An Interpretation Of Life Of Pi In The Perspective Of Deep Ecology

Canadian animal literature has a long history. Yann Martel’s Life of Pi is one ofthe best works. The novel has gained high critical remarks since its publication. It wonthe highest Award of English Fiction in2002—the Booker Prize. However, most criticsmainly have interpreted this novel from the perspectives of storytelling and religiousbeliefs, ignoring the interpretation of Pi-tiger relationship.With the deterioration of ecological crisis in contemporary society, it is a greatimportant issue in literary critical field to reconsider the relationship between humanand nature, human and animals. Regarding this issue, different literature critics providedifferent theory models. Naess’ deep ecological theory gives a new perspective forhuman-animals relationship. This study attempts to interprete the relationship betweenPi and tiger based on Naess’ deep ecological theory. Firstly, the thesis analyzes thecharacters of Pi and tiger from the Naess’ norms of “biocentric equality”. Then, itanalyzes “Self-realization” process of Pi which achieves “symbiosis” of animals andnature from the game of their dual characters during the adrift.Finally, the research points that this novel attempts to construct a new interactivemodel of humans and animals, namely the “symbiosis” model, which has a greatinspiring meaning for us to reconsider the relationship between human and nature,humans and animals.