Literary Criticism

This criticism is about Yann Martel’s collection “The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios” and Other Stories (1993). Karen Scherzinger dives into the complexities of Yann Martel’s writing. She primarily focuses on two main aspects of Martel’s writing: the framework and the literary elements used. Some frameworks Martel incorporates in his writing are complex sentences. The way he articulates his sentences makes his descriptions feel deep and impactful within his writing. He often uses long sentences and very detailed word choice that really develops his story deeper. “The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios” and Other Stories incorporates cause and effect aswell. For example, the death of Sandro Roccamatio, a character in these short stories, was caused by Queen Victoria’s death in 1901. Scherzinger also touches upon some of the literary elements that Martel incorporates in this collection. There are many allusions and metaphors that Yann Martel uses that are discussed in this criticism. For example, the allusion of death is continuously used for a character in Martel’s collection named Paul. Martel’s main purpose behind this is to portray the idea that death is “unspeakable” and cannot be verbally stated or comprehended. Many similes are also used, like “It was a swaying, ascending melody that sounded like two climbers tied to a rope,” which strengthens his writing significantly.

Unlike the first criticism, this one focuses on Life of Pi, which is a widely known book and it even became adapted into a movie. There are many oppositions and contrasts in this book. For example, the whole book revolves around fact vs fiction. Florence Stratton really dives deep into the fact vs fiction aspect of the book. The two officers that find Pi at the end of the book have two differing opinions on Pi’s story. Stratton explains that the leading officer doesn’t believe Pi’s story with the animals because he wants to remain scientific in the discussion. On the other hand, the other officer thinks Pi’s story is inspirational and unique to the point where he struggles not to believe it. The facts behind each story make them believable since the officers have differing viewpoints. The overall fact vs fiction contrasting in this book are very evident. There are many other oppositions in this criticism that are discussed like realism vs idealism and reason vs imagination. Stratton also talks about the influential storytelling that goes on in Life of Pi like its complexity regarding the altering stories. Pi’s second story “lacks the bulk of the story” but “has its own depth and complexity.” This complexity helps the reader see the story through a different lens, giving them a new sense of question regarding whether or not this story is true. Not many stories are written this way and Stratton believes Martel executed this writing style very well. It obviously paid off and he earned many awards for this book.

Daniela Janes explains in this literary criticism that the writing models used in Martel’s writing are exceptional. Primarily, his use of embedded texts and narrative shifts push his writing to another level, especially in his book Life of Pi. He constantly uses embedded text to connect with the reader and provide a deeper understanding of the text. Narrative shifts are also a big part of his writing models. In Life of Pi, the narrative shifts focus a couple times throughout the book. Janes explains that while the majority of the book consists of Pi’s main story with the tiger and animals. Some chapters switch to the alternate story that has the actual humans in it. This shift deepens the plot and makes the readers confused about which story is actually true or not. Narrator relationships are also a big part of Life of Pi. Daniela Janes conveys that throughout the book, Pi becomes as similar to the reader as possible because he constantly is in confusion with which story or life he's actually living. The reader doesn’t know which story is the true story either. This writing style enhances Martel as a storyteller and an overall author. Most artists struggle to engage their readers to the point where they are actually feeling the same feelings as the narrator and main characters.

Faizan Anwar wrote this criticism about Yann Martel and his piece, Life of Pi. The two main themes in this analysis are Martel’s goals in his writing and the book’s hidden themes. One of the main goals in Martel’s writing is to establish spirituality within the book. Pi struggles not only mentally, but also morally and spiritually throughout the book. He cannot find a reason to keep going and surviving on the raft. This sense is shared with the reader intentionally to make Martel’s writing more connective with the audience, as discussed in previous criticisms on this page. Another goal of Martel’s is to incorporate religion into the book. One of the only reasons Pi survived this treacherous journey was through his belief in god. Martel hopes the reader can relate to Pi in some ways regarding his religious ties. While it isn't the main goal within the book, religion is ultimately a main point Martel hopes to get across. The other main idea in this criticism is the hidden themes like hope and imagination to portray Martel’s exploration of natural human aspects that guide the main character through his time stranded on the raft. Pi holds onto hope by continuing to fight for food and seeking religious matters. His imagination takes over, however, as we see with the creation of animals within the story like the tiger, Richard. Anwar believes these themes show how Martel’s writing can directly apply to the reader and introduce an interesting story about how one may function and what one may believe in during dire situations.