# data[].attributes.body
Throughout the novel Life of Pi, Yann Martel’s juxtaposition of comedic and tragic events aid in Pi’s character development and foster the contrasting witty and dark tones in the novel.

# data[].attributes.headline
Comedy is used to portray the novel's witty tone by exposing the human ego in a way that is more tangible to the reader.

# data[].attributes.subject
Comedy is used to portray the novel's witty tone by exposing the human ego in a way that is more tangible to the reader.

# data[].attributes.body
“DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL IN THE ZOO…behind it was a mirror” (31).

# data[].attributes.headline
The quote's sarcastic tone softens the blow of the true tragedy being portrayed (death) while contributing to the novel's major theme of religion vs. science.

# data[].attributes.subject
The quote's sarcastic tone softens the blow of the true tragedy being portrayed (death) while contributing to the novel's major theme of religion vs. science.

# data[].attributes.body
“the agnostic…might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying “possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain, “ and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story (64).

# data[].attributes.headline
Using Ravi's mocking tone in this comment, the author points out the judgmental nature of our society towards religion in a way that is more socially acceptable.

# data[].attributes.subject
Using Ravi's mocking tone in this comment, the author points out the judgmental nature of our society towards religion in a way that is more socially acceptable.

# data[].attributes.body
“At the rate you’re going, if you go to temple on Thursday, mosque on Friday, synagogue on Saturday, and church on Sunday, you only need to convert to three more religions to be on holiday for the rest of your life” (70).

# data[].attributes.headline
Without the use of comedy to lessen the intensity of the tragedy, the tone of the novel shifts to a much darker one, making the material harder to digest for the reader.

# data[].attributes.subject
Without the use of comedy to lessen the intensity of the tragedy, the tone of the novel shifts to a much darker one, making the material harder to digest for the reader.

# data[].attributes.body
"that second night at sea stands in my memory as one of exceptional suffering…the broken down kind consisting of weeping and sadness and spiritual pain, and different from later ones in that I had the strength to appreciate what I felt” (124).

# data[].attributes.headline
Contrasting the very emotional human reaction Pi has with the very primal reaction of the hyena creates a nonchalant tone towards death, further developing the theme of man vs. nature.

# data[].attributes.subject
Contrasting the very emotional human reaction Pi has with the very primal reaction of the hyena creates a nonchalant tone towards death, further developing the theme of man vs. nature.

# data[].attributes.body
“I lay down…and spent the whole night weeping and grieving, my face buried in my arms. The hyena spent the whole night eating” (128).

# data[].attributes.headline
This comedic anecdote sways the readers into associating Richard Parker with human traits which takes away from the tragedy and death that follow in his wake.

# data[].attributes.subject
This comedic anecdote sways the readers into associating Richard Parker with human traits which takes away from the tragedy and death that follow in his wake.

# data[].attributes.body
“All the papers we received with the cub clearly stated that its name was Richard Parker, that the hunter’s first name was Thirsty, and that his family name was None Given” (133).

# data[].attributes.headline
The conjunction of these quotes create a blunt tone that is comedic in its unexpectedness, highlighting the true tragedy that Pi has been ignoring up to this point.

# data[].attributes.subject
The conjunction of these quotes create a blunt tone that is comedic in its unexpectedness, highlighting the true tragedy that Pi has been ignoring up to this point.

# data[].attributes.body
“‘I’m going to die’” (147).

“Oncoming death is terrible enough, but worse still is oncoming death with time to spare” (147).

# data[].attributes.headline
This humorous anecdote fosters an upbeat tone that turns delusional when used to mask the true horror of Pi's predicament.

# data[].attributes.subject
This humorous anecdote fosters an upbeat tone that turns delusional when used to mask the true horror of Pi's predicament.

# data[].attributes.body
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, without further ado, it is my pleasure and honor to present to you: THE PI PATEL, INDO-CANADIAN, TRANS-PACIFIC, FLOATING CIRCUSSSSSSSSSSS!!!” (165).

# data[].attributes.headline
Juxtaposing the horrific idea of being eaten by a carnivorous animal with a comedic inner monologue fosters a condescending tone from Pi towards himself and his situation.

# data[].attributes.subject
Juxtaposing the horrific idea of being eaten by a carnivorous animal with a comedic inner monologue fosters a condescending tone from Pi towards himself and his situation.

# data[].attributes.body
“But don’t you think that before he submits to eating puffy, putrefied zebra he’ll try the fresh, juicy, Indian boy just a short dip away?...My, my, what an enormous pink cave. Look at those long yellow stalactites and stalagmites. Maybe today you’ll get a chance to visit” (179).

# data[].attributes.headline
The  use of comedic language as well as Pi's indifferent nature towards his own death implies that his character has developed to the point where he has become desensitized to his own emotions and the gravity of his situation.

# data[].attributes.subject
The  use of comedic language as well as Pi's indifferent nature towards his own death implies that his character has developed to the point where he has become desensitized to his own emotions and the gravity of his situation.

# data[].attributes.body
“But something was niggling at me. I couldn’t say what. Whatever it was, it was disturbing my dying” (248).

# data[].attributes.body
In Part one of the novel, Pi, a young Indian boy fascinated with religion, (appositive) is forced to move away from his home. The introductory chapters' tone is pleasant and nostalgic, giving Pi's character an innocent outlook on life. The author ends the first part with an anecdote of present-day Pi and divulges, “This story has a happy ending” (93). This gives the readers a false sense of hope, quickly dashed by the first line of the second part noting, “The ship sank” (97). The dramatic switch in tones is caused by the juxtaposition of these two lines (semicolon transition comma connecting two related ideas); additionally, the tone switch also alludes to new challenges for Pi in the section of the novel that follows these lines. This juxtaposition demonstrates the turbulence and complexity of human emotions, one of the themes explored in the novel. The abrupt shift between happy and tragic leads the readers to understand that Pi, coping with the challenges of leaving his home behind, (participle) will be undergoing significant character development and emotional change throughout the rest of the novel.