Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Life of Pi, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Survival
Religion and Faith
Storytelling
Boundaries
Summary
Analysis
Pi says that the lowest animal, the “omega,” has the most to gain by having a close relationship with the alpha. This is the lion that tamers will use for their special tricks, as the omega lion is willing to do more to increase its social standing. It is the same in zoos, where omega animals are the easiest to care for.
This foreshadows Pi’s training of Richard Parker. Omega, as the last letter of the Greek alphabet, represents a harmonious and final ending, unlike Pi’s namesake—π—or his “botched goodbye” with Richard Parker.
Themes
