Essay Service Examples Literature Life of Pi

Life of Pi' Book and Movie: Comparison Essay

  • Proper editing and formatting
  • Free revision, title page, and bibliography
  • Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

document

  • Ang, Lee “Life of Pi” movie, 20th Century Fox Motion Pictures.
  • Martel, Yann, “Life of Pi” New Delhi, Penguin Publishers,2002.
  • Abrams, M.H “A handbook of Literary Terms” Cengage Learning,2011
  • Seger, Linda “ The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film” (Owl Books) Holt Paperbacks (15 February 1992)

Our writers will provide you with an essay sample written from scratch: any topic, any deadline, any instructions.

reviews

Cite this paper

Related essay topics.

Get your paper done in as fast as 3 hours, 24/7.

Related articles

Life of Pi’ Book and Movie: Comparison Essay

Most popular essays

  • Literary Criticism
  • Literary Devices

Pi's multiculturalism and abstract mindset have been seen through his numerous beliefs and solid...

When being put to the ultimate challenge of life, it is often questioned whether individuals are...

  • Religious Beliefs

A ubiquitous theme in literature is religion. The Bible is a very popular book, and the first-ever...

  • Perspective

The representation of human experiences is essential in constructing good fiction as it exposes...

  • Film Analysis
  • Movie Review

Films, from the beginning of their invention, have been based on the manipulation of the captured...

  • Book Review

The overall meaning behind Life of Pi is pretty clear once one gets halfway through his sea...

“The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar” (Life of Pi, page 283). In “Life of...

Is the primary concern of good fiction the representation of human experiences in Life of Pi? It...

  • Coming of Age

Science played a major role in Pi’s survival during his journey. Life of Pi is a book written by...

Join our 150k of happy users

  • Get original paper written according to your instructions
  • Save time for what matters most

Fair Use Policy

EduBirdie considers academic integrity to be the essential part of the learning process and does not support any violation of the academic standards. Should you have any questions regarding our Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via [email protected].

We are here 24/7 to write your paper in as fast as 3 hours.

Provide your email, and we'll send you this sample!

By providing your email, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Say goodbye to copy-pasting!

Get custom-crafted papers for you.

Enter your email, and we'll promptly send you the full essay. No need to copy piece by piece. It's in your inbox!

Study.com

In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Comparing “Life of Pi” the Movie to “Life of Pi” the Novel: Adapting Book to Screen

I’d imagine the toughest feat for a writer would be that of adapting a novel into a screenplay. The two are such distinctly different animals in development, and yet in execution both must convey the same essence. In writing a screenplay based on a book, you are writing for two different kinds of audiences – those who have read the book and those who have never read the book – and to top it all off, the heart of the story must be captured in a very short amount of time.

I’ve seen a lot of books made into movies but none pulled off as almost-flawlessly (we’ll get to the “almost” part in a bit) as Life of Pi . Based on the amazing novel by Yann Martel, Ang Lee’s film (screenplay by David Magee) retells Pi’s story not only in visually stunning fashion but with the same witty candor and heartbreak as the original. But what makes the film an instant standout among adaptations is not its stunning visuals or its excellent script but its ability to tell the same story without sacrificing what makes it both a superb novel and a superb film.

Too many movies have made the mistake of falling into the category of a visual book . Having learned how to do both, I know that writing a screenplay and writing a novel is as different as night and day. A novel’s strengths could be a film’s biggest weakness, and what makes a killer movie makes no difference in how a book will stick with you even years after you’ve read it. Then again, film adaptations always run the risk of lacking the substance that made the original story such a winner in the first place – to the point where you’re thinking, Hey, where’d my book go?

So why exactly does Pi pull off this feat so flawlessly? Let’s take a look.

The structure of the story remains the same. Fans of books made into movies are usually preoccupied with the details when it comes to critiquing the film. I was like this with the Harry Potter movies when I was younger, especially when The Sorcerer’s Stone came out and I was all butt-hurt that my favorite line in the book didn’t really make it fully into the movie. But what really matters in film adaptations is not the details, it’s the essential structure of the story.

Life of Pi the novel was written in three parts – Part 1 exploring Pi’s background that lays the foundation for the story (hey, it isn’t called Life of Pi for nothing) – leaving Part 2 to relay the unfolding action for the story between Pi and Richard Parker – and Part 3 to conclude with the ending of the story as Pi washes up on shore. Life of Pi the movie followed the very same structure, right down to the Japanese men interviewing Pi at the end. The movie could just as easily have chopped out the first part and cut straight to the action and embellished – disappointing fans of the book – or it could have decided to get clever and put the Japanese men interviewing Pi at the beginning, instead putting the entire movie into “flashback mode” – disappointing movie-goers. But it didn’t. If a screenplay is faithful to the original structure of the novel, then the right details that are crucial to telling the story as a script, and as a movie, will fall into place (assuming, of course, you also have the best screenwriter for the project!).

The strongest elements are highlighted. Reflecting on Life of Pi the novel and Life of Pi the movie were ultimately the same experience for me, and you can’t often say that about a book made into a movie. The origin of Pi’s name – and Richard Parker’s, the name of the ship (Tsimtsum), Pi weeping over killing a fish for food, Pi’s “survival guide” narration, Pi commenting on Richard Parker unceremoniously abandoning him…. All those seemingly little moments are what give the story its heart and soul, and the movie included all of those essential moments without feeling like it was uncomfortably crammed into two whole hours.

The right moments are visually stunning. Okay, so I’ve said Life of Pi is visually stunning – but take into account it matters what is visually stunning, and Pi the movie gets the right what . A novel relies solely on the imagery the reader is able to conjure in their mind, but a lot more is at stake with a movie and even more so with a movie based on a book. The film not only has to be visually appealing for a film’s expectations, now it must be visually appealing on a level predetermined by the expectations of those who have read the book.

It can be a tough act to follow, and Life of Pi the movie follows beautifully in Life of Pi the novel’s footsteps. Before seeing the movie, I read that Life of Pi was director, Ang Lee’s first film incorporating 3D – and I have a huge beef with 3D special effects, they have to be done a certain way for me to warm up to them – and I have to say the balance was perfect. Effects are sometimes overdone to the point of the movie feeling unrealistic, and this was definitely not the case with Pi. Just like the book, it felt both fantastical and real – and from the fierce storm on the ship to the simplicity of shooting in India, the right moments for this story to be visually stunning as a film could not have been chosen more perfectly.

I didn’t even mention how incredible the casting was for young Pi. Gotta give it to Suraj Sharma for his dedication to the role, he gave one heck of a performance.

Okay, so why do I give Life of Pi the movie an “almost-flawless” rating? I do have a couple complaints with the film version, and I want to dissect not only why I have the complaints (what I feel went wrong) but why I believe writer, David Magee and director, Ang Lee made the choices they did in writing and executing the screenplay.

a) In the forward to Life of Pi the novel, author Yann Martel talks about how he came to hear the story in the first place – from the real Pi himself, while Martel was visiting India to write for a different novel set in Portugal. (This was also included as a separate narration in the actual book, scattered across various chapters throughout Pi’s story.) This same scenario is presented in Life of Pi the movie as well, with Rafe Spall playing the writer who comes to adult Pi to hear his miraculous story. But while for the book it did a wonderful job of acting as a set-up for, and accompaniment to Pi’s story, somehow in using it as a device in the film, it falls flat. Automatically the ending is given away, since we obviously know Pi survives his ordeal – which served the novel just fine, but a film with that intense of a storyline needs that suspense to really make it good . Do I think the film would have been better off without incorporating the writer (based on Yann Martel himself) coming to talk to adult Pi? Not necessarily. Those scenes spliced between the telling of Pi’s story served as a nice breather from the action, and like I mentioned earlier, it instilled a lot of that same heart that’s present in the book.

b) In the novel, the alternate, more “believable” story Pi offers up to the Japanese men that interview him in the end is just heartbreaking. It’s communicated mostly through dialogue, which again, worked for the book so I can see why it would be translated that way into the film version as well. But for the film, I would have liked to see the idea shown in a visual way, rather than just Pi fabricating this story solely through dialogue from a hospital bed. The scene just loses something and definitely fell short of my expectations. Even if just shown as a short, narrated scene, I feel something more like that would have made for a more powerful ending for the film.

I would guess that both of these choices were made for mostly creative reasons, and I applaud David Magee and Ang Lee for being as faithful to the book as possible. But unfortunately I feel the movie ended up lacking a bit because of them.

What did you think about Life of Pi the movie – as either a reader of the original book or as just a movie-goer – and what would you say makes a dynamite film adaptation?

Image credits: Film: Twentieth Century Fox Film Book: The Blist

Tanya Marcy is a writer, storyteller, and avid reader who loves advising writers and mentoring young creatives.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, a tiger can crowd a lifeboat.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Now streaming on:

Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" is a miraculous achievement of storytelling and a landmark of visual mastery. Inspired by a worldwide best-seller that many readers must have assumed was unfilmable, it is a triumph over its difficulties. It is also a moving spiritual achievement, a movie whose title could have been shortened to "life."

The story involves the 227 days that its teenage hero spends drifting across the Pacific in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. They find themselves in the same boat after an amusing and colorful prologue, which in itself could have been enlarged into an exciting family film. Then it expands into a parable of survival, acceptance and adaptation. I imagine even Yann Martel , the novel's French-Canadian author, must be delighted to see how the usual kind of Hollywood manhandling has been sidestepped by Lee's poetic idealism.

The story begins in a small family zoo in Pondichery, India, where the boy christened Piscine is raised. Piscine translates from French to English as "swimming pool," but in an India where many more speak English than French, his playmates of course nickname him "pee." Determined to put an end to this, he adopts the name " Pi ," demonstrating an uncanny ability to write down that mathematical constant that begins with 3.14 and never ends. If Pi is a limitless number, that is the perfect name for a boy who seems to accept no limitations.

The zoo goes broke, and Pi's father puts his family and a few valuable animals on a ship bound for Canada. In a bruising series of falls, a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and the lion tumble into the boat with the boy, and are swept away by high seas. His family is never seen again, and the last we see of the ship is its lights disappearing into the deep — a haunting shot that reminds me of the sinking train in Bill Forsyth's " Housekeeping " (1987).

This is a hazardous situation for the boy ( Suraj Sharma ), because the film steadfastly refuses to sentimentalize the tiger (fancifully named "Richard Parker"). A crucial early scene at the zoo shows that wild animals are indeed wild and indeed animals, and it serves as a caution for children in the audience, who must not make the mistake of thinking this is a Disney tiger.

The heart of the film focuses on the sea journey, during which the human demonstrates that he can think with great ingenuity and the tiger shows that it can learn. I won't spoil for you how those things happen. The possibilities are surprising.

What astonishes me is how much I love the use of 3-D in "Life of Pi." I've never seen the medium better employed, not even in " Avatar ," and although I continue to have doubts about it in general, Lee never uses it for surprises or sensations, but only to deepen the film's sense of places and events.

Let me try to describe one point of view. The camera is placed in the sea, looking up at the lifeboat and beyond it. The surface of the sea is like the enchanted membrane upon which it floats. There is nothing in particular to define it; it is just … there. This is not a shot of a boat floating in the ocean. It is a shot of ocean, boat and sky as one glorious place.

Still trying not to spoil: Pi and the tiger Richard Parker share the same possible places in and near the boat. Although this point is not specifically made, Pi's ability to expand the use of space in the boat and nearby helps reinforce the tiger's respect for him. The tiger is accustomed to believing it can rule all space near him, and the human requires the animal to rethink that assumption.

Most of the footage of the tiger is of course CGI, although I learn that four real tigers are seen in some shots. The young actor Suraj Sharma contributes a remarkable performance, shot largely in sequence as his skin color deepens, his weight falls and deepness and wisdom grow in his eyes.

The writer W.G. Sebold once wrote, "Men and animals regard each other across a gulf of mutual incomprehension." This is the case here, but during the course of 227 days, they come to a form of recognition. The tiger, in particular, becomes aware that he sees the boy not merely as victim or prey, or even as master, but as another being.

The movie quietly combines various religious traditions to enfold its story in the wonder of life. How remarkable that these two mammals, and the fish beneath them and birds above them, are all here. And when they come to a floating island populated by countless meerkats, what an incredible sequence Lee creates there.

The island raises another question: Is it real? Is this whole story real? I refuse to ask that question. "Life of Pi" is all real, second by second and minute by minute, and what it finally amounts to is left for every viewer to decide. I have decided it is one of the best films of the year.

Read and make comments here .

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

The Imaginary

Carlos aguilar.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Marya E. Gates

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Reverse the Curse

Brian tallerico.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Glenn Kenny

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Revoir Paris

Jourdain searles, film credits.

Life of Pi movie poster

Life of Pi (2012)

Rated PG for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril

127 minutes

Tabu as Gita

Suraj Sharma as Pi

Rafe Spall as Writer

Gerard Depardieu as Cook

Directed by

  • David Magee

Based on the novel by

  • Yann Martel

Latest blog posts

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Elijah Wood and Ant Timpson on the Childlike Charms of Bookworm

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Seven Samurai Continues Its Ride Through Cinema's Past and Future

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

What About Bob? On the Legacy of One of the Best-Loved Comedians, Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Levan Akin on Making Films His Way, the Queer Art That Shaped Him, and His Touching New Drama Crossing

This Is How The Life Of Pi Book Differs From The Movie

Suraj Sharma as Pi in Life of Pi

When Yann Martel's novel "Life of Pi" hit bookstores in 2001, it instantly generated buzz among readerly types, picking up accolades including the Man Booker Prize and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (via The Canadian Encyclopedia ). President Barack Obama later wrote the author a note to personally praise the book.

It was exactly the sort of publicity that would normally lead to a glossy Hollywood adaptation. Except that at the same time, everyone in Hollywood was certain that this book was "unfilmable" (via  NOLA.com ).

In case it's still in your to-read pile (or never even got that far), the novel version of "Life of Pi" takes a long time contemplating philosophy and religion before it even gets to the boy-and-tiger-on-boat scenario. A completely literal adaptation would mean many scenes of grown Pi (Irrfan Khan) pondering his theories on life to the reporter (Rafe Spall, who was actually a last-minute actor replacement .) Which some people probably would've enjoyed: Irrfan Khan, who died in 2020 , was widely praised for his performance. But they wouldn't have outnumbered those who wanted to see the boy and tiger facing off on a boat.

However, not everyone was scared. Eventually, director Ang Lee — of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain" fame — teamed up with screenwriter David Magee (via IMDb ), who had written the screenplays for another tricky book adaptation ("Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day") and "Finding Neverland." It took 170 attempts over three-and-a-half years for Magee to come up with a draft Lee was satisfied with, per The Atlantic . Here's how the final movie differed from the book.

Richard Parker is a big reveal in the book

Richard Parker growls at Pi

Towards the beginning of the book, when Pi refers to Richard Parker (King the tiger, per The Guardian ), we don't initially know that he's a tiger. Which makes us wonder why Pi is so wary of him. It also foreshadows the alternative story Pi offers the insurance company agents, in which the various animals are actually different people.

In the movie, we meet Richard Parker while he's still in the zoo when Pi's father (Adil Hussain) feeds him a live goat to teach Pi that animals are not just furry humans. This happens in the book, but with a different tiger. Obviously, this choice was made to condense the story to fit into a movie timeframe, and it doesn't exactly ruin the surprise: we all came to see the movie about the boy and tiger surviving on a boat, so guessing that Richard Parker is the name of a tiger isn't that hard.

Speaking of the other animals, in the book, Pi spends at least several days trapped on the boat with the injured zebra, the pacing hyena, and the sad orangutan, Orange Juice, as well as Richard Parker. This is all condensed into about a day in the movie, again to save time.

Pi is more methodical in the book

Pi writes Pi on the blackboard in Life of Pi

As the previous mention of philosophy and religion indicate, the Pi in the book is a deep guy. His inquisitive spirit is more academic than the slightly mischievous character played wonderfully by Suraj Sharma. (In case you were wondering what happened to the actor who played Pi , Sharma has gone on to other roles.) Book Pi actively investigates and adopts three different religions — Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity — at the same time, defying the expectations of his parents and local religious leaders. The Pi of the movie also does this, but in a shorter timeframe, and he stumbles into them rather than seeking them out. Book Pi also doesn't have time for such lighthearted things as romance, whereas Pi in the movie falls in love with a dancer named Anandi (Shravanthi Sainath).

Book Pi's scholarly nature is also sidelined when it comes to his movie self's approach to Richard Parker. In the movie, Pi's attempts to tame Richard Parker are not particularly successful and seem to come out of nowhere. In the book, Pi is much more methodical, basing his attempts to assert dominance by drawing on his experiences growing up in his family's zoo. He also devotes a sizeable chunk of time to thinking of ways he might be able to kill the large, hungry predator he's sharing a lifeboat with.

Despite reservations that "Life of Pi" could never be made into a movie, the adaptation translated the beautiful, haunting story in a way that brought certain aspects to life that were muted on the page, even as it had to sacrifice others. You might prefer the movie's stunning visuals to the novel's philosophical discussions, or vice versa, but it's also fair to say they were both successful in their own respective ways.

The Curious Reader

  • Collections
  • Infographic
  • Book vs Movie

Select Page

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

After the unfortunate shipwreck, Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Eventually, all the animals die except for Richard Parker, who then becomes Pi’s only companion at sea. Martel builds up tremendous suspense and excitement as he writes, in detail, how the hyena stalks and kills the zebra and the orangutan. Eventually, the hyena is killed by Richard Parker. These events are cut short in the movie, and the viewer feels the director is in a hurry to fit the story in a certain time. However, this is likely a result of the difference in the two media through which the story is presented.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Shilpa was a content intern at The Curious Reader. She is happiest with a book in one hand and a cup of chai in the other. Her 'books to read' list and 'places to visit' list are constantly at war with each other to emerge as the longest one. She is more interested in the why of people rather than the who. She is currently studying engineering.

Related Posts:

When Is A Movie Adaptation Better Than The Book

The best literary content from around the web delivered straight to your inbox, every Sunday.

Check your inbox to confirm your subscription

We hate spam as much as you hate spoilers!

9 Big Differences Between The Life Of Pi Movie And Book

Life of Pi

Yann Martel’s Life of Pi follows the lengthy journey of a young man and a Bengal tiger as they traipse across the ocean in a lifeboat. Before director Ang Lee took up the mantle, many considered the book to be beautiful, but virtually unfilmable. If there is a will, there is a way, and Lee discerned very adeptly how Life of Pi needed to be told onscreen.

Lee’s version works because it gives us the chance to hear Pi’s story told from the mouth of an older, wiser version of the young religious believer, who plays a smaller role in the books. It works because it takes all of the visions readers have created in their heads while reading Life and Pi and makes those visions bigger, bolder, and brighter. It works because it streamlines a lengthy tale without making us feel as we are missing anything key to the narrative. As a film, Life of Pi is a visual masterpiece, but it isn’t better than the book.

Following are the 9 biggest changes I noticed in my screening of Life of Pi . Feel free to remark on any I may have missed.

There are many spoilers in the Life of Pi book to movie comparison. Do not jump in if you have not seen the film.

Life of Pi

Most of the lengthy intro in Martel’s book is shortened in the film. The tale Pi gives of his childhood is still one of changing his nickname, living in a zoo, and finding religion. However, many of his teachers and mentors (and even some of his zoo knowledge) are cut out of the narrative for the sake of maintaining the love and lessons Pi learns from his family.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Pi is old enough in the movie to have a love interest. In the film, Pi is too busy thinking about the girl he met in a dance class to even notice the troubles his father is facing with the zoo. This makes Pi’s travels away from his home and India far more of a painful separation.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

The film shows Pi first coming to an understanding of religion from his mother, who is portrayed as far more religious in the film . She supports his quest to learn about different religions and seems to have a special place in her heart for her younger son. The closer relationship the two share in the film gives more meaning to the second tale Pi utters to the Japanese men who come to see him after he washes ashore.

CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Pi never really manages to tame Richard Parker. In Martel’s book, Pi uses his zoo knowledge and understanding of circus practices to mostly train the large adult Bengal tiger. In the movie, while the boy and the tiger maintain a wary distrust of one another, Pi never truly feels in control. The biggest moment that defines Richard Parker and Pi’s relationship is the tiger’s prusten noise—which signals non-aggression--and that moment is completely gone in the film.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

There is a lot of suffering in Life of Pi and merely a few moments of beauty and glory--like in the lightning storm that appears in both the book and the film . However, Ang Lee’s vision of Pi’s journey is breathtaking, supplemented by moments of true beauty that—almost—make Pi’s journey worth it. The best example of a scene standing out far more for it’s beauty in the movie than the book is probably Pi’s introduction to the whale.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Turtles are never an easy catch in the film. Life of Pi earned a PG rating, and this means a good percentage of the suffering Pi endures is cut down or made to seem somewhat more tame. We aren’t forced to see as much of the hyenas antics when Pi first finds himself on the lifeboat. Later, while he and Richard Parker take down some fish, Pi doesn’t take down turtles to use their shells as shields or to dry their meat in the sun. There’s enough suffering on Pi’s end of the film that we don’t need to hear him daydream about sucking the marrow out of bones.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Pi does not meet another blind sailor along the journey. In fact, Pi never even goes blind. Instead, when Pi attempts to ‘talk’ with Richard Parker, Ang Lee uses the narrative space to show us Pi staring into the deep, black ocean in order to show us a philosophical journey reaching the depths of the universe, and showing the audience the relationship between fish and mammals, and even a memory of the sinking Tsimtsum.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Pi and Richard Parker only spend a day on the carnivorous island. In the book, Pi and Richard Parker linger on the island for a while longer. The horror factor is still there when Pi finds the human teeth embedded in the plant. However, for the sake of narrative flow, the boy and tiger do not spend so much time on the island and are not able to fully replenish themselves.

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Pi relates the second tale to our author, and Lee uses that as a springboard to show the scene between the castaway and the two Japanese men who come to determine why the Tsimtsum sank. Ending with Pi and the author in Pi’s living room helps to bring the tale full circle. Pi and the author begin rehashing the journey together and they end the story together. It’s far more comfortable than simply tacking on Pi’s more earthly tale, as the book does.

Most of the changes made in the Life of Pi movie were put into practice in order to cut down on time and help the narrative to flow better (and maybe also to keep the rating at a family friendly PG). While most of the changes work within the confines of the film, viewers are missing the intimacy of the book. One of the greatest privileges of reading is being privy to Pi’s thoughts as a thinker, and there would have been no way to forge that communion onscreen. Instead, we get beautiful cinematography. It’s lovely, but it isn’t intimate.

Jessica Rawden is Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. She’s been kicking out news stories since 2007 and joined the full-time staff in 2014. She oversees news content, hiring and training for the site, and her areas of expertise include theme parks, rom-coms, Hallmark (particularly Christmas movie season), reality TV, celebrity interviews and primetime. She loves a good animated movie. Jessica has a Masters in Library Science degree from Indiana University, and used to be found behind a reference desk most definitely not shushing people. She now uses those skills in researching and tracking down information in very different ways. 

I'm Obsessed With Thelma As An Action-Comedy, But I Want To Talk About How Well It Handles Aging

10 Most Iconic Queer Grey's Anatomy Characters

The Simpsons Co-Boss Shares Awesome Way The Series Was Honored And Hilariously Said It Was ‘Much Better’ Than Watching The Birth Of His Children

Most Popular

  • 2 Yes, Stranger Things Really Dropped A Candle Line, And Yes, Fans Are Already Freaking Out About It
  • 3 New On Netflix, Peacock, And More: 9 Streaming Shows And Movies To Watch This Week (July 22- 28)
  • 4 'I've Had To Learn A Different Way To Be With Adversity.' Why Will Smith Pulled A Taylor Swift And Passed Out 50,000 Bracelets To Fans
  • 5 After Stephen Amell Drops First Look At Suits L.A., I’m Just Living For The Arrow Fans’ Comments

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Book Review — Life of Pi: the Contrast Between Words and Visuals

test_template

Life of Pi: The Contrast Between Words and Visuals

  • Categories: Book Review Life of Pi Movie Review

About this sample

close

Words: 1187 |

Published: Apr 11, 2019

Words: 1187 | Pages: 3 | 6 min read

Works Cited

  • Martel, Y. (2001). Life of Pi. Canongate Books.
  • Lee, A. (Director). (2012). Life of Pi [Film]. 20th Century Fox.
  • McElroy, S. (2014). "Life of Pi: From Novel to Film." The Quintessential Guide to Film Adaptation, 161-172.
  • Kim, M. H. (2013). "The Art of Survival: Adaptation and Resilience in Life of Pi." Literature/Film Quarterly, 41(3), 208-222.
  • Chaudhuri, S. (2014). "Adaptation and its Discontents: Yann Martel's Life of Pi." Adaptation, 7(1), 54-69.
  • Camy, G. (2015). "Beyond The Text: Transmedial Strategies of Adaptation in Life of Pi." Enthymema, 14, 127-145.
  • Hollis, L. (2015). "Reality, Fantasy, and the Question of Adaptation: Life of Pi as Literature and Film." Comparative Literature Studies, 52(4), 770-795.
  • Serrano-Vicente, R. (2016). "Adapting 'The Unadaptable': Life of Pi from Novel to Film." In P. D. Pardo & R. Serrano-Vicente (Eds.), Adaptation and Cultural Appropriation: Literature, Film, and the Arts (pp. 115-130). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
  • McNulty, J. (2018). "The Problem of Untranslatable Words: The Film Adaptation of Life of Pi." Adaptation, 11(1), 87-102.
  • Wagner, R. (2019). "Between Fact and Fiction: Narrative Strategies and Adaptation in Life of Pi." Comparative Literature and Culture, 21(3), 1-12.

Image of Dr. Charlotte Jacobson

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

  • Expert in: Literature Entertainment

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 639 words

4 pages / 1663 words

2 pages / 859 words

3 pages / 1286 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Life of Pi: The Contrast Between Words and Visuals Essay

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

"The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benét is a compelling short story that delves into the themes of power, morality, and the struggle between good and evil. This essay aims to critically analyze the historical and [...]

"Jurassic Park" is a science fiction novel written by Michael Crichton, first published in 1990. This literary masterpiece takes readers on an unforgettable journey into a world where science, genetics, and nature collide, [...]

"Tuck Everlasting," written by Natalie Babbitt, is a beloved classic of children's literature that explores the themes of immortality, the passage of time, and the choices we make in life. This enchanting novel has captivated [...]

In the heart of Chicago's notorious Henry Horner Homes, amidst the concrete and crime, lies the powerful and heart-wrenching story of "There Are No Children Here." This non-fiction book by Alex Kotlowitz, published in 1991, [...]

The title of this book is The Hunger Games and was made by Suzanne Collins in 2008. This book is set in a fictional version of America. In the nation of Panem at a date of which is not specified. With characters all along the [...]

A timeless classic is a novel that resonates with readers and does not fade with time. No matter how old the book is, the novel is relevant and prominent in today’s society. For instance, if the book is in the historical genre, [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

life of pi book and movie comparison essay

Life of Pi Book vs. Movie Compare and Contrast

Show preview image 1

  • PDF Frequently assigned in Easel

Description

This product compares the book and the movie. Students are given 20 statements and they have to identify which ones apply to just the movie, just the book, or to both. There is also a 6 extended response question assignment. This is a great assessment tool or assignment after students read and watch the movie. The answer key is provided.

Questions & Answers

Claire's clapboard.

  • We're hiring
  • Help & FAQ
  • Privacy policy
  • Student privacy
  • Terms of service
  • Tell us what you think

IMAGES

  1. Differences Between The Book Life of Pi And Its Movie Version|The

    life of pi book and movie comparison essay

  2. ⇉Compare and Contrast Life of Pi book and movie Essay Example

    life of pi book and movie comparison essay

  3. Book vs. Film(life of pi) Essay Example

    life of pi book and movie comparison essay

  4. Life of Pi Book vs. Movie Sort by Nordskog

    life of pi book and movie comparison essay

  5. Yann Martel’s Life of Pi: a credible sea story Free Essay Example

    life of pi book and movie comparison essay

  6. LIFE OF PI: bOOK VS. MOVIE miguel pablo f luis by lily lily

    life of pi book and movie comparison essay

VIDEO

  1. Life Of Pi

  2. Life of Pi

  3. Life of Pi Load-in Time Lapse at American Repertory Theater

  4. Best Sea Movie: Life Of Pi

  5. Life of Pi Summary

  6. Life Of Pi Soundtrack

COMMENTS

  1. Life of Pi' Book and Movie: Comparison Essay

    Life of Pi tells the fantastic story of Pi Patel, a sixteen-year-old South Indian boy who survives at sea with a tiger for 227 days. Pi, born Piscine Molitor Patel, grows up in the South Indian city of Pondicherry, where his father runs a zoo.

  2. Life of Pi Book vs. Film: Comparison & Differences

    Life of Pi as a movie is rated PG because most of the violent scenes were removed. As a result, the film is a toned down, tamer version of the story. As a result, the film is a toned down, tamer ...

  3. Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay

    Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay. The main characters in the story Life of Pi are a boy named Piscine Molitor Patel also known as Pi, a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, and a boat. The story is about a young man who survived a shipwreck of the Tsimtsum but, lost his family. He was put into a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, a Bengal ...

  4. Compare and Contrast Life of Pi book and movie Essay

    In the movie, Ang Lee directs the story with his own take on a vast variety of visual details. The book however has many contrasting ideas and themes with the movie. There are many similarities and differences in the book and movie, but some overall themes are Pi and his struggles, the supporting characters, and Pi's relationship with animals ...

  5. Comparing "Life of Pi" the Movie to "Life of Pi ...

    The strongest elements are highlighted. Reflecting on Life of Pi the novel and Life of Pi the movie were ultimately the same experience for me, and you can't often say that about a book made into a movie. The origin of Pi's name - and Richard Parker's, the name of the ship (Tsimtsum), Pi weeping over killing a fish for food, Pi's ...

  6. Life Of Pi Book Comparison

    Leo D'souza Team Antoine, 801 Movie And (&) Book of "Life of Pi" Comparison 30th October, 2017 Movie And (&) Book of "Life of Pi" Comparison If life was a steady flower in a field of more flowers, Pi's would be on the side where a storm is hitting, with the flower barely being able to stay in the ground - barely being able to stay alive.

  7. Life of Pi movie review & film summary (2012)

    A tiger can crowd a lifeboat. Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" is a miraculous achievement of storytelling and a landmark of visual mastery. Inspired by a worldwide best-seller that many readers must have assumed was unfilmable, it is a triumph over its difficulties. It is also a moving spiritual achievement, a movie whose title could have been shortened ...

  8. This Is How The Life Of Pi Book Differs From The Movie

    In the movie, Pi's attempts to tame Richard Parker are not particularly successful and seem to come out of nowhere. In the book, Pi is much more methodical, basing his attempts to assert dominance ...

  9. Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison

    Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison. The book and the movie each share similarities, yet many differences, each giving a unique taste in the reader or viewers mouth. In the movie the director made the scenes based on what he believes they should have looked like. The book allows the reader to create the motion picture in their mind, based on ...

  10. Differences Between The Book Life of Pi And Its Movie Version|The

    A reader is always anxious when an auteur director announces the movie adaptation of a much-loved book. However, if not portrayed well the movie could butcher the entire story in seconds causing immense discomfort to readers. This is the kind of concern that gripped the reading community when Ang Lee announced he would be adapting Yann Martel's Life of Pi into a movie.

  11. Life Of Pi Book Vs Movie Analysis

    Life Of Pi Book Vs Movie Analysis. Book and Movie Comparison Life of Pi the book and movie is a story about a boy, Piscine Patel, who must face surviving being stranded in the middle of the ocean, and questioning his religious beliefs. The tale opens with the backstory of Piscine's childhood. Piscine is a Hindu who goes to a Christian school ...

  12. Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison

    Finally there are lots of differences between the book and the movie. They also show that the movie was a lot weaker then then the book. I can see the movies aren't always better than the books. The books go more into detail than the movie. I enjoined the movie because it is more visual. The book was a little

  13. Comparative Study of The Films "Life of Pi" and "The Great Gatsby"

    The directors of both the films have presented their respected films in a superb manner reason being that each of the directors understood the themes in each of the books with Life of Pi's main themes of religion, great storytelling and with its sub-themes being loss of innocents, isolation and being an alpha male with The Great Gatsby themes of the American dream, dishonesty, violence ...

  14. 9 Big Differences Between The Life Of Pi Movie And Book

    The best example of a scene standing out far more for it's beauty in the movie than the book is probably Pi's introduction to the whale. Turtles are never an easy catch in the film.Life of Pi ...

  15. Life of Pi: The Contrast Between Words and Visuals

    Overall, Ang Lee's abstract version of Life of Pi did not display the authentic written version created by Yann Martel. This is due to the differences that occur between the two literary works, which is evident throughout an addition of a romantic element, the description of Pi's life before and after the incident, the general attitude that the audiences can create, and lastly, Pi's ...

  16. Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay

    Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay. The story of Life Of Pi by Yann Martel has truly taught me how to appreciate the little things in life. Life of Pi shows a journey of a young Indian man named Piscine Molitor Patel or "Pi" and a Bengal tiger across the ocean in a lifeboat. This story was so good that it transformed into a ...

  17. Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay

    Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay. Decent Essays. 586 Words; 3 Pages; ... Today, people still tell different kinds of stories, but in entirely new ways such as novels and movies. In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel and in the movie Big Fish directed by Tim Burton, the truth is found not in the reality of day to day life but in the ...

  18. Life of Pi: The book vs. the movie by Aimy De Castro on Prezi

    Life of Pi: The book vs. The movie By: Aimy, Fiza, Jie, and Angelica Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to compare and contrast the book excerpt and the movie. The Excerpt Differences between the movie and the book Comparison between the book and the movie The challenges. Get started for FREE Continue.

  19. Compare and Contrast Life of Pi book and movie

    The final difference between the two versions is the relationship between Pi and Richard Parker shown. In the film it shows that only after a few tries, Pi is able to gain as much territory as he likes on the lifeboat but Richard Parker continuously shows signs of aggression. The book, however, shows that Pi is knows a lot about animals from ...

  20. Life of Pi Book vs. Movie Compare and Contrast

    Description. This product compares the book and the movie. Students are given 20 statements and they have to identify which ones apply to just the movie, just the book, or to both. There is also a 6 extended response question assignment. This is a great assessment tool or assignment after students read and watch the movie.

  21. Life Of Pi: Book Vs Movie

    He follows her & her friends day after class & is caught off guard when he angrily faces/stands up to him. Pi manages to smooth things over & takes her on a tour of his family's zoo. The finally form a relationship, making Pi's move to Canada much. Free Essay: The movie-based film the life of pi was based on the award winning novel the life of pi.

  22. Life Of Pi Movie And Book Comparison Essay

    435 Words1 Page. Recommended: Essay on religion in the life of pi. The novel The Life of Pi is about the extraordinary story of a boy who is stranded out at sea. The book was soon crafted into a movie, bearing many similarities and differences to the original novel. Some aspects of the movie could've been done differently but overall it ...

  23. Life Of Pi Movie Vs Book

    370 Words. 2 Pages. Open Document. Imagine being stranded in the middle of an ocean for a year , with only food to eat for a short amount of time. No friends , family , phone. Any type of civilization. The name of the movie and text is " Life Of Pi ". The author of the book is Yann Martel and the director of the movie is Ang Lee.