The story takes place in the 1970s. Pi’s family decides to move from India to Canada. They have a Japanese steam ship move the animals and Pi’s family to Canada by way of the Pacific Ocean. During the trip, the ship sinks around the Philippines. The situation leaves Pi in a lifeboat with an orangutan, a hyena, a zebra, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Pi encounters natural selection, meaning the tiger ate the other animals, soon leaving the Bengal tiger and Pi on the lifeboat. The extensive beginning of the story with the background draws on in a slow pace; the tempo of the story picks up as Pi finds himself on the lifeboat. The story finally begins with Pi’s ordeal.

Martel skillful places Pi in his surroundings,incorporating his family, his home, and his original Hindu culture to develop him as a character. Zoology and religion come together in this story in an uncanny way. Pi grows up knowing the different aspects of animals and how they are handled. He respects animals and pieces together his world using them as a basis of reference for his life. The emphasis on zoology makes a close connection with how Pi survives with a tiger on a lifeboat for 227 days. He loves his family and the surrounding community, strengthening the reserve of Martel’s character for the journey he encounters on the sea.

As a character, Pi appears as a typical protagonist. He is a conscientious and bright boy, loves learning. He remains very passionate about his faith and belief in God, always recognizing Him as a strong ‘presence.’ Even though he is an innocent character in the story, the struggle he endures on the lifeboat with the tiger shows his strong resolve. The tiger named Richard Parker adds to the complexity of the story’s message. Richard Parker acts as the antagonist, a predator on the other side of the boat, but Pi still keeps him nearby—even he cannot explain why he wants the large tiger to stay. Martel’s placement of Pi and the tiger entice readers, so they know how the story unfolds and amidst the fact, Pi has to share the lifeboat with a predator.

One problem worth noting is the shift from present to past. There is a frame within the narrative: Martel writes the story but goes through a friend of the family and Pi himself—yet the final part to the story leads the reader to consider whether Pi either presents both parts of the book or was this merely Martel. At times, it is difficult to master which way Martel goes with the story. He has to leave the narrative to be able to switch between people telling the story. If Martel relied more on the survival story than having the switch to present during the story, it would make for easier understanding and develop more interest for readers.