On belief
Like Martel’s previous novel, Life of Pi, Beatrice and Virgil explores ideas of faith and belief. On page 103, Virgil says: ‘To my mind, faith is like being in the sun. When you are in the sun, can you avoid creating a shadow? Can you shake that area of darkness that clings to you, always shaped like you, as if constantly to remind you of yourself? You can’t. This shadow is doubt. And it goes wherever you go as long as you stay in the sun. And who wouldn’t want to be in the sun?’ Do you think that doubt always accompanies faith? Do you think faith requires entering into darkness?
Tabitha said: September 26th 2010 at 12:10
Without times of darkness and doubt faith can neither be refined nor appreciated. Faith is a journey that at its essence may stay the same, but as a person moves through life faith gains facets and depths of understanding that are not static over time.