Abstract: The present paper aims to provide a comparative analysis of narrative techniques in the novel and film versions of Life of Pi by Yann Martel and its film adaptation directed by Ang Lee in 2012. The paper seeks to explore the ways in which different media convey the same philosophical and thematic issues. The novel employs narrative framing, retrospective narrative, and metafiction to emphasize the narrative act and explore issues of truth, faith, and belief. Moreover, it employs interior monologues and symbols to create ambiguity, particularly in Pi’s accounts of his survival at sea. On the other hand, the film reworks these narrative techniques by incorporating filmic techniques such as imagery, color, sound, and setting. While the novel focuses on psychological depth and narrative ambiguity, the film focuses on emotional depth and visual transcendence. By drawing on theories of adaptation, narratology, and intermediality, this paper aims to explore how narrative is translated from verbal to visual storytelling, uncovering its potential and limitations.
Borude et al. (2025) studied this question.