The Journey “Home”— Humanity And Animality In The High Mountains Of Portugal

Yann Martel is a contemporary Canadian writer,widely known for his book Life of Pi.His works are full of animal images,religious metaphors and philosophical thoughts.In The High Mountains of Portugal（2016）,a novel based on the style of magical realism,Martel discusses the idea of the body,reason,belief and technology to examine the relationship between humans and animals through the conflicts reflected by three homeward journeys.With the background of“animal turn”in the 21^st century,this thesis takes Martel’s The High Mountains of Portugal as an example and looks through the development of animals in literature and zoo-criticism to reflect the new trend of zoo-criticism in the new era.First,in order to reexamine humanity,this thesis inquires into humans’survival predicaments from the perspectives of technological development,faith and reason,and spirit and body.Second,through close reading,the thesis examines the characters’behaviors and some of their physical traits to reveal the mysticism of nature and give meaning to animality.Finally,the thesis discusses animality and humanity,emphasizing that humans need to take a fresh look at their development,respect nature and admit the animality within them so as to regain vigor and return home.Based on“homecoming”,the novel reveals the fact that human beings are in the grip of great anxiety in modern civilization.From being“homeless”to being“homeward”and finally to being at“home”,the novel shows arguments against the idea that human beings are superior to other species,and offers a new perspective on human nature,aiming at keeping the balance between humanity and animality.The High Mountains of Portugal reveals Martel’s profound thoughts on the future of humans and his confidence that humans will be able to get out of trouble and regain vigor and vitality.