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Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University

Define what travel literature is and explain with your own words three distinctive
characteristics of either fictional or nonfictional travel narratives by giving one reference for
each of three characteristics from the texts, films and documentaries discussed/assigned:

Travel Literature Response on the Life of Pi

Merve Horoz - 190103106068

Elif Can Seven - 190103106067

Dr. Selin Marangoz

IDE410 British Travel Literature

26 April 2023
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Traveling is one of the most exciting and inspiring activities that people can
experience in their lifetime. Travel allows people to explore different cultures, visit historical
places, taste new flavours, and meet interesting people. These experiences can help people
better understand the world and explore themselves. Travel literature, on the other hand, is a
type of literature in which these experiences are written. Travel literature works are the works
in which the authors convey their experiences, impressions, thoughts, and feelings during
their travels. They can be fictional and nonfictional according to their characteristics. In this
article, more detailed information will be given about what travel literature is, its features and
importance, based on the travel movie Pi's life.

Travel writing is a type of writing that describes places visited and experiences while
traveling. It is also called travel literature. Fictional travel writing refers to travel literature
that is based on imagination or created out of the author's creativity. This type of travel
writing may include elements of adventure, fantasy, or science fiction, and the author's
experiences may be entirely imaginary. Examples of fictional travel writing include
"Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift.

On the other hand, nonfictional travel writing is based on real-life travel experiences,
observations, and encounters with people and places. This type of travel writing is typically
grounded in facts and the author's personal experiences. Nonfictional travel writing may
include memoirs, travelogues, and essays, and it can range from deeply personal accounts to
more objective and informative pieces. Examples of nonfictional travel writing include
"Travels with Charley" by John Steinbeck.

The movie "Life of Pi" is an example of fictional travel writing. While the
protagonist's journey involves actual places and animals, the story also includes fantastical
elements, such as the presence of a Bengal tiger on a lifeboat and surreal moments that
challenge the viewer's perception of reality. The novel on which the movie is based is also
considered a work of fiction, as the author Yann Martel has stated that the story is entirely
imaginary.

The information given in the travel literature must be accurate. In this respect, travel
writings are based on history, geography, literature, social sciences, etc. are useful resources.
Travel articles are written within a certain plan. Usually, the article starts from the day the
journey begins and describes the events covering the period up to the day of return. However,
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reverse sorting is also possible. What is seen in the travel article is usually told from the view
of the first person, namely the traveller. The language of travel writing should be simple.

Pi's life is a good example from the perspective of travel literature. It contains many
features of travel writing. For example, it uses background information that creates the
corresponding event by revealing many background elements. Life of Pi is about our main
character, Piscine Molitor Patel, who lives with his family in Pondicherry, on the French
Riviera of India. So, we have the exact location of where the story begins.

The location of Pi is clearly defined in the work and focuses on elements that are key
to the story or experience. His first journey starts when he is young with the search of God.
“None of us knows God until someone introduces us” (Life of Pi, 00:12:41) he says and states
that the first he met Krishna, the supreme being for Hindus. Then, Ganesh; the elephant
headed and Vishnu, the supreme soul, the source of all things was his primary thought of God.
Despite his biology teacher, Satish Kumar who happens to be the person who later inspires Pi
to study zoology in college, saying “Religion is darkness” (Life of Pi, 00:14:39), he was never
tired of searching and was never stopped questioning. Pi meets Christianity when he was only
12 and the idea of God sacrificing his own son, Christ to be sacrificed for humans’ sins was so
fascinating for the little Pi. Then he comes across with Islam and Allah, Pi founds a feeling of
serenity and brotherhood. All this pre-journey is to make the audience understand the
upcoming events and, in our case, it is right when we think that his spiritual journey slowly
takes a turn, the Japanese ship him and his family which was headed to Canada sinks terribly
with the strong storm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

When Pi opens to the ocean, he begins his journey of discovery and struggles with
himself and nature throughout this journey. This journey expresses Pi's desire to explore and
make sense of it. Pi forges a connection with the natural world to be alone, survive and
explore. This connection gives him a new perspective to make sense of himself and life.

Travel literature, like most travel and exploration narratives, explores the relationship
between nature and humanity. Life of Pi also explores this relationship. Pi’s second and
unintentional journey starts. Pi is shocked he is alive but at the same time utterly sad that his
family is God knows where. And if all of it is not enough, he is stuck in a tiny lifeboat with a
hyena, an already injured zebra, an orangutan named Orange Juice and last but not least a
tiger, named Richard Parker which is a permanent key to Pi’s survival and whole journey.
This time his journey is not only spiritual but also physical as well. Scared for his life Pi starts
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looking for food and he founds a pile of tools, a bucket, a knife, and a pencil. That pencil and
a notebook he had found ultimately becomes Pi’s most beloved belongings because right there
he starts journaling his journey without knowing basically nothing about when or how or even
he is going to make it alive to the shore, or in his case anywhere safe really. Pi takes a great
mental and physical war between him and Richard Parker (the other animals are sadly dead by
now) and after so many hardships and major obstacles such as life-threatening fishes, lack of
food for both him and Richard Parker and considering Richard is a tiger, he sure needs a good
amount of meat. Pi claims “I can eat the biscuits, but God made tigers carnivorous, so I must
learn to catch fish. If I don’t, I’m afraid his last meal would be a skinny vegetarian boy” (Life
of Pi, 1:05:19-1:05:30). Thus, Pi starts to try catching fish for his former enemy now his only
friend and a source of hope basically.

The newly sprouting friendship between Pi and Richard Parker is portrayed so well
that the audience almost feels as if they are on the lifeboat with the two. This compares us
with one of the important features of travel writing, with the clear display of important people
to make readers feel like they know a little bit about themselves. It is an undeniable fact that
the emotional bound is felt throughout the screens when Pi wakes up and sees the lifeboat is
reached to an island filled with thousands of meerkats, drinkable water and the edible food but
when he realizes that they cannot stay there and they should leave if they don’t want the
island to slowly kill them, he calls out for Richard Parker and we see the tiger comes back for
Pi’s voice. Indeed, an impressive scene for the whole audience. Pi was always claiming that
he could see the soul behind Richard Parker’s eyes, even though his father was telling him
that animals can’t think like humans do and what Pi sees in tiger’s eyes is Pi’s own emotions’
reflection thus, animals cannot be his friends. We are not fully sure if in the end of their
journey Richard Parker has seen Pi as a friend because when it was time that they finally
reached the Mexico shore, Richard Parker left Pi without even looking back even once. Their
journey was not only to find the true religion or if the animals can be our friends because at
the end, we see Pi believing and practicing more than one religion and without Richard
Parker, he lives with his family happily ever after.

Pi interacts with animals and the natural world to learn more about human nature.
These interactions open a window for him to better understand himself and human nature.

Pi's Life also deals with the theme of alienation and adaptation, which is one of the
key elements of travel literature. Pi must adapt to its environment to survive, which makes it
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feel like a stranger in a different environment. Alienation and adaptation drive Pi's character
development and struggle for survival.

Travel literature offers various perspectives on why people travel. This genre of
literature deals with travel experiences that help people gain a different perspective on their
lives, discover themselves, and get to know new cultures and people. The reasons people
travel may include a desire to explore, a desire to escape, a desire to learn, a desire for
adventure, and a need to reconnect. Travel literature, by describing people's travel
experiences, reflects how people discover themselves, understand cultures and interact with
different people during the journey. This type of literature helps people understand the world
more deeply, gain different perspectives, and ask more questions of themselves.

As a conclusion, Life of Pi which has the characteristics of fictional travel literature,

includes key elements from the perspective of travel literature, such as a story of travel and
discovery, exploration of the relationship between nature and humanity, themes of alienation
and adaptation, and character development. These elements show that Life of Pi is not just a
survival story, but an in-depth voyage of discovery to understand humanity's connection to the
natural world. Pi must contend with hunger, thirst, and loneliness as he struggles to survive
with the Bengal tiger inside the boat. In the process, Pi makes discoveries about his own
power and will to survive, while questioning the meaning of life. Eventually, Pi survives and
reaches Canada. However, the absence of his family and the pain of his lost animals still have
a place on Pi. Thanks to his struggle and will to survive, Pi begins to find the meaning of life
and set a purpose for himself again. Travel literature offers a different perspective on why
people travel. People travel for reasons such as a desire to explore, a desire to escape, a desire
to learn, a desire for adventure, and a need to reconnect. Travel literature reflects people's
travel experiences, showing how people discover themselves, understand different cultures
and interact with different people.
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Works Cited

Darrah, Petrina. “What Is Travel Writing, Anyway?” Petrina Darrah, Petrina Darrah, 19 Apr.
2023, https://www.petrinadarrah.com/blog/what-is-travel-writing

Das, Subhamoy. “Who Is Lord Krishna?” Learn Religions, 2009,

www.learnreligions.com/who-is-krishna-1770452.

“Early Modern Travel Writing (2): English Travel Writing (Chapter 5) - the Cambridge
History of Travel Writing.” Cambridge Core, 1 Jan. 2019,
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-history-of-travel-writing/early-
modern-travel-writing-2-english-travel-writing/
1755C48E433AA99460452024CFAF679F

Edwards, Justin D. Postcolonial Travel Writing and Postcolonial Theory. Cambridge UP,
2018, https://www.dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/25841/1/Postcolonial%20Travel
%20Final%20Version.pdf

Oakes, John. Can You Comment on the Statement “Religion Is Darkness” from the
Movie/Book Life of Pi? – Evidence for Christianity, 28 Jan. 2013

https://evidenceforchristianity.org/can-you-comment-on-the-statement-religion-is-
darkness-from-the-moviebook-life-of-pi/