Martel to freely and graphically express Pi's gruesome story of survival. For example, all of the descriptive animal killings in Part 2. It really wouldn't make much sense to have someone else, a third party, recounting the event. That would seem unnecessary and almost inappropriate to any audience.
The first-person narrative also reveals Pi's intimate trials to the audience, allowing a certain level of sympathy to develop for Pi's situation. The things that Pi has seen, heard, smelled and ultimately, told the reader about, make the whole story full of all forms of imagery.
I think there is a general importance of the presence of a first-person narrative in a survival story. Because it is not a common, everyday concern in our lives (to be stranded in the middle of the Pacific with a tiger, that is), we need the first-hand, concrete account of the event in order for us to believe the claim. Martel does just that in Life of Pi. Through the use of Pi's internal voice, Martel makes it plausible in the audience's mind that a miracle like this could happen.
I appreciate the first-person narrative the most in Part 2. I don't think that the story would survive if not for a personal, "I was there", account of the events from Pi, himself. The piece is much stronger because of the unconcealed, unreserved narrative.
ReplyDeleteThis style of narrative allows Martel to freely and graphically express Pi's gruesome story of survival. For example, all of the descriptive animal killings in Part 2. It really wouldn't make much sense to have someone else, a third party, recounting the event. That would seem unnecessary and almost inappropriate to any audience.
The first-person narrative also reveals Pi's intimate trials to the audience, allowing a certain level of sympathy to develop for Pi's situation. The things that Pi has seen, heard, smelled and ultimately, told the reader about, make the whole story full of all forms of imagery.
I think there is a general importance of the presence of a first-person narrative in a survival story. Because it is not a common, everyday concern in our lives (to be stranded in the middle of the Pacific with a tiger, that is), we need the first-hand, concrete account of the event in order for us to believe the claim. Martel does just that in Life of Pi. Through the use of Pi's internal voice, Martel makes it plausible in the audience's mind that a miracle like this could happen.
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