Examples Of Feminism In Life Of Pi

Maleeha Khuwaja

Ms. Whitham

ENG 4U1-01

March 7th, 2016

Theory Analysis Through a Feminist Lens

Theory: Feminism

In the novel “Life of Pi”, written by Yann Martel, an anti-feminist lens can be used to view the story. To begin, there is a patriarchal system, which is both controlled and dominated by men as seen within the novel. Pi’s mother is displayed as the typical housewife in India as she takes on the stereotypical domestic roles of a woman by cooking, cleaning and looking after her children in their household. In addition, “Before moving to Pondicherry zoo, father ran a large hotel in madras” (Martel 14). Evidently, Pi’s father takes on the role of the breadwinner in the novel by going to work everyday and by controlling the household. Furthermore, as being the dominant figure in the household, Pi’s father (Santosh Patel) has made the major decisions in the household, for instance like moving to Canada and selling the Podicherry zoo. On the Patel’s moving day, Pi’s mother seemed “sad. For she was leaving India, India so familiar to her and loved by her” (Martel 100). As a result, she is portrayed as a minority and a powerless figure because she is incapable to voice her outlook to her family, thus showing there are traditional binaries seen throughout Pi’s family. Additionally, the hyena, zebra, orangutan, and tiger on the lifeboat live in a phallocentric culture. Orange Juice (the orangutan) is a mother of two boys, like Pi’s mother. Pi, being shipwrecked on a