The “Real Story” or the “Better Story”: Faith and Science Representations in Life of Pi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55578/jlcas.2602.001Keywords:
Yann Martel, Life of Pi, Faith and Science, Religion and Reason, Literary Imagination, Wonder, Martin Buber, William James, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Jonathan SacksAbstract
Yann Martel’s 2001 bestselling novel Life of Pi, later adapted into an acclaimed film in 2012, explores fundamental questions about religion, faith, imagination, psychology, human existence, and their relationship to reason and science. This paper examines the perceived tension between science and religion as represented in both the novel and film, analysing Martel’s sophisticated challenge to this dichotomy. Through its parallel narratives—one featuring animals and the other humans—the novel presents two ways of engaging with reality: one infused with faith and meaning, the other guided solely by rational explanation. This study demonstrates how Life of Pi engages with broader questions of faith and science by placing them in dialogue with the philosophical perspectives of William James, Martin Buber, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Jonathan Sacks. Drawing on Jewish theological sources, the paper argues that Martel’s work transcends mere pragmatic defence of religion to advocate for a mode of existence that integrates both scientific understanding and religious wonder, suggesting that faith constitutes not a set of beliefs but rather a distinctive mental stance toward reality.
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