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Alliteration
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Chapter 5
Explanation and Analysis—Religious Figures:
Pi’s faith leads him to make many allusions to religious stories (he compares himself to Jesus’s disciples, for instance). These allusions make the reader aware of how Life of Pi functions as a religious allegory, and they also show how Pi’s worldview is informed by multiple religious allegiances. For example, he often compares his moments of suffering to various religious figures, such as in Chapter 5 when he is being bullied at school, and says:
I walked in last, wearing my crown of thorns.
Related Themes:
Chapter 61
Explanation and Analysis—Religious Figures:
Pi’s faith leads him to make many allusions to religious stories (he compares himself to Jesus’s disciples, for instance). These allusions make the reader aware of how Life of Pi functions as a religious allegory, and they also show how Pi’s worldview is informed by multiple religious allegiances. For example, he often compares his moments of suffering to various religious figures, such as in Chapter 5 when he is being bullied at school, and says:
Unlock with LitCharts A+I walked in last, wearing my crown of thorns.
Related Themes:
Chapter 63
Explanation and Analysis—Other Castaways:
Pi is a voracious reader and excellent storyteller, so he often makes allusions to various books and other castaway stories. In doing so, he likens his experiences to those of the characters in these stories. The most notable example of this occurs in Chapter 63:
Unlock with LitCharts A+The Robertson family survived thirty-eight days at sea. Captain Bligh of the celebrated mutinous Bounty and his fellow castaways survived forty-seven days. Steven Callahan survived seventy-six. Owen Chase, whose account of the sinking of the whaling ship Essex by a whale inspired Herman Melville, survived eighty-three days at sea with two mates, interrupted by a one-week stay on an inhospitable island. The Bailey family survived 118 days. I have heard of a Korean merchant sailor named Poon, I believe, who survived the Pacific for 173 days in the 1950s.
I survived 227 days.
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