A Study Of Yann Martel’s Novel Life Of Pi From The Perspective Of Cultural Semiotics

Yann Martel is famous for his novel Life of Pi which has attracted much attentionfrom the public since it was published in2001. At the same time, the novel Life of Piwas awarded The Man Booker Prize for Literature in2002and the German BookPrize in2004. As a monumental work containing abundant implications, the novelLife of Pi can be interpreted from different perspectives. Given many culturalelements in the novel Life of Pi, this thesis will make a study on these culturalelements by applying cultural semiotics.This thesis is divided into three parts including introduction, main body andconclusion. The first part is introduction which mainly introduces the background,significance and organization of the study. The second part is the main body whichconsists of five chapters. The first chapter is literature review of the studies on thenovel Life of Pi at home and abroad. It not only summarizes the studies on the novelLife of Pi but also points out their merits and limitations. The second chapterprincipally illustrates the theoretical framework of the study including semiotics bySaussure, semiotics by Roland Barthes and Roland Barthes’ semiotics on culture aswell as cultural semiotics by Lotman. The third chapter primarily analyzes the culturalconnotations contained in the religious symbols and doctrine of the three religions—Hinduism, Christianity and Islam; besides, the protagonist Pi Patel overcame manycultural conflicts and barriers to become a Hindu, Christian and Muslimsimultaneously, so this chapter also analyzes religious conflicts and differences inreligious rites, customs and traditions and elaborates how religious fusion can berealized by religious contacts and communication. The fourth chapter chiefly presentsthe cultural implications of some classical names in the novel Life of Pi. According tocultural semiotics, names contain profound cultural significance and are also a kind ofcultural sign. On the basis of social culture, mass culture, folklore, legends, myths,literature works and the analysis of the names of the characters such as PiscineMoliter Patel, Pi Patel, Richard Parker and Orange Juice, it is easy to decode the codes of the characters’ destiny contained in the names of the characters and analyzethe characters profoundly. For example, Piscine Moliter Patel derives from the nameof a famous French swimming pool, thus, he is doomed to be caught in the vast waters—Pacific Ocean; the famous namesakes of Richard Parker in history are the tragicvictims of shipwrecks, therefore, the tiger’s name Richard Parker signifies that itcould not get rid of the fate to meet with the shipwreck. The fifth chapter mostlyexpounds some other important cultural elements in the novel covering colors, thePacific Ocean, drift, lifeboat, the cannibal island as well as several animals. The color‘orange’ symbolizes hope, which predicts the protagonist Pi could survive on thePacific Ocean;‘green’ is the color of Islam, which predicts the heavenly green islandis the paradise of Muslims. What’s more, according to Christianity, the image of PiPatel, Pacific Ocean, drift and lifeboat is the epitome of Noah leading his family andthe chosen animals to escape from the flood in Noah’s Ark, which suggests that likeNoah, the protagonist Pi Patel, as a devout religious believer, could tide over the hardtimes in the shipwreck. What’s more, traditionally, tiger is the symbol of strength,power, justice and braveness in some mythologies, legends, folklore or religiousculture, however, it is also the sign of evils and a kind of destructive force in someliterature works. Therefore, the tiger Richard Parker not only shows the protagonist PiPatel’s braveness and reverence but also represents the darkness and evils in his heart.As for the hyena, in general, in folklore, myths and literature works, it symbolizescruelty, craftiness, betrayal and immorality. Thus, the hyena in the first storycorresponds with that disgusting, cruel, wicked and bloody French cook appearing inthe second story. The third part is a conclusion which points out the study on the novelLife of Pi from the perspective of cultural semiotics can not only help to interpret thenovel in a better way by analyzing the novel’s theme, plots and characters profoundlybut also accelerate the multicultural communication, reduce cultural conflicts andpromote cultural prosperity.