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Interesting that the narrator (still don't know who that is in these sections) describes the house of his host as a "temple" and the host's kitchen as a "shrine." What do you make of all the religious icons to be found here?
Ganesha is the lord overcomer of obstacles, the god of good luck, the god of wisdom, and the patron of learning. Sounds like a good god to have on your side...but why does he travel on a rat? What is significant about that?
Although the house if filled with Hindu religious icons, these icons are juxtaposed with Christian icons. Why do you think this man has both so significantly displayed in his home?
As for the italicized sections, I have a theory at this point...the narrator of these sections is visiting an older version of Pi. Just a guess, and I can't tell you how I came to think this, but I can sense it...
Explain the message in the story about the dancing girls more clearly and with more detail than the narrator. In other words, what was the point of the story?
"...Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims." What is the narrator suggesting here? [Warning: I am not asking for your religious opinions or a religious debate here...hold onto those thoughts...what I am asking for is a straightforward interpretation of the statement quoted above.]
Assume that it is possible for you to change religious beliefs...such as going from believing Christian teachings to believing Hindu teachings. For the sake of argument, just assume that's possible for you. Making the assumption that it is possible, what would it take for you to make that change? How long would it take to make a core value switch like that in your life?
14 comments:
After doing some research, there seem to be a multitude of interpretations for why Ganesha rides a rat. It could symbolize that he enables humans to execute mighty tasks with very little effort. It could also symbolize the unity of small with big. The rat could represent a demon or ignorance, in both cases showing that Ganesha is above these entities. In one story, the relationship is a shallow as simply showing that Ganesha weighs very little. However, the most logical explanation seems to be that the rat expresses Ganesha's ability to destroy every obstacle, as rats are known to gnaw through just about everything. Rats are also considered the masters of the insides of everything; thus, the master of the soul.
I think the multiple religious icons that represent something is ironic in a sense. Each icon has a different specific meaning behind it. For example; Ganesha the elephant is described as a “lord over comer of obstacles, the god of luck, the god of wisdom, the patron of learning.” Just from reading that you have an indicator that Ganesha is a big spiritual inspiration to those who worship. Also, in the living room there is a framed picture of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe with said to be flowers “tumbling from her open mantle” which give the impression that the Virgin Mary is heavily praised. I looked up what flowers and icons symbolize, and it is said that flowers and icons can she love or praise for that specific figure.
All the religious icons show the deep faith the owner of the house possesses. He may believe in many religions; he may simply respect many religious or perhaps he finds them interesting. If the narrator is talking about Pi, I am not surprised that his house would be like this. After all, he did major in religious studies.
As for the rat, Hindu mythology suggests the mouse or rat represents basic desires and the ego, which Ganesha symbolically shows one must overcome those desires and ego by having the rat be his mule and by always having the rat down by his feet.
The story about the dancing girls is about jealousy and selfish want. You must try to be selfless and share with others, not keep everything to yourself.
He is saying that all the religions are similar; Hindus are like Christians in their capacity for love; Muslims are like Hindus in the way they see God in everything; Christians are like Muslims in their devotion to God.
In theory, if I stumbled across a new religion that seemed more plausible, more reasonable, and simply more right, I’d make the conversion. It would take as long as I needed to learn about, start practicing, and believe in the new religion 100%. Just because you are born into something, doesn’t mean it’s what you must be the rest of your life. Religion, and most things in life, is all about perception. There are always two sides to a story; one side may be stronger than the other. It just depends on the situation and your belief. You shouldn't waste your time on something you don’t believe in and won’t reap any benefits from.
Pi's religion is a very hard thing for me to understand. He is Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. I can understand being curious about other religions and learning more about them, but to actually say that you belong to three religions and that you fully believe in all three of them, does not make sense to me. I can't say that I know everything about all three, but they are all separate religions for a reason, and that all three of them are all very different. To me, Yann Martel is trying to say that each religion is the same. Although they all do have similarities, I do not agree with this.
And as for whether I would ever convert my religion, if I learned more about another religion, and I found that I actually agree with that religion, I would definitely convert.
The house that is filled with Hindu icons and juxtaposed by Christian icons may be because God is present in the majority of religions. By this I mean, in most religions, there is a supreme God. In Christianity there is only one God, but as we know, in Hinduism there are many gods. Maybe the owner of the home feels that the God of Christianity is the supreme God, the God that rules over all else; however, there may be belief in lower supreme beings to explain things that occur in daily life. Also we do not know for sure if anyone else is present in the home, and the items could belong to someone else, or the homeowner could possibly be exploring different religions in a desperate search for fulfillment.
Also with the italicized section, I can see where you are coming from with the older version of Pi. As the book continues and we learn that Pi does in fact explore many different religions and commits to them all, it is very plausible that it is a glimpse into the future life of Pi.
Pi's house is filled with many different symbols of religion, including those from multiple religions. This is because Pi himself follows more than one religion. By having all of the items collected, it shows that despite having they're differences, all religions are based around similar ideas and morals. This is also shown in the quote, which states that the different religions have a connection to each other.
There have been many explanations as to why Ganesha is seen riding a rat. The most well known and accepted version goes along with Ganesha being the lord overcomer of obstacles. When agriculture was the main lifestyle, rats were the largest problem blocking people from happiness and prosperity. By taking a rat as his means of travel, Ganesha shows that even rats can be overcome, upholding his title.
I don't think that it would be that difficult to convert to a religion. Most religions have the same central ideas and uphold that same moral standards. That's not to say that i would instantly agree with everything regarding said religion, but with enough knowledge and belief, it would be possible.
I believe that Pi whole-heartedly and equally loves Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, but in different ways. Although in detail these religions are extremely different, all of them focus on similar principles. Each religion has one main God, and a promising afterlife for those who have earned it. These three religions require Pi to be an honorable person at all times, and provide him with a feeling of purpose that neither his family, or his few friends would ever be able to give him. Pi loves religion because it makes him feel strong and hopeful at all times, no matter his situation.
As for the story of dancing girls, Pi makes known that it is not of one's best interest to be controlling of God. When the ladies dance with Lord Krishna, "who has made himself so abundant as to be in the arms of each and every girl," they are being given the attention they need. However, when one girl tries to make Lord Krishna her one, He vanishes. This metaphor is being used to explain that once someone becomes possessive of God, He will not be there for support. God's role is to be there for everyone who seeks His love; it is not to be tied down to making one lucky person's life perfect.
I don't particularly believe in anything as far as religions go, so it's somewhat hard to get why Pi is so entirely involved in multiple religions. I'd need to see somebody turn one taco into a hundred to change my beliefs, or lack thereof. Pi has a habit of comparing things that don't seem to have any apparent connections, like the zoo and hotel businesses. I think he sees the different aspects of these religions, taking the good from each and forming his own beliefs. Somehow it doesn't seem to be as much about worshipping the deities as it does finding the qualities in each religious being and trying to make them his own and experience the world in new ways. Someone pointed something interesting out to me, too. Pi lives in a zoo, and eventually he gets stranded on a boat with a bunch of animals. I don't know much about the story of Noah's Ark, but I feel like there are similarities between the two.
I believe that the narrator describes the house as a temple and the kitchen as a shrine because though it is described as a "shack", they are devoted to religious learning and that is worth more than any material possessions. As for the god's use of the rat, it symbolizes Ganesha's ability to overcome and show that you can overcome. Rats are symbolic of problems and they also hinder prosperity in the fields. Ganesha used the rat and dominated the rat to show that others too can overcome their obstacles. The ladies dancing shows that Lord Krishna will always be there and he gives the girls the attention they need. Though when one girl wants his sole attention only on her, he vanishes. This shows that though he will be there for support he won't pay more attention to one individual over another.
My interpretation of that statement is that these three religions are related through at least one aspect. Hindus are comparable to Christian in their capacity for love, meaning one aspect of both religions is unconditional love for others. An aspect of the religion of both Muslims and Hindus is that they see God in everything. Christians and Muslims are both devoted to God. The narrator is suggesting that all 3 religions are somehow related to one another.
I think the man displays both hindu religious icons and christian icons because he believes in parts of both of those religions.
I think the Ganesha riding on a rat symbolizes powerful beings don't always have the best things.
I think the chnging of beliefs would take some time but in my view religions are all related in someway so you just have to understand and compare it to how you thought before.
I personally do not understand why Pi should have to pick one religion. Although it may seem out of the ordinary to us and family, if he truly cares about it why should anyone tell him to stop? For Pi studying Hindu, Muslim, and Christianity is something he believes in, it gives him hope and makes him happy and that should be acceptable. The bottom line of all religion is to love god and if it takes Pi three religions to do that, let him be.
I think that in the statement ""...Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims." the narrator is saying that each of these religions have a common thread (God) they just have different routes to that salvation.
I don't know if I would be able to change my religious beliefs. Maybe if I were to see a better way to live and reach my salvation. It would take me several years probably to study these beliefs before I could possible change. I still think it would be very hard, especially since I was raised my entire life a different way.
The end.
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