The Life of Pi
If you are studying Life of Pi, you must be VERY careful that the things you find online are aboput the FILM (by Ang Lee) , NOT THE NOVEL (by Yann Martel)!
Why study this text?
"MERIT AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Directed by Ang Lee,who has won the AcademyAward for best director twice, The Life ofPiis based on Yann Martel’s 2001 Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. The film has had critical and commercial success, receiving 11nominations for the 85thAcademy Awards and being awarded Best Picture for 2012 by the Las Vegas FilmCritics Society. Set in the tumultuous political times of 1975 in India, referred to as the ‘Emergency’, the film transports the viewer to the colourful world of former French colony Pondicherry in Southern India. The protagonist, Pi, challenges the viewer to consider philosophically anumber of world religions.
"NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF STUDENTS
Students will be engaged by the intriguing allegorical storytelling of two narrators who blend fact with fiction. The central narrator Pi, who is shipwrecked and alone with four animals, demonstrates the importance of faith, hope and perseverance.
The film explores the moral dilemma of the fight for survival and Pi’s spiritual quest for truth and meaning. During Pi’s remarkable 227-day ordeal with a hungry Bengal tiger,hequestions himself, God and life. The spectacular cinematography, mystic realism and ambiguous ending of the film invoke a mystical quality that will produce a range of emotive responses in viewers ,as well as make them consider how individuals need to find their inner strength.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHALLENGING TEACHING AND LEARNING
Students could examine the ways the film explores how discoveries can be spiritual, emotional and creative, through the protagonist Pi’sbildungsromanand the audience’s responses to Pi’s fascinating journey of survival. Students can consider how the film sutures the audience into Pi’s world through clever cinematography and imaginative film techniques to evoke empathy and understandingofhis plight. Students could explore how the film’s ending provokes curiosity and speculation about the veracity of Pi’s story and whether he created this imaginative allegory to escape his discoveries about life’s harsh realities and humanity’s shortcomings."
Source: NSW Board of Studies. Annotations of Selected Texts.
Getting started
You can access this film and interviews with Ang Lee at school from the TV4Education drive. In addition, you can currently watch The Life of Pi on Youtube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozLjZEGPdvI]. Make sure you've watched the whole movie at least three times and the most important scenes (for your interpretation) over and over and over till you know every word and every shot by heart!
Trinity Grammar's library [http://trinity.nsw.libguides.com/c.php?g=5557&p=24219] has an excellent page of links for this text. It is an excellent starting point for your study as it includes clips, stills and interviews with the director.
Julie Conlon has a Pintrest page [http://www.pinterest.com/julieconlonTpT/teaching-life-of-pi/] with links to sites, but be aware that most of these sites apply to the novel, not the film. It ioncludes a wonderful Sesame Street parody and great inspiration for a writing task.
Study Guides can be found at:
Film Education [http://www.filmeducation.org/lifeofpi/]
Damaris [http://www.damaris.org/media/lifeofpi] This is a (Christian) religious orgnaisation, but it has some interesting films about philosophical questions from the point of view of different faiths and it would be very useful if you are focusing on spiritual discovery. their school study guide can be found here [http://www.damaris.org/cm/data/damaris/downloads/ffe/lifeofpi/Supplementary_Resources_for_Schools.pdf]
Ang Lee discusses his film on Youtube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBzFlcRDKyA&feature=youtu.be]
Reviews can be found at:
Rotten Tomatoes [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life-of-pi/] (links to many reviews from any perspecitve you care to name).
Christian Broadcasting Network [http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/screen/carpenter-LifeofPi_Faith_1112.aspx] (spiritual discovery)
On being Both [http://onbeingboth.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/life-of-pi-hindu-christian-and-muslim/] (spiritual discovery)
Samira's review on Lipstick Alley [http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php?t=436277] (self-discovery)
Eternal Thoughts of Kevin's Mind [http://eternalthoughtsofkevinsmind.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/life-of-pi-is-visually-beautiful.html] (self-discovery)
This DNews article [http://news.discovery.com/animals/life-of-pi-tigers-121203.htm] examines the way that Life of Pi could change the way we see an endangered animals, leading to its survival.
"MERIT AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Directed by Ang Lee,who has won the AcademyAward for best director twice, The Life ofPiis based on Yann Martel’s 2001 Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. The film has had critical and commercial success, receiving 11nominations for the 85thAcademy Awards and being awarded Best Picture for 2012 by the Las Vegas FilmCritics Society. Set in the tumultuous political times of 1975 in India, referred to as the ‘Emergency’, the film transports the viewer to the colourful world of former French colony Pondicherry in Southern India. The protagonist, Pi, challenges the viewer to consider philosophically anumber of world religions.
"NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF STUDENTS
Students will be engaged by the intriguing allegorical storytelling of two narrators who blend fact with fiction. The central narrator Pi, who is shipwrecked and alone with four animals, demonstrates the importance of faith, hope and perseverance.
The film explores the moral dilemma of the fight for survival and Pi’s spiritual quest for truth and meaning. During Pi’s remarkable 227-day ordeal with a hungry Bengal tiger,hequestions himself, God and life. The spectacular cinematography, mystic realism and ambiguous ending of the film invoke a mystical quality that will produce a range of emotive responses in viewers ,as well as make them consider how individuals need to find their inner strength.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHALLENGING TEACHING AND LEARNING
Students could examine the ways the film explores how discoveries can be spiritual, emotional and creative, through the protagonist Pi’sbildungsromanand the audience’s responses to Pi’s fascinating journey of survival. Students can consider how the film sutures the audience into Pi’s world through clever cinematography and imaginative film techniques to evoke empathy and understandingofhis plight. Students could explore how the film’s ending provokes curiosity and speculation about the veracity of Pi’s story and whether he created this imaginative allegory to escape his discoveries about life’s harsh realities and humanity’s shortcomings."
Source: NSW Board of Studies. Annotations of Selected Texts.
Getting started
You can access this film and interviews with Ang Lee at school from the TV4Education drive. In addition, you can currently watch The Life of Pi on Youtube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozLjZEGPdvI]. Make sure you've watched the whole movie at least three times and the most important scenes (for your interpretation) over and over and over till you know every word and every shot by heart!
Trinity Grammar's library [http://trinity.nsw.libguides.com/c.php?g=5557&p=24219] has an excellent page of links for this text. It is an excellent starting point for your study as it includes clips, stills and interviews with the director.
Julie Conlon has a Pintrest page [http://www.pinterest.com/julieconlonTpT/teaching-life-of-pi/] with links to sites, but be aware that most of these sites apply to the novel, not the film. It ioncludes a wonderful Sesame Street parody and great inspiration for a writing task.
Study Guides can be found at:
Film Education [http://www.filmeducation.org/lifeofpi/]
Damaris [http://www.damaris.org/media/lifeofpi] This is a (Christian) religious orgnaisation, but it has some interesting films about philosophical questions from the point of view of different faiths and it would be very useful if you are focusing on spiritual discovery. their school study guide can be found here [http://www.damaris.org/cm/data/damaris/downloads/ffe/lifeofpi/Supplementary_Resources_for_Schools.pdf]
Ang Lee discusses his film on Youtube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBzFlcRDKyA&feature=youtu.be]
Reviews can be found at:
Rotten Tomatoes [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life-of-pi/] (links to many reviews from any perspecitve you care to name).
Christian Broadcasting Network [http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/screen/carpenter-LifeofPi_Faith_1112.aspx] (spiritual discovery)
On being Both [http://onbeingboth.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/life-of-pi-hindu-christian-and-muslim/] (spiritual discovery)
Samira's review on Lipstick Alley [http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php?t=436277] (self-discovery)
Eternal Thoughts of Kevin's Mind [http://eternalthoughtsofkevinsmind.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/life-of-pi-is-visually-beautiful.html] (self-discovery)
This DNews article [http://news.discovery.com/animals/life-of-pi-tigers-121203.htm] examines the way that Life of Pi could change the way we see an endangered animals, leading to its survival.