It is true that people should believe above all whatever they see but, if they just sit to ponder over all the things that they believe in and accept as truth and have never seen, the list would be never ending. Fiction and non fiction both play an important role in a reader's life, but the line between the two can sometimes be blurred. Defining the genre of book can greatly effect the reader's experience and interpretation of that book, especially when it comes to Yann Martel's Life of Pi. The novel is presented in interview style which may suggest it is a true story, but there is solid evidence behind the fact that it is a work of fiction. For example, the main character manages to stay alive for 227 days with little to no food supply, when in reality no human could go that long. Also, he is accompanied by a dangerous Bengal tiger who would have most likely ate him alive the first chance he got. On top of that, there are places mentioned in the book such as a man eating floating island made out of algae that are completely non existent. Despite any disagreeing evidence, Life of Pi is purely a fiction novel.
Not only is this book fiction, it is also highly unrealistic. Pi Patel, the main character, is able to survive 227 with very sparse food and water. At one point in the book, a wave takes away the majority of his food that he was saving and he leaves him with little to nothing. Research shows that humans can only last a maximum of 40 days with no food, and maximum 7 days with no fresh water. In reality, Pi would not have remained alive for all that time therefore proving the story to be fiction.
Along with Pi on the lifeboat there was also a royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. If this was a true story, the boy and the tiger would not have been able to build such a strong bond, the tiger would have eaten him instead. It is a known fact that tigers are very dangerous and unpredictable and can kill humans very easily. In the book, Pi's father teaches him about the dangers of tigers the hard way by forcing his sons to watch as Richard Parker takes the life of an innocent goat (Martel, 38). The vicious act of the tiger proves that he would have eaten Pi as soon as the the chance was presented if this was a true story.
Although Martel used some real locations in his book such as Pi's hometown, Pondicherry, there are fiction places mentioned that shine light on the fact that the story is not real. For example, Pi finds a floating algae island that is nonexistent in real life (Martel, 284). Since the island is fake, he could never have actually been there. The island is home to hundreds of meerkats and is made up of all seaweed that turns out to be man eating. Pi came to this conclusion of a carnivorous island when he found flowers that contained single human teeth. The characteristics of the island are very unexplainable and add to the overall effect of a fiction novel.
In conclusion, all evidence points to Life of Pi being a fiction novel. Whether its surviving with barely any food for 227 days, managing to not get eaten by a dangerous Bengal tiger, or made up places, they all prove the story to be untrue. It is true that knowing the genre can directly impact the way the reader interprets the book, and the difference between fiction and non fiction is the key factor.