Two Worlds of Reality": Magical Realism's Postmodern View of Animals in Life of Pi

Abstract

In his novel Life of Pi, Yann Martel succeeds to present a postmodern view of certain philosophical concepts, through the use of Magical realism. The purpose of this article is to consider some major questions in postmodern philosophy and psychoanalysis in the light of this novel. It shows, first, how magical realism is represented in the novel's narrative and how it succeeds to deliver two different realities within one truth. Furthermore, it discusses the question of human-animal relationship, addressing the issue of anthropocentrism in the novel and reflecting upon Jacque Derrida's philosophical perspectives on animals. The paper argues as well Lacan's views on the human-animal opposition, which is expressed in Life of Pi, and set in a magical realist environment. The contribution of this paper, on top, is to explore the Lacanian concept of the Mirror stage, especially in the animal characters of the novel. It tries to capture certain aspects of magic and real through this psychoanalytical application.