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By utilizing significant names throughout the story, Yann Martel develops key characters from Pi’s journey and the idea that society is the force that determines an individual’s identity.

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Auntie Rohini, Rohini being the name of a Hindu goddess, initiates Pi's spiritual journey by making his first experience with Hinduism a positive one.

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Auntie Rohini, Rohini being the name of a Hindu goddess, initiates Pi's spiritual journey by making his first experience with Hinduism a positive one.

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“Auntie Rohini was delighted to meet her newborn nephew and she thought she would include Mother Goddess in the delight” (47).

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Pi, who nicknames himself after an irrational number, is imperfect, relinquishing his identity and giving in to the pressures of society.

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Pi, who nicknames himself after an irrational number, is imperfect, relinquishing his identity and giving in to the pressures of society.

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“And so, in that Greek letter that looks like a shack with a corrugated tin roof, in that elusive, irrational number with which scientists try to understand the universe, I found refuge” (24).

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Mr. Kumar and Mr. Kumar share the same name because, regardless of their differing beliefs, they impact the way Pi forms his identity to an equal degree. 

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Mr. Kumar and Mr. Kumar share the same name because, regardless of their differing beliefs, they impact the way Pi forms his identity to an equal degree. 

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“I broke the carrot in two and gave one half to Mr. Kumar and one half to Mr. Kumar” (82).

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Richard Parker was raised in Tamil Nadu in India, a significant religious center of Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam; thus, he and Pi share a similar upbringing.

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Richard Parker was raised in Tamil Nadu in India, a significant religious center of Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam; thus, he and Pi share a similar upbringing.

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“Richard Parker was born in Bangladesh and raised in Tamil Nadu, so why should he have a French accent?” (248).

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Goliath, the bull elephant seal from Pi's story and the giant in the story of David and Goliath, represents a venerable figure who was spited by a few hateful members of society.

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Goliath, the bull elephant seal from Pi's story and the giant in the story of David and Goliath, represents a venerable figure who was spited by a few hateful members of society.

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“Among zookeepers, Goliath’s death is famous; he was a bull elephant seal, a great big venerable beast of two tons, star of his European zoo, loved by all visitors” (29).

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Tsimtsum, which means contraction of God in Hebrew, was the name of this ship that capsized, causing Pi to question his identity, faith, and position in the universe.

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Tsimtsum, which means contraction of God in Hebrew, was the name of this ship that capsized, causing Pi to question his identity, faith, and position in the universe.

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“I calculated that the next morning would make it a week since the Tsimtsum had sunk” (189).

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Richard Parker, a shipwreck survivor in both Edgar Allen Poe's and Yann Martel's novel, is a dynamic character who transforms from a pitiful victim into an unflinching leader.

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Richard Parker, a shipwreck survivor in both Edgar Allen Poe's and Yann Martel's novel, is a dynamic character who transforms from a pitiful victim into an unflinching leader.

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“‘Let go of that lifebuoy, Richard Parker! Let go, I said. I don’t want you here, do you understand? Go somewhere else. Leave me alone. Get lost. Drown! Drown!’” (99).

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Richard Parker is also the name of a historical mutineer, which compares with Yann Martel's tiger as both characters have fearless personalities.

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Richard Parker is also the name of a historical mutineer, which compares with Yann Martel's tiger as both characters have fearless personalities.

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“But when Richard Parker’s amber eyes met mine, the stare was intense, cold and unflinching, not flighty or friendly, and spoke of self-possession on the point of exploding with rage” (152).

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Due to the fact that Pi's tiger companion, Richard Parker, has a human name, Pi often personifies him, seeking civility where it can't be found.

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Due to the fact that Pi's tiger companion, Richard Parker, has a human name, Pi often personifies him, seeking civility where it can't be found.

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"I was weeping because Richard Parker had left me so unceremoniously. What a terrible thing it is to botch a farewell" (285).

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After a great extent of self-reflection, Pi begins to realize the depth of his identity, acknowledging his contributions to the world.

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After a great extent of self-reflection, Pi begins to realize the depth of his identity, acknowledging his contributions to the world.

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“Your gaze is always a radius. The circumference is ever great. In fact, the circles multiply. To be a castaway is to be caught in a harrowing ballet of circles” (215).

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Mr. Chiba, Chiba being the name of a famously Buddhist city in Japan, is a tolerant man who tries to understand diverse perspectives.

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Mr. Chiba, Chiba being the name of a famously Buddhist city in Japan, is a tolerant man who tries to understand diverse perspectives.

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“Mr. Chiba: ‘I have an uncle who knows a lot about botany. He lives in the country near Hita-Gun. He’s a bonsai master’” (294).

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Yann Martel introduces the idea that the experiences that someone has, whether they are positive or negative, are dependent on society. These experiences will go on to later impact future decisions. Pi, being bullied in school during his childhood, (participle phrase) has a negative experience with his given name: Piscine. He discovers that "those we meet can change us" (20). The alterations that someone makes to their identity aren't always conscious; rather, (semicolon, transition, comma) they are a result of unfortunate meetings that can't be avoided. Not respecting the origins of his unique name, (absolute phrase) Pi is harassed by his scornful schoolmates. Pi asserts that these meetings "can change us, sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even unto our names" (20). Despite the fact that the name Piscine is part of Pi's identity, he begins to form a dislike for it in response to his peers. Through Pi's interactions, Yann Martel demonstrates the dependence that humanity has on society's opinions.