The below passage comes to you from Yann Martel's Life of Pi.
Read this passage and analyze the tone. Be sure to explain how the diction, imagery and figurative language all speak to the tone. Then, what is his point? Happy reading!
Read this passage and analyze the tone. Be sure to explain how the diction, imagery and figurative language all speak to the tone. Then, what is his point? Happy reading!
"In zoos, as in nature, the best times to visit are
sunrise and sunset. That is when most animals come to life. They stir and leave
their shelter and tiptoe to the water’s edge. They show their raiments. They
sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rites. The reward
for the watching eye and the listening ear is great. I spent more hours than I
can count a quiet witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life
that grace our planet. It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as
to stupefy the senses.
I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have
about God and religion. Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in
the wild are “happy” because they are “free.” These people usually have a
large, handsome predator in mind, a lion or a cheetah (the life of a gnu or of
an aardvark is rarely exalted). They imagine this wild animal roaming about the
savannah on digestive walks after eating a prey that accepted its lot piously,
or going for callisthenic runs to stay slim after overindulging. They imagine
this animal overseeing its offspring proudly and tenderly, the whole family
watching the setting of the sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure.
The life of the wild animal is simple, noble and meaningful, they imagine. Then
it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails. Its “happiness” is
dashed. It yearns mightily for “freedom” and does all it can to escape. Being
denied its “freedom” for too long, the animal becomes a shadow of itself, its
spirit broken. So some people imagine" (15-16).
In the passage, the speaker denounces the fact that people believe that animals are only happy in nature. Although the speaker never really comes right out and states that animals are not really free and happy in nature, he alludes to the message through his diction, imagery, and figurative language. Immediately, the speaker starts the second paragraph of the passage stating, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion,” (15-16). A cynical tone is immediately created through the speaker’s diction. The speaker’s word choice of ‘nonsense’ establishes that the speaker feels bitter about what he has heard about zoos. Further, the speaker goes on to state, “They imagine this wild animal roaming about the savannah on digestive walks after eating a prey that accepted its lot the piously… They imagine this animal overseeing its offspring proudly and tenderly., the whole family watching the setting of the sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure,” (15-16). In the beginning stages, the speaker employs imagery so the typical image of a lion walking around as The King of the Jungle is created in the reader’s mind. Through this imagery, the speaker is playing on most people’s thinking that life in the wild is the best life for an animal. Later on, the speaker goes on to state, “Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails. Its “happiness” is dashed…So some people imagine,” (15-16). In the quote, assonance is created in the words “it is,” “wicked,” and “into.” This assonance helps to emphasize the word “wicked” when it is referring to those who hunt the wild animals. The speaker’s word choice of “wicked” to describe the way many individuals view the hunters creates a cynical diction and shows the others’ distaste towards the hunters. But, the speaker emphasized the word “happiness” with quotation marks around it shows that the author doesn’t truly believe that animals are happiest in the wild. This is evident by the speaker stating, “It [the animals’ interactions at the zoo] is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses,” (15-16). This shows the author’s point in this passage. The author believes that animals are truly themselves when they are in the zoo. The author’s diction at the beginning of the passage when he is referring to the animals at the zoo is very different as compared to the diction of the speaker when he refers to the animals in the wild. The diction transitions from pleasant to mocking. It is evident, in the speaker’s opinion that he believes that animals are happiest in the zoo.
ReplyDeleteThe tone of the passage from Life of Pi goes from exciting and lively, opening up with a scene from a zoo- to something darker, the other side to animals that people do not see. The first couple of sentences begin with “they” making the animals seem less than humans. There are no names to the animals, they are solely referred to as “they” making their presence seem more forced than allowed through their own free will. Also, all the actions that the animals are conveying are done only to please their audience and because that is all they know how to do: wake up, dance for the people and then go to sleep again. This use of repetition adds to the excited, yet eerie dwelling of the poem- although the animals seem to be having fun in the zoo, they are not allowed to be themselves. The “act” that these animals put on is “bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses,” but although the narrator says this, readers are led to believe that all they are seeing is in their imagination. The next line at the beginning of the second paragraph is impactful and is meant to be as to draw the reader’s attention away from the happy thoughts of the zoo: “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion.” Then the author continues on with enchanting imagery to show the beautiful life of a great predator that people imagine in their heads. There is a sarcastic tone to some of what the narrator says, “They imagine this animal overseeing its offspring proudly and tenderly, the whole family watching the setting of the sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure.” At this point the narrator is mocking those who believe in the nonsense that is a “free” animal in the wild because in his mind no such thing exists. Once an animal is believed to be free he is snatched up and put in a zoo just like the rest of them. The transition from slow, progressive sentences to quick, hurried ones is sudden, “The life of the wild animal is simple… Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails.”This shows the narrator’s anger at the ignorance of people who believe that a wild animal is truly “free” because he is not. Through this use of imagery, diction and figurative language the author of Life of Pi is able to convey the message that although we believe ourselves to be free nothing is truly free.
ReplyDelete-Bolger, J. 2
In this passage from Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the speaker discusses society’s opinions about animals in the wild and contrasts them with his own. The entire second paragraph of the passage makes an argument about the misunderstood life of wild animals. Throughout the passage, the speaker repeats “they imagine” to show that the opinions of the majority are not based on sound arguments. Through the repetition of this phrase, the speaker is able to provide a rebuttal to each point he makes. He says, “The life of the wild animal is simple, noble and meaningful, they imagine.” Without making the final statement, the narrator’s argument would struggle to be developed. However, by saying that “they imagine”, he argues against the idea that animals are more happy in the wild than in a zoo. This contributes to a negative critical tone in the passage. This tone is further developed through the speaker’s word choice. In the first paragraph, the speaker says about the animals at the zoo: “They stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water’s edge. They show their raiments. They sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rites.” This diction and imagery is sharply contrasted in the second paragraph when he says, “Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails.” The contrast between the first and final paragraphs helps to further develop the argument. In the first paragraph, the speaker talks about animals that are held in zoos. In the second, he discusses the life on animals in the wild. He is sarcastic and mocking in the second paragraph, which shows that he does not agree with the opinions of the majority. He works to persuade readers that animals are still happy in the zoo, despite the popular opinion of society. His negative, mocking tone allows him strengthen this argument and show that animals can still be happy in a zoo.
ReplyDelete-Ryan M 2
In this passage from the novel, “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel, the speaker opens up with a very lively, wonder-filled tone, describing all of the beautiful images that people tend to associate with wild animals in their “free” worlds in the zoo: “They stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water’s edge… They sing their songs… I spend more hours than I can count an quiet witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life that grace our planet” (15-16). In these lines, the speaker creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind, making them see the lives of animals in zoos as pleasant and beautiful. He uses words like, “delicate,” and, “bright” to liven up the scenery; however, in the second paragraph of the passage, the animated tone quickly shifts to a more critical, harrowing tone.
ReplyDeleteThe speaker begins by saying that he has, “heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I [he] has about God and religion” (15-16) to express his disapproval of others’ negative connotations towards zoos. The speaker goes on to say that, “well meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are ‘happy’ because they are ‘free’” (15-16) but that these people who imagine the happy animals in the wild typically imagine the ones at the top of the food chain who appear very graceful and beautiful, such as lions. Throughout this second paragraph, the speaker uses repetition of the phrase, “they imagine,” quite often in order to show the reader just how misguided people’s imaginations are. Sure, people associate the majestic animals in nature as being happy, but how often to they imagine smaller animals, such as an aardvark, being happy? On the contrary to seeing wild animals as “free,” people look at animals in zoos as being trapped and imprisoned: “Then, it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails. Its ‘happiness’ is dashed. It yearns mightily for ‘freedom’ and does all it can escape” (15-16). Nonetheless, the reader believes that these negative views towards zoos are wrong, and that animals can be just as “happy” in zoos as they are in the wild.
In this passage, the speaker is commenting on people in society and how they make assumptions about topics that they sometimes do not understand. Individuals are too quick to judge things without knowing a single thing about them, and not just judge them, but also practically shun them. Nevertheless, the speaker believes that it is important for people to understand that not all negative associations are the truth.
Shaniuk, B 7/8
Yann Martel begins the passage from the novel "Life of Pi" with the a statement that upholds the beauty that zoos truly bring. The animals function and experience the world the same way they would in nature. The overall tone of the first paragraph is hopeful and emphasizes the beauty in everyday actions that animals perform and is seen in It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses".The speaker's tone in the next paragraph greatly contrasts the previous one's. It becomes dark and focuses on pointing out the misconception that animals are happier when they are free. The speakers begins the paragraph by saying "I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion". The negative tone and connotation transfers to his explanation of a stereotypical animal in the wild, a lion or a tiger, completing its stereotypical lifestyle. the animal is then ruined by being put in "jail" where is soul wastes away. The author's contrast to the beginning is meant to show that the commonly accepted idea, that animals are better happier free and in the wild is not the equivalent of what they picture for all animals. The prey and the others under the king of the jungle must assume their fate without question in the wild, whereas in the zoo the animal is saved from the fate, but trapped in a "jail". The entirety of the passage speaks to our confused ideals of freedom,. and how freedom is never truly what we think it is.
ReplyDeleteSupina, R 2
Yann Martel’s speaker in Life of Pi speaks against society’s beliefs that animals are only happy in the wild and cannot be happy in a zoo. He states that, “In zoos, as in nature, the best times to visit are sunrise and sunset.” The speaker describes how animals who live in zoos and free animals are both able to roam and partake in the same activities. In the second paragraph, the speaker attempts to debunk the theory that animals who live in zoos are miserable and would be better off living in the wild. People who believe this, he states, often “have a large, handsome predator in mind, a lion or a cheetah.” This is mentioned to demonstrate that people often disregard smaller pray animals, who are protected in zoos, and only think about the “negative” impacts that zoos have on large predatory animals. His critical tone is established thorough his repetition of the phrase, “they imagine,” throughout the second paragraph. This phrase is used in a sarcastic manner and the speaker says it after every common misconception that people have about animals who live in zoos. He does this to refute the arguments that people often make to criticize zoos. His peaceful diction and imagery in paragraph one, describing how animals, “sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rites. The reward for the watching eye and the listening ear is great. I spent more hours than I can count a quiet witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life that grace our planet.” The imagery of animals living together in perfect harmony is contrasted by the description of animals, “captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails.” He employs negative connotations of humans who capture animals in a sarcastic way, emphasizing the fact that he believes that animals who live in zoos have better or the same quality of life as animals in the wild have. His sarcastic tone allows him to strengthen his argument, that animals can be happy in zoos, and prove that life in the wild is not always the best life for all animals.
ReplyDeleteJudele C, 2nd
The world tends to view animals in zoos as unhappy because they are places in cages. They have their freedoms taken away from them. The people that view the animals this way merely observe the animals. The speaker has an entirely different opinion in The Life of Pi. He sees the life of the animals in the zoo and notice they act as how they would as if they were still in nature. The speaker has a shift in tone from one of admiration when talking about the actions of the animals to a critical tone when talking about the false accusations most of society has against zoos.
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about the animals in the zoo, the speaker is as excited and awake as the animals at dawn and in the evening. He sees the animals act and react in a way that they would in the wild and to him there is beauty in that. He says, “I spent more hours than I can count a quiet witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life that grace our planet” (4-6). The use of alliteration in this sentence elongates his feelings of appreciation for the animals in the zoo. He also uses elevated diction to further describe the beauty he understands when watching the animals. His tone quickly shifts when he talks about the view most of society has when it comes to zoos. He says, “They imagine this wild animal roaming about the savannah on digestive walks after eating a prey that accepted its lot piously, or going for callisthenic runs to stay slim after overindulging” (11-13). This imagery used shows what most people think of when they think of animals in the wild. This image is limited to only specific animals and all other animals in the wild are forgotten. The author sees how people believe that animals feel more freedom in the wild when in reality they have never seen this with their own eyes.
The speaker considers all animals and their behavior in the zoos in comparison to the wild. Because he sees the lives of the animals in the zoo, he admires them when he watches them and rejects the thoughts of those who have not witnessed the animals’ happiness.
Hornung, A. 7/8
In this passage, the main idea is touching on the fact that animals are only happy in the wild, not in captivity. From the beginning of the passage, the tone is very upbeat, happy and hopeful. In the first paragraph it states, “They (animals) stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water’s edge. They show their raiments. They sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rites.” By using different words like “sing” and “perform” it creates a positive connotation, one that shows how the animals enjoy themselves in the area. By showing their “raiments” they are showing off their bodies and coats, all which is happening in a positive environment. Overall, a tone of “lively” and “enjoyable” comes to attention, which is mainly brought up through the different word choices and diction chosen.
ReplyDeleteThe tone takes a large shift in the second paragraph. From the beginning, the speaker states, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion.” This statement becomes very powerful with the use of religion and God; demonstrate the magnitude of the speaker’s anger with others. The speaker then brings up the idea that other feel the wild is good place for animals. By using the word choice of “happy” and “free”. The speaker then uses the repetition of the phrase “They imagine” to show how other’s thoughts are not necessarily true. The word choice here makes other’s information seem inaccurate, which leads to a dismal and shaky tone. Lastly, by using the words “freedom” and “happiness” repeatedly, with a mixture of “denied” and “shadow” demonstrates the warped sense that some people have of animals. Some people believe the animals are free when they really aren’t.
Overall, the story is touching on people’s misbeliefs in life and how one might act too quickly when assuming something. On many accounts, people might believe in one thing, but be completely wrong. This lead to the importance of understanding the truth, and not being fast to assume certain information
Wasylko, G 7/8th
The tone of this passage changes. First the tone is very reflective and the descriptions are majestic in a way. The imagery presents a scene of freedom and a life that is carefree and happy for the wild animals. However, with the transition from paragraph one to paragraph two there is also a transition in tone. The tone becomes angry, resentful, and one of desolation and loss of hope. The new diction and imagery in the second paragraph speaks to the overall unhappy tone. The new diction portrays how the animals then become trapped and yearning for freedom, and their spirits are broken. The authors point is to show how wrong some people are, and they visions that they have that they think are right are completely incorrect. The author is trying to show that the fate the animals have are not as great as people assume, and to show just what it is that happens to the animals and how he thinks they feel.
ReplyDeleteBunting, A 2nd
I would say the tone of this segment is one of anger, directed at those who think animals in zoos are unhappy. The speaker shows this with his blatant sarcasm and the images projected of the lives of the animals.
ReplyDeleteIn the first paragraph, the speaker describes the lives of the animals already in the zoo. In showing the intimate ways they interact after the zoo is closed to visitors, he personifies them, allowing us to picture ourselves doing the same actions: “They show their raiments. They sing their songs. They turn to one another and perform their rites”. This shows the reader that the animals in the zoo have the same amount of freedom that we do in our lives; they are still able to have good, whole lives with the little freedom that they have.
The second paragraph is where the sarcasm, and the point of the passage, begins to really come across. He outlines what other people think of the lives of animals in the wild, with all the glory and natural order: “They imagine this animal overseeing its offspring proudly and tenderly, the whole family watching the setting of the sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure.” This line sounds a whole lot like a sassy remark made to an ignorant person by someone from a broken home; it is a perfect idea of what a life should be, except everyone knows that it almost never works out that way.
The last sentences really tie both paragraphs together by explaining the same people think of the zoo animals: “Being denied it’s “freedom” for too long, the animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken”. However, from the above paragraph, we already know this is not the case. The animals are free to act the same way they would in the wild; in fact, their lives may even be better because they don’t have to worry about predators chasing them, having no food, or becoming sick. The speaker is angry at the ignorance of the masses, and seems to think that if they had his life they would think twice about their ideas.
Maslach, K 2
In this passage of Life of Pi, Yann Martel juxtaposes the wondrous reality of zoos with what most people imagine zoos to be: places of cruel imprisonment, where exotic animals are locked away and stripped of their true nature. The tone of the first paragraph is one of awe. Martel writes, “It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses.” This imagery captures the “highly mannered, manifold expressions of life” that occur within a zoo, where animals embrace life free of danger and starvation – where they are comfortable, well-fed, and taken care of. The narrator observes the animals with wonderment, amazed at their beauty and behavior within the protective structure of the zoo.
ReplyDeleteThe tone shifts significantly in the second paragraph, taking on a much more sarcastic character. Martel uses parenthesis around words such as “freedom” and “happiness” to highlight this sarcasm and empathize that these ideas are not always what people imagine them to be. His choice of the words “nonsense” and “well-meaning but misinformed” suggest that he disagrees strongly with most peoples’ views and believes them to be ignorant of the true nature of zoos. He utilizes figurative language to further disprove their views: “The animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken. So some people imagine.”
In this section of the novel, Martel argues that zoos – like religion – give people’s lives structure and meaning. Freedom isn’t necessarily a life without structure or routine. In a zoo, animals are comfortable and at peace whereas in the wild they would face predators, disease, and starvation. Martel argues that people exchange the freedom of wildness and instability for a life of structure and reliability. They accept God and religion into their lives so that they may understand their place in the universe.
Keller N 7/8
The speaker talks about the comparisons of viewpoints on animals in captivity and in the wild. He uses very vivid imagery to support his thoughts of the animal’s happiness in the zoo’s as people might believe them to be in the wild because he witnesses, “…Animals come to life. They stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the waters edge. They show their raiment’s. They sing their songs.” Singing songs and showing their uniqueness to other animals in the zoo show that animals behave the way they would in the wild. He also brings up the idea that some people think, “…wild animals roaming about the savannah on digestive walks after eating prey that accepted its lot piously.” However, the animal’s freedom that he speaks of through his concrete diction still show the “bright, loud, and weird” characteristics that enlighten the senses of the passage as the speaker witnessed in the zoo. Animals aren’t necessarily captured when put in the zoo because they can choose to be just as happy as they would be in the wild and the speaker’s happy tone towards those animals placed in the zoo leans towards a greater happiness for the animals that are not in the wild because of the reference “so some people image” as he describes peoples thoughts on animals that are in the wild.
ReplyDeleteRamusmair M 7/8
If you don’t already know, I am a huge advocate of Life of Pi. I was so happy when I heard that this week’s blog was about Life of Pi!!! Mrs. Perrin, you’re is the best!!! Everyone needs to read this book!
ReplyDeleteNow, onto the analysis.
Having read the book, I know that Yann Martel’s primary purpose for writing this book was to emphasize the importance of religion. It makes sense as to why he used certain words and comparisons in his book. The passage provided reflects this. Martel’s narrator, Pi Patel, enjoys watching animals in the zoo: “They show their raiments. They sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rights” (3-4). Although Martel’s description is about animals, Martel’s diction produces an image of actions that come not from an animal, but a human. He uses words like “raiments”, “songs”, and “rites”, which are all religious activities. He shows that religion can transform animals into men. As the first paragraph shows, religion is the bridge that gives animals human qualities.
If man is an animal that has accepted religion, then a zoo is similar to a church, temple, or any other religious institution. Patel comments on the criticism against zoos in the second paragraph, and thus, he speaks about the criticism against religion. The misconception, in Patel’s eyes, is, “The life of the wild animal is simple, noble, and meaningful, they imagine. Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails. Its “happiness” is dashed. It yearns mightily for “freedom” and does all it can to escape” (16-18). Martel mocks those who believe that zoo animals are prisoners by using quotation marks. He produces an image of suffering for the animals, but the quotations reflect that he believes the image is invalid. Patel wants to emphasize that zoos do not take the happiness away from the animal, but rather give animals happiness. Zoos provide safety to the animals. Likewise, religion provides safety to those that live under its roof. Religion does not cage its followers forcefully into a limited perspective of life, but rather gives people a sense of protection. People feel both safe and empowered by the thought of God. Martel’s overall supportive tone of religion and his connection between animals and religion prepares the reader for both Pi’s struggle on the boat by himself and hints at his final message to the reader (I can’t say it on the blog, it’s too good!!!).
Srivastava R, 2
In Yann Martel’s Life of Pi the stigma towards zoos is challenged. The speaker calls those who believe zoos harm animals “well-meaning but misinformed”. When describing the happiness of the animals in the zoo the speaker uses vivid imagery. The speaker thinks of the zoo as a sanctuary for the animals, using the word “shelter” to describe it. The animals in the zoo “sing their songs” and seem joyous. This bright, beautiful tone in the first paragraph is juxtaposed against the sarcastic tone of the second paragraph. The speaker describes the delusions about the “freedom” of animals in the wild people have, saying “The life of the wild animal is simple, noble, and meaningful, they imagine.” The diction used in this paragraph is much more sardonic than the first paragraph, emphasizing the speaker’s point. The imagery used in the phrase “captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails” paints a picture of what people think of zoos. The repetition of the phrase “They imagine” further shows the speaker’s opinion that these people are incorrect. “Happiness” and “freedom” are used in quotation marks to also show the sarcastic tone. This diction, imagery and figurative language help the reader truly understand the point the speaker is making.
ReplyDeleteFlorek, E. 7/8
The tone of this passage seems as though the narrator believes people are ignorant, therefore creating a sarcastic tone. I see this tone through his word choice. Words such as “digestive walks,” “overindulging” and other words with similar denotation to show the ignorance people have of animals in the wild. These words created a sense of anger in me as a reader that he felt all people thought of animals in such way. The last line of this passage also states “So some people imagine,” which backed up my thinking of the narrators tone. He sees the people in the same way I believed he did while I was reading and confirms it at the end. His use of imagery through this diction does place a view in my mind of how he thinks people see them. Going back to those same words that I described for diction, those words are perfectly placed to create a view for the reader. They see exactly what the author wants them too. They see the “wicked men” in their mind taking the animals and them being “thrown into tiny jails.” He places the people in this passage into a stereotype that he has for them.
ReplyDeleteAlso the reference when comparing religion to talk of zoos was an ironic comparison, which enhanced his point. This showed his view on animals in comparison to what others may speak often of and value In their life compared to his. The point of all these in one passage is to show his view on animals and people. He showed how he himself views animals and how he sees peoples view on animals as well. This creates the overall tone to set the scene for that passage and book.
Yann Martel’s Life of Pi is truly a fascinating book. The story’s protagonist, Pi Patel, frequently offers unique perspectives on the world shaped not only by living in a country like India, but also from his fated journey across the Indian Ocean.
ReplyDeleteThis passage is no exception. Here, Pi is explaining his family’s zoo in Pondicherry. In the first paragraph, he uses parallelism while describing the ideal times to visit the zoo. He explains that during the sunrise and the sunset the animals, “…show their raiments… sing their songs… turn to each other and perform their rites.” The paragraph maintains a heightened focus on the animal’s behavior and what a spectator would experience during these times. However, in the second paragraph, Pi transitions into talking about the free will of the animals with his point being that, although animals may appear to be trapped, they are not. Martel uses quotations around the words that drive the argument of those who believe that zoos take away the freedom of animals. These words include freedom itself, alongside happiness and free. Because of the usage of these quotations, Martel conjures the sense of sarcasm in the minds of the reader.
This passage is used to emphasize the point that the idea of freedom is simply just that: an idea. Even though these animals have physical boundaries, they are not restricted. It is certainly an interesting point that Pi makes and it consequently becomes an idea that he explores throughout his journey with Richard Parker.
-Kett J 2
I find the speaker’s tone to be disappointed in this passage. He does not doubt that the perception of the “free” animal in nature is not based off of truth, but finds it saddening that others must find zoos to be the opposite- a sort of containment. While the passage stops sort of an explanation regarding his positive view of zoos, his description of the wild seems it must be related. He uses the repetition of the word “imagine”, placed most importantly at the beginning and the end to create imagery separate from his narrative. It places the reader in the wild as if they were the animal who was “roaming about the savannah on digestive walks after eating a prey.” His use of ethos through his comparison of zoos to religion allows the reader to automatically distinguish the type of gravity this subject has on the narrator. I think his use of quotations around “happiness” and “freedom” is the most powerful tool in this passage because in a way it redefines these words. He gives one scenario of how an animal MIGHT live but he singles out these two words to explain that happiness and freedom are subjective and that to be ignorant towards situations we might not be able to fathom can be positive for both people, and animals. It is because he feels that people are not aware of the benefits of zoos that his tone is negative, and disappointed.
ReplyDelete-Grabowski, H. 7/8
The tone of the first paragraph can be considered a very pleasant and peaceful tone. It is not overwhelming or cruel until readers approach the second half of the second paragraph. Its syntax and imagery provide a peaceful tone and atmosphere; the imagery and anaphora used in the first paragraph make the words come to life, where one can visualize the sunsets, the animals walking and their rites. The diction also helps the tone within the passage. When Martel states that the animals, “tiptoe to the water’s edge” the word “tiptoe” is a quiet and cautious action, thus supporting the tone which is peaceful. The language and description in the second paragraph gives the predator animals more meaning to the typical animal, with words used to describe them such as, “noble” and “roaming”. However the tone does change drastically as the animals are captured, resulting in a bitter and harsh tone especially with the diction when Martell describes that the animals and their, “spirit broken” (Martell 15-16).
ReplyDeleteThe author makes commentary on animal captivity and the freedom of animals. Animals are assumed to be happy when freed, yet this is false in the narrators experience with animals. People believe and falsify that the animals desire freedom and nothing else once in captivity. They ignore the fact that those cute and bold animals in the zoo were pursued, captured and thrown into a cage forever. Not only alluding to animals but for humans as well. People also deal with the struggles of freedom and happiness, denied of freedom, an issue of freedom is widely confronted about nowadays with a multitude of issues both political and social. Martell tells readers that the deduction of happiness is not simple and the way of freedom is not the key to happiness, it is something much more than being given freedom from others externally.
Turnea, D 2nd Period
In the passage from the novel, “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel, Martel speaks about where and how animals are truly happy. The passage starts out with imagery and a happier tone. The tone presents hope that even if animals are not free they can still remain happy. I thought it was interesting how in the beginning of the passage it says, “In zoos, as in nature,” it shows that in both places animals can be happy. This first paragraph creates a scene for the reader to imagine of animals being happy and carefree. Then in the second paragraph the speaker talks about society’s common view on how animals in zoos are viewed. Society’s view contrasts with his own because he believes that some animals can be happy in zoos. The tone takes on a negative aspect in the second paragraph when he starts it with “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion”. This suggests that he thinks that people don’t ever know the truth about these things. He thinks that animals can be happy in both the zoo and the wild.
ReplyDeleteGall A 2
The speaker in the passage from Life of Pi begins forms a serene and beautiful tone in the first paragraph through the use of imagery and alliteration. He opens the first paragraph by saying: "...the best times to visit are sunrise and sunset"( line 1). Also, in line 3, it says: "They sing their songs." He also uses imagery to beautifully describe the setting, evoking a tone of serenity. In line 2 it says: "They stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water's edge". All of this creates a beautiful an peaceful image of animals living in a zoo. In the second paragraph the reader begins to see a sharp contrast when the author suddenly states: "I have heard nearly a much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion". Right away by starting the second paragraph this way the author increase the pace and creates a tone of exasperation. It's as if the reader can imagine the author rolling his eyes. He then goes to explain how animals in the wild who are "happy" are captured "by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails"( line 17) explaining that by doing so, it is "denied its "freedom" and the animal becomes a shadow of itself" (line 19). The contrast between the first paragraph and the second paragraph are sharp and it makes it seem like towards the end he does not agree with the incarceration of animals in zoos but it is his last line of the second paragraph where the reader can see that that is not the case: "So some people imagine". Those four words have so much power and practically contradict everything he mentioned in the second paragraph. He is in fact letting the reader know that contrary to popular opinion he does think that animals can be happy in a zoo.
ReplyDeleteGalvan. E 2nd
First off, I would like to dedicate this blog to Rohan. I would also like to add that this blog is the APPROPRIATE place to discuss Life of Pi, rather than during our Waiting for Godot presentation. That is all.
ReplyDeleteThe passage begins with a nostalgic and revering tone, using language such as, "something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses" and a quiet witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life that grace our planet". This language carries a positive connotation that conveys the tone, specifically in words such as "grace", "delicate", and "stupefy", among others. This tone, however, quickly transitions into mocking and resentful in the second paragraph. Just as the language in the first paragraph carried a positive connotation, the language in the second carries negative. For example, "the animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken." This is followed by expressions such as "or so some people imagine," which adds the mocking element. This single sentence discredits the entire scene the author so vividly painted and dashes the arguments of the aforementioned individuals that discredit zoos. Another factor at play in the second paragraph would be the quotation marks surrounding alleged descriptions of wild animals. They add a sardonic quality that immediately discredits such descriptions and ultimately shows the stance of the narrator on zoos.All of these factors work together to show through tone that the narrator endorses zoos.
-Harris, S. 2nd
Hi Sam, great analysis! I am hoping to use Life of Pi in my research paper, too!
DeleteIn this excerpt from Life of Pi, Yann Martel starts it off with the first paragraph having a tone of adoration and awe. He is comparing the typical image of what people imagine a zoo to be, a prison, to the beauty of nature that is everywhere. Martel wrote, “It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses.” The imagery and descriptions he provides gives the reader and idea of the beauty that is contained within a zoo. How these animals are safe from the dangers of the outside world, will be well fed, taken care of when sick, and ultimately have a strong chance of life.
ReplyDeleteThe tone in the second paragraph changes to mocking and sarcastic. The first line clearly shows the tone, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion.” Martel is being sarcastic to the people who think they know everything about a zoo, even though they will never know what it’s truly like to be an animal in a zoo. He mocks the words “happy” and “free” through the paragraph, giving this feeling that he does not believe what these other people agree with. He is using this to show people lack of intelligence about a zoos true nature, and how he strongly disagrees with the people he mentions. He is trying to convey the idea that zoos are not a prison, but rather a place of peaceful nature.
LoDolce, A 7/8
The piece as a whole is divided into two sections. It begins with an open and gentle tone. The narrator starts by explaining the energy of the animal kingdom. He starts out using diction such as “shelter and tiptoe”, “their songs/their rites” and “listening ear and watching eye”. These specific set of words consonance, which allows the initial section of the work to have a beautiful linguistic flow and to allow the reader to feel ease and comfort. Additionally, Martel utilizes the imagery of the piece for this purpose as well. “grace of our planet”, “stupefy the senses” and “the water’s edge” are prime examples of the calm serenity that Martel helps to paint with not only his diction, but his use of spatial sense. Overall, Martel paints a serene and gentle world in the animal kingdom.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with great peace comes great destruction. Martel utilizes these to sections to juxtapose on another. As opposed to the tranquility of the first section, the tone in the second section takes on a highly different feel. The tone he uses is sardonic and cynical. He creates this tone through two main components: sarcastic word choice and syntax. In terms of sarcastic diction, Martel utilizes a lot of quotation marks and common words such as “happiness” and “freedom” to make his point. These words, although positive in connotation, are coupled with quotation marks in order to make them seem meaningless and used by people who do not even understand. Additionally, there is a change in syntax. The first section contains long, flowing sentences that add to the serene feeling. However, the second section performs quite the opposite. Instead, Martel uses short, abrupt lines (separated by commas) to make the section feel short and uneasy. Overall, the use of these two techniques, in addition to the continual repetition of “they imagine” shows the ignorance of the human race.
Overall, understanding the plot of Life of Pi, it is important for Martel to use these passages in the beginning of his novel to make a claim from the eyes of Pi. It is through these lines that we see Pi as the educated son of a zoo owner, who sees the animals and the world as safe with his family. It is the lines like these where we truly get a depth to our character. We not only see where they find comfort, where they find happiness, but what they also find opposition to. These two paragraphs tells us a lot about Pi and that is exactly why Martel uses them.
Megan Lear 2nd
In this passage the speaker's tone shifts as his point becomes more clear. At the beginning of the passage the speaker uses lines such as "They stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water’s edge" to establish a light tone that makes readers imagine a majestic scene in nature, shedding a positive light on the zoo. With this, the narrator tells readers how wonderous zoos can be. However, the tone shifts when the focus of the passage finds it's way to humans and how they see zoos. It becomes less focused on the beauty of animals, and more of the ridicule of humans. Throughout the rest of the passage, the narrator repeats that people "imagine" how happy animals are in the wilderness--that they "imagine" large predators, ignoring the prey and the endangered animals that would have a rougher time of it. This repetition is used to ensure the reader understands how wrong the narrator thinks these assumptions are, ending the passage with the line "being denied its “freedom” for too long, the animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken. So some people imagine" in order to solidify the idea that animals are not truly unhappy in confinement, but are instead only thought to be that way because of people's projections onto them.
ReplyDeleteAvery, A 2nd.
I personally love the way he gives the animals such power in this excerpt, but that just might be the passion for animals speaking. He describes the animals with such peaceful elegance. When paying close attention to his diction, a few phrases stuck out to me. An example would be when referring to the animals, the speaker calls them “highly mannered”, which backs up my statement about the reference to elegance. It can be observed that the speaker has a fine-tune respect and love for animals. This love can be noticed by the imagery he gives us to work with. An example of this is at the very beginning, when the speaker says “in zoos, as in nature, the best time to visit is sunrise and sunset”. Typically, sunrise/sunsets are associated with romance and beauty. So, by recognizing that the best time to visit animals is during these periods of the day, its showing that he has noticed them have grace and beauty.
ReplyDeleteJust by reading this passage, I need to get off my butt and read this book. When the speaker said “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion”, I was instantly hooked. By putting together all the speakers’ imagery and diction, a very romantic and blissful tone arises. Now noting that type of tone, it is appropriate to come to the assumption that the speaker’s point was to show the reader the natural beauty of this earth. Also, referring to the previous quote, he believes there are a lot of misconceptions of the purpose of zoos. Sure, the wild is where these creatures belong, but just like art, they are here to influence the people. They are treated with the upmost care all in order to spread their natural beauty to those who cannot see them without it.
Reva 7/8
In the passage the speaker transitions from relaxed and blissful to mockery in a negative light. In the first paragraph the speaker sets the tone by describing the time animals come to “life”, “They stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water’s edge. They show their raiments. They sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rites. The reward for the watching eye and the listening ear is great.” It sets the relaxed tone that makes the reader feel at peace with the setting and has them understanding how the reader feels when seeing the animals at sunrise and sunset. As the passage goes on to the second paragraph, a shift occurs to portray sarcasm that some people just do not understand what they are talking about when thinking of animals. “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion. Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are “happy” because they are ‘free.’” His sarcasm shows that even in captivity animals can still be happy and free but since they assume that because they are in cages their lifestyles are not free to what they want it to be. The speaker is trying to have the reader understand that just because something is sad and people believe in it wholeheartedly is not always true without seeing every aspect of it. The animals still have a normal free-spirited life that they experience at every sunrise and sunset.
ReplyDeleteS. Güt 7/8
The author’s tone seems to be informative and almost mocking near the end through their use of diction, imagery, and figurative language that conveys their point that animals in a zoo are not prisoners but rather those that are wild are.
ReplyDeleteThe author’s tone first seems to be informative through their elevated diction such as using the word “stupefy” that may confuse an uneducated reader. When people are informative they are often educated. He also compares what he hears about zoos to what he has heard about religion. He says that those people are misinformed which means that the author would like to bring about the truth and the facts about what the misinformed people should be saying. He then describes how the creatures behave in the wild, thus giving him an informative tone since he seems to know exactly what he is talking about. He also then gives the animals human-like qualities when he says that they oversee their offspring “proudly and tenderly, the whole family watching the setting sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure.” We know that animals are not really like this. This section then leads into mockery when the author starts putting quotations around certain words. We know that when an author, or person speaking, does this that they are being sarcastic or want that particular word to be brought to the attention of their audience. The author maintains an informative tone while mocking the misinformed people and what they think. This leaves the reader to realize that the purpose that the author is trying to express is that animals in zoo are not the prisoners, but rather those that are in the wild.
Dame, E 2
The tone can be depicted in the first paragraph as peaceful and naturistic. Whereas the second paragraph is irritated at the misconception of animals that people have. The first paragraph focuses a lot on imagery of the animals interacting with nature. How sunrise and sunset are the best times to view it because "That is when most animals come to life"(1). They "stir and leave their shelter and tiptoe to the water's edge"(2), has the reader painting this picture in their head of a creature awakening from their cave to get a drink of water. As humans and having this ability to watch and listen to them sing their songs it is a "witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life that grace our planet"(5). People can misinterpret the zoo life however.
ReplyDeleteAnimals are usually depicted as being "'happy' because they are 'free'"(2), but this is incorrect. Animals do not have as much rights as they should, they get hunted for no reason, and they do not have a voice to speak up for themselves. "The animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken." (15-16). So from all of this, the author gives the theme of how animals need to be portrayed, which is a correct manner that they are not living this idealistic life that humans are jealous of. They need people to speak up for themselves, and this cannot happen if the wrong image and conception of them is taken.
Asturi, V 7/8
The author’s tone sounds nearly disdainful and tired - as if the author has had to unravel this misconception of zoos to many others many times before. His choice of referring to the people whose opinions he is discussing as “these people” shows almost snark, as well as his exaggerated adjectives such as ‘wicked’ and ‘tiny’ - all to prove how ridiculous these popular ideals about zoos are. The author paints the image of zoos as a safe haven for animals of all kind - not just the popularized species we have come to know so well. His overall point is to point out the fallacies with anti-zoo arguments, and to justify the use of captivity in animal conservation.
ReplyDelete- Daugherty, M. 7/8.
This passage taken from Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, depicts a metaphor of wild animals who live their life caged in a zoo. (Having some knowledge of the point of the novel, I can show what the idea of the zoo is supposed to represent). The entire idea of this passage is to embody the ideals of zoo animals and relate them to how society tends to view religion. This comment Martel makes about society and thoroughly disagrees with is then unraveled through his tone.
ReplyDeleteThe tone of this passage is dynamic. In the first paragraph, Martel depicts his image of a zoo. It is cheerful and uplifting, just how a place of worship tends to be. However, Martel then makes a shift to a sarcastic, yet passionate tone. In the first paragraph, Martel uses the phrase: “In zoos, as in nature, the best times to visit are sunrise and sunset. That is when most animals come to life” (Lines 1-2). This directly correlates to the connotation of the tone by using a sentence that appears to be a pleasant description of the zoo. This diction also shows how the ideals of religion play a part in Martel’s societal comment. In places of worship, most services, mass’s or prayer hours are generally done at these times, sunrise and sunset. In these hours, the souls of people are lifted up and generally bring people a euphoric feeling of happiness. In contrast to this joyous diction, Martel provides his readers with a more realistic tone and language to portray his same point: “Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are ‘happy’ because they are ‘free’” (Lines 9-10). Martel uses this sardonic styled language to show that although animals in the wild depicted to be majestic and powerful and free, it is not always the case. This view of animals in the zoo is shamed by the people who feel the wild is their only home. This is how society views religious values. People believe that religion cages their people. The people are not free, because they are guided over by a higher power, just as animals in the zoo are.
The imagery, in relation to tone, is different for both the first and second paragraph of this particular passage. The imagery opening the passage is a detailed description of animals in the zoo. Martel states: “It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses” (Lines 6-7). This description shows readers the untroubled life the zoo animals live. This contrasts heavily to the imagery placed in the second paragraph. Martel, again in his sarcastic tone, portrays how society views the zoo keepers taking the animals from the wild into captivity writing: “Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails. Its ‘happiness if dashed’” (Lines 16-17). This description shows more how society tends to analyze the situation of zoo captivity. This again correlates to the tone in this particular paragraph. Martel used sarcasm and society own thoughts to prove his point that religion is not a zoo for people. The captivity does not mean loss of freedom, but a different perspective on life.
This is then proven again in the figurative language. As this entire passage remains and allegory for religion, it is easily seen what is being compared: religion and zoos. The zoo is an allegory for how society views the values of religion. They feel people are caged and restricted in their ideas and thoughts. The tone is each paragraph shows a different view on this allegory: Martel’s view, and that of society.
The point that Martel continuously reiterates in this passage is this: A zoo does not restrict an animal, just how God(s) and worship do not restrict the life of a person. The tone works with various concepts to support Martel’s statement.
Cika, M 2
PART 1: I apologize. I went over the limit for the character count by roughly 150 characters, so I am breaking it it into two parts again. I am sorry for the inconvenience. I will try to make next week's shorter.... maybe.
ReplyDeleteIn this passage from Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the speaker contrasts the tones of the first paragraph with that of the second. The first paragraph being a tone of amazement and awe, as compared to the second which took on a more cynical tone. The tone is shown through the diction, imagery, and figurative language, and is used to show his opinion on zoos.
The first paragraph takes on a calm serene tone with the graceful and picturesque imagery used by the speaker. When the speaker describes the animals at the zoo at sunrise and sunset, it gives an overall feeling of beauty and splendor, such as when he said “It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses” (15-16). The speaker says this to express what he feels when watching the animals, giving the impression that it is wondrous to watch the animals in the zoo. His descriptive imagery and diction paint a picture in the readers’ minds of a beautiful wonderful place where the animals take on an almost unearthly sight that stupefies the senses and leaves a viewer in a state of amazement. This first paragraph takes this tone of almost fairytale wonder to show his opinion on zoos. He sees them as wonderful places that are just as wonderful as nature. In his opening sentence the speaker said, “In zoos, as in nature, the best times to visit are sunrise and sunset” (15-16). Here he is seen comparing nature and zoos, showing that he sees them as places that are not so different from each other. He makes his view on being all for zoos perfectly clear within this first small paragraph; however, it is the second paragraph that solidifies his opinion.
PART TWO: Again, sorry
ReplyDeleteThe second paragraph takes on a cynical tone as the speaker seems to mock those who believe that zoos take away animal’s freedom and that nature is so much better for animals. This is never explicitly stated, however, it can be inferred by the use of his cynical, mocking diction and overly romanticized imagery. This paragraph starts strongly showing his opinion on what others think of zoos by stating, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion” (15-16). By saying this the speaker gives of the feeling of exasperation and annoyance by how many different views on zoos are trying to be shoved down his throat, which he all considers nonsense because it differs from what he believes and knows about zoos. Thus the reason for the comparison to religion, because religion is much the same way as the views on zoos. He then goes on to start with the sarcasm, directly refuting what others believe about the zoos. He does this by using diction such as, “Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are ‘happy’ because they are ‘free” (15-16). The use of the word “misinformed” puts his adversaries on a pedestal of lower intelligence as a way of mocking those who believe that animals in zoos are unhappy. The use of strong, yet sarcastic diction leads the reader to feeling that those who do not agree with him are unintelligent and that they cannot even make a good argument. Thus the reason that the speaker is able to say exactly what his adversaries believe and make the entire idea seem laughable as he inflates it with sarcasm and a mocking tone. He also uses the use of the quotation marks around words like “happy” and “free” to emphasizes those words as the ones he wants to mock the most, much like someone would make air-quotes with their fingers when repeating something that someone said that they do not agree with. This is his way of saying that the people who view zoos that way are uninformed idiots. He also uses unreal and overly romantic imagery to further amplify the cynical sarcasm. Such examples are like, “The whole family watching the setting of the sun from the limbs of trees with sighs of pleasure” (15-16). As everyone is probably aware of, animals do not act this way, with the whole family watching the sun set. This does not happen in reality, but the speaker uses it to show the absurdity of people thinking that only animals in the wild are happy, and to add to the mockery of the stupidity of those who think this way. All of such gives the second paragraph a mocking and cynical tone as those who go against his beliefs of the splendor of zoos are made to look like fools.
Thus, overall his tone switches from awe and wonder when he gives his opinion, to that of mocking cynicism when rebutting the argument of his oppositions. His overall point of using the tone like this is to persuade the reader and to make the reader understand the wonder that is a zoo.
C. Lenhoff 2.
In the beginning of the second paragraph of the passage it can be observed that Martel’s tone is negative and critical. The excerpt of text focuses on the life of animals in nature juxtaposed with life in zoos. From this contrast, Martel talks about our perception of the life animals have in both settings: "I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion. Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are “happy” because they are “free.”” (15-16). Here Martel comments on the perception of animal life in zoos, and how misinformed this common perception is; this is where the negative critical tone emerges in the passage. In these lines Martel criticizes some people’s perception of freedom and how “misinformed” people are in associating freedom with animals, animals who have lost it in through the work of men: “Then it is captured by wicked men and thrown into tiny jails” (15-16). In the second paragraph of the passage the negative tone really emerges with this line, this is when Martel comes out and makes clear his stance on the “tiny jails’, and establishes a negative tone. Martel’s diction in the ensuing lines is clearly negative and critical. From “Tiny jails” to “spirit broken”, the tone becomes evident. Earlier in the passage, at the beginning of the second paragraph, Martel states, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion” (15-16). This line establishes, though diction, the negative and critical tone used to describe animal life in zoos that characterizes the second paragraph and the passage as a whole.
ReplyDeleteBruggeman J 7/8th
In the passage from Life of Pi Yann Martel talks of the happiness of animals. He speaks of the belief that the only place an animal can be happy is in the wild with their “freedom”. The first paragraph of the passage tone is light hearted the imagery that is being depicted feels optimistic. The way that he describes the animals coming to life at sunrise and sunset is so eloquently done. Martel writes, “ spent more hours than I can count a quiet witness to the highly mannered, manifold expressions of life that grace our planet. It is something so bright, loud, weird and delicate as to stupefy the senses”(Martel). The reader is able to feel the passion he holds for animals. He creates this beautiful picture of animals being able to come to life in a zoo. The belief that a zoo is a wonderful place is something that he holds to be true. Then as the reader enters the second passage, the mood begins to change. Instead of painting a beautiful image in the readers mind he creates a list. He lists reasons why people believe that animals are only happy when they are in the wild because it is only there that they are truly “free”. From the start of this paragraph Martel tone is accusatory and harsh he writes, “Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are “happy” because they are “free.”(Martel). He calls those who believe differently than he missed informed telling the reader he completely disagrees with their opinions. He then goes onto create the list. When he talks about the animals he personifies them so that the reader feels as if they are not animals at all but actually humans. At the start of each one od these statements he says “They imagine”, by choosing the words they imagine it makes it sound as if these people are completely delusional. By the end of the passage there is no question left in the reader’s mind that he believes that animals are just as free in the zoo as they are in the wild.
ReplyDeleteSansone A 2nd
In this passage the speaker says a lot about animals and humans. What was really striking was the ending of the passage, "Being denied its “freedom” for too long, the animal becomes a shadow of itself, its spirit broken. So some people imagine." (15,16). The point of the passage seems to be a source of information to people about capturing animals and thereby killing their spirits they have when they are free. The language is deep and very revealing to the life of an animal when it is free, it involves a lot of imagery when it talks about the activities of lions or other animals running or eating or gazing out into the distance. The other diction like, "tiny jails" is imagery with a revealing aspect of man's action against animals, to parade them off in zoos to make money is morally wrong.
ReplyDeleteWestphal 2nd
ReplyDeleteIn this excerpt from Life of Pi by Yann Martel, it becomes very aware that the two paragraphs hold a very different tone. In the first paragraph, Martel creates a setting in a zoo that is favorable by using imagery and precise diction to describe each of the animals actions. All of the beautiful little details that are typically overlooked are brought to the forefront to really emphasize the narrator's connection with this spot. However, in the second paragraph the narrator begins to mock people's opinions of the spot he loves so dearly. He addresses the stereotypes surrounding it and the reader begins to feel slightly more uneasy: "I have heard nearly as much nonsense about the zoo as I have about God and religion." This is a blatant remark towards people who speak on the zoo without having much knowledge of it. This being the opening sentence provides insight on a more serious, yet still provoking tone about how the author would like to right the wrong mindsets.
ReplyDeleteThe point of the author creating such a contrast between the two paragraphs was to emphasize the different parts of the human mind: how one side can be beautiful and positive, and the other mocking and cynical. It provides deeper insight on how the human mind can think so kindly of something and then have it be turned into something wretched and unlikable by society. This comment on society speaks to how the author believes that many good things are corrupted by society's perfectionists views and how even something so simplistic as a zoo can be sabotaged.
Brittany G 2nd
The first paragraph of this passage was very fluent and elegant, painting a picture for the reader by the author’s diction and description. He really showed nature’s beauty by using alliteration (“they sing their songs”) and synecdoche (“the reward for the watching eye and the listening ear”), among other figurative language. His point in this paragraph is to show the beauty of nature that is present in a zoo, going on to say that many people do not realize or witness this because of poor connotations of zoos.
ReplyDeleteThe second paragraph changes tone dramatically. While the first paragraph’s tone was light-hearted and reflective, this paragraph’s tone turns sarcastic, while still remaining respectful. There is a sarcastic undertone throughout the whole paragraph, but especially when the author is using a lot of descriptive adjectives, such as, “…roaming about the savannah on digestive walks… or going for callisthenic runs to stay slim.” The author also uses quotations around specific words in order to directly state his sarcastic intent. He says that people usually think that wild animals are “free” and “happy” and when they are put in zoos their “freedom” and “happiness” is taken away. The author did this to show that he feels that wild animals are not always free and happy in the wild. The purpose of the paragraph is for him to show that animals in the wild have to compete for food, they have to find safe places to sleep, away from predators. He presents a viewpoint that not many have considered when they think about wild animals vs. those in captivity, and he presents it very well.
-Dushek, K 2˚
The diction of the passage is very educated and relatively elevated. This adds to the meaning that the narrator means to impose despite the very pretty and flowing type of tone as it helps to retain an ethos of the narrator. The language that the narrator uses demonstrate this light and pretty tone. With the constant figurative language and interesting descriptive words that Martel uses, the tone is given a deep and thick feel where the reader is given the whole picture and gets the image in the correct detail and with a great extent of emotion just as the narrator seems to see it.
ReplyDeleteThe point of this passage is to analyze not just the nature of animals but also of people through their view of animals. Martel suggests that people who have problems with the caging of animals really themselves are the caged animals. The delicate and flowing tone and descriptive and educated words use all suggest that the narrator has a very deep understanding of the world around him and sees people as less majestic and more work than animals.
A. Jankovsky 7-8
In the beginning of the excerpt from “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel, there is a positive tone. The tone Martel develops here is of appreciation. However, as the passage progresses, the tone shifts to the negative side as Martel begins to create a sense of mockery.
ReplyDeleteThe appreciative tone in the early portion of the passage is depicted mainly through imagery, but also through diction and figurative language as well. Martel begins the passage by painting the image of animals roaming free through the wild. His imagery helps the reader to picture a pond that wild animals head toward just at sunrise. This image highlights the appreciation Martel feels toward nature and all of its beautiful inhabitants. Along with imagery, Martel uses diction and figurative language to carry his positive tone. His strong use of descriptive words such as “great” (line 4), “mannered” (line 5), “bright” (line 6), and “delicate” (line 7) shows his appreciation and admiration of the wildlife. This word choice gives the reader a feeling of positivity. Finally, Martel’s use of figurative language in line two when he personifies the animals to be “tiptoeing” to the water represents his appreciation of the animals. This is personification because Martel gives the animals a quality that one does not typically think of an animal doing; tiptoeing. The way Martel described these animals with human-like qualities also shows his appreciation of nature.
In the second paragraph, however, Martel’s tone takes a turn to the negative when he begins to mock popular views. His simile in line eight where he compares zoos to “God and religion” is a good example of this mockery. Martel is explaining that he has come across just as much made-up nonsense about zoos as he has about religion. The comparison between these two unlike subjects shows Martel’s annoyance with the miscommunication about nature and wildlife. His diction becomes a large indication that he is mocking the “norm,” especially with the repetition of the words “freedom” and “happiness,” which he placed inside of quotation marks to highlight his mockery.
Throughout both paragraphs, diction, imagery, and figurative language were three very apparent devices which spoke to the tones of appreciation and mockery.
Cruse S, 2
In this passage from Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” the author paints a serene picture of animals in captivity in the first paragraph. Through the use of personification, the animals at sunrise and sunset are seen as blissful and at peace with their surroundings. By saying, “They show their raiments. They sing their songs. They turn to each other and perform their rites” the animals take on an image of grace and elegance. The author’s diction is reverent and the sentences flow from one to the next. In the second paragraph, just the opposite occurs. The author juxtapositions the serene setting of the animals in captivity with sarcastic undertones about animals in the wild. He starts off by saying, “I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion” suggesting that the assumed negative role that the zoo takes in most people’s minds is not true. By sarcastically describing animals in the wild as “roaming about the savannah on digestive walks after eating a prey that accepted its lot piously” the author points out to readers that just because the animal is free does not mean it is content. The author assumes nontraditional opinions about animals in captivity versus animals in the wild prompting readers to question their own views about animals in zoos. He suggests that zoos may not be as bad as they are made out to be and being in a controlled environment can be beneficial to animals.
ReplyDeleteAguinaga, C 7/8*
The first paragraph paints a picture of how zoos are able to capture the same beauty of the animal’s lives as found in nature. Pi states, “In zoos, as in nature, the best times to visit are sunrise and sunset.” This speaks to the similarity of the two, plus the use of the words “sunrise” and “sunset” automatically set up the positive tone of the imagery because both are generally characterized as beautiful and positive. He continues to use descriptive language to paint the serene picture the animals going about their business. The words “tiptoe” and “delicate” are used in the description, each showing that the scene and the interactions of the animals take place beautifully and gracefully.
ReplyDeleteThe tone of the second paragraph changes and becomes negative and downgrading. Pi describes the poor thoughts often associated with zoos. The use of quotation marks around words like “happy” and “free” show the sarcasm and criticism in the tone, reflecting Pi’s negative views the people who think poorly of zoos. Pi also using metaphors to compare animals to humans. He says that an animal may “[go] for callisthenic runs to stay slim after overindulging.” This is used to reinforce his negative tone because he thinks it is foolish that people believe that animals have the same feelings and take part in the same actions and thought processes of humans.
Woods, L 2
This passage is particularly mystical and full of knowledge. Pi disperses the many stereotypes associated with zoos and goes about proving them wrong through his own experiences. He takes on an pleasant, loving tone in which he describes his many memories of watching the animals in his father's zoo, waxing poetically about the mannerisms of each creature. It is clear that he is passionate about these animals and is assured of their happiness while in captivity. He later changes his tone to a sarcastic, impatient tone when talking about ignorant people who judge zoos when they know nothing about them in actuality.
ReplyDeletePi's tone firmly sets up the purpose of the passage. He wants his readers to recognize the beauty of animals and understand that they aren't always happy when they are "free". He puts this word in quotation marks to show that it is the incorrect term. Animals in the zoo are not stripped of their freedom, they are still able to go about their lives as they normally would and are just as free as if they were in the wild. The images that are present in the opening paragraph solidify the idea that the animals are happy and possess their own free will. The second paragraph uses a biting sarcasm that puts down the people who protest zoos while knowing nothing of the animals and conditions therein.
- S. Bahr, 7/8*