Still not sure who this narrator is, but now I'm certain he is referring to an older version of Pi, as he refers to phrases Pi uses in Chapter 22.
Take a look at the block quotes he uses from his own writing. Do you think these ideas encapsulate religion? If so, which religion?
Explain the difference between an agnostic and an atheist.
In the back of my book, there is a reading group guide filled with questions. One of the questions reads, "Chapters 21 and 22 are very short, yet the author has said that they are at the core of the novel. Can you see how?" Well, can you?
11 comments:
I believe the ideas captured in Chapter 21 greatly emphasize religion. When the insert opened with "Words of divine consciousness," I felt it left an insight into the Christain faith. (80) Throught the chapter I felt more strongly that the narrator was providing an unclear description of Christianity because of the statement on "moral sense, which strikes one as more important than an intellectual understanding of things." (80) Christianity tends to focus on the in depth idea that God judges based upon salvation, as well as good deeds. An agnostic is brought about as someone who doesn't believe in, or deny, an all powerful figure, while an atheist denies all belief in a supreme being. I believe these two chapters set a tone for the novel, but I am not sure if I would consider it the core of the novel.
An agnostic is one that neither believes in God nor denies the possibility of a belief in god. Agnostics agree that the idea of a god is something that is unknown. An atheist, on the other hand, does not believe in any deities. Pi says in chapter seven that "[choosing] doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation"(28). He expresses that he feels that believing in nothing is better than a lack of knowledge on that subject. Chapters 21 and 22 pose as the core of the book because they relate to his feelings about religion. I can see that the excerpt in chapter 21 relates to the Muslim religion in that the feelings of joy and elation mirror Pi's feelings after prayer on his rug.
An agnostic is someone who believes that human knowledge is limited to experience. Agnostics doubt the existence of God because the essential nature of things are unknown. They need proof based on actual experiences in order to claim anything as "true".
An atheist is someone who denies the existence of a supreme being or beings.
The difference between the two is that an agnostic would be willing to accept the idea of a supreme being, if their existence could be proven or seen. While an atheist won't accept the idea of a supreme one even if it could be proven to them.
I think chapter 22 is significant because it has the idea that every person gets to decide what they want to believe in. Each individual creates their own fate and the events that follow are because of what the person chose to believe.
Yes, it does encapsulate religion. I don’t believe it’s any one religion, but all. It’s what all religions strive to be seen for.
An atheist is someone who is anti-religion and believes in no God(s). An agnostic doesn’t believe in God either, the reason being that he/she believes in something more reasonable in his/her mind, something more practical and provable. That belief of reason takes place of religion in his/her mind. An atheist may be spiteful, whereas an agnostic isn't anti-religion; it's just that they have more proof on another area that overrides religion.
I can see how they would be at the core of the novel. Chapter 21 shows how most all people see their religions. Chapter 22 shows religion from a non- believer’s point of view.
The block quote in chapter 21 doesn’t seem to refer to any religion in particular. It seems like he is referring to all ways of life where reason and explanation takes a backseat morality, love, and “finding the better story.”
An agnostic is someone who doubts the possibility that there is a supreme being, but does not fully disbelieve it. Agnostics need proof that a being exists but do not believe that humans could ever fully know whether a supreme being is present or not. An atheist completely disbelieves in the idea of a supreme being.
I think Pi describes the difference in the two very well in chapter 22. When Pi describes the “deathbed leap of faith” of an atheist, it shows that atheists do not have an absence of faith, just that they have faith in the absence of religion, which is why when experiencing death; they can make an abrupt switch. Just like when experiencing something traumatic, someone could make an abrupt switch to a different religion, or faith in the absence of religion. Pi describes an agnostic as someone who “misses the better story.” By nature, an agnostic strives to find an explanation for everything. In doing that, they completely rule out faith because faith is felt when something cannot be explained, but feels true. I think the difference between having religion, being agnostic, and being atheist trickles down to who is willing to rely on faith, not what you actually believe in.
the agnostics are a people who are willing to acccept the fact that there is a supreme being if given sufficient evidence and proof. They rely alot on facts and sight rather than just faith. But an agnostic is still open to all sides. An atheist straight up denys the fact that there could be a God. They are not open to other beliefs about God but the simply wont accept the arguement of a God. I think that he is defintley talking about a religion. The religion that i think he is reffering to is the Christian faith. He refers to the entire thing being based around loved. No other religion emphasizes the love of Christ and the loving of others more than any other religion in the world. When Jesus is asked what the most important commandment is he says "love your neightbor as yourself, and Love only the lord your God." Jesus is all about love. Also when he refers to sharpening moral senses and knowing right and wrong i believe he is talking about the Holy Spirit entering you when you become a christian and kind of acting as your conscience.
Agnostics recognize the existence or nonexistence of a supreme deity- whichever has enough evidence for the logistics of human thought to recognize and understand. Atheists, on the other hand, reject all suggestion to the existence of a higher being or deity.
The block quotes do seem to pertain to religion, seemingly unspecified though. Perhaps the quotes refer to all religions, religion in general. The only thing I personally noticed that would lead one to see a reference to one religion in particular (Christianity) would the be the choice and capitalization of "...God's silence." (63)
As far as these chapters being the core of the novel, I'm not sure that they are, or that they aren't. I feel as though I need to get through the whole book and do some reflecting and connecting before I can make that judgment.
Just throwing out a notation I made after reading these two chapters: the order of chapters 21 and 22 is interesting to me. The undefined narrator references what he says to be quotes of Pi, "dry, yeastless factuatlity," and "the better story." Then, in chapter 22, we see where Pi actually said these things. The order of reference then context is interesting to me; maybe it was just me...
Atheism in its self is almost like a religion. The belief in no supreme being and the dedication to evolution and science is as strong point in many atheist. Agnostic however is someone who just doesn't care. Though they don't worship or believe in any supreme being, agnostics don't think there isn't any, they simply don't care.
These chapters are very important because they show religion and also a better insight into Pi. Pi admires atheist, however; he condemns agnostics. Why is this? I believe Pi is an admirer of faith. Atheist believe in something, though he disagrees, he respects and is even interested in their view. One man, Mr. Kumar, who he looks greatly upon is an atheist.This shows Pi's great love of faith.
An atheist is someone who does not believe in the existence of God, or any other gods for that matter. An agnostic is someone who does not know whether a higher power, such as God, exists. Agnostics neither deny specific religious beliefs, nor do they assume that there isn't a promising afterlife waiting for them once they pass away. In chapter 22, Pi clarifies the difference between the two by describing what an atheist's last thoughts would be compared to an agnostic's last thoughts. The atheist comes up with a scientific explanation for what he sees as he dies; while on the other hand, the agnostic cries out to the God whom he/she did not have enough faith to believe in while on Earth.
One can be both an atheist and an agnostic, they are terms that describe two entirely different things, knowledge and belief. Those who are gnostic know for sure, those that are agnostic don't. Those that are theist believe, those that are atheist do not. Everyone in the world is either an gnostic theist, and agnostic theist, gnostic atheist, and agnostic atheist.
I think this section of the book is important because it is highlighting the struggle Pi faces with faith. He himself is of very unique faith, practicing three religions at once. He is also interested in the faith of those in different religions and the faith or lack-thereof of those who have no religion.
Pi is a very inquisitive person, and I think he wants to grasp all things. This is a noble pursuit, but I think that perhaps all the thrashing around he is doing is muddling the metaphorical waters.
The end.
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