Transnational Media: Life of Pie Essay

Globalization has facilitated the existence of transnational media. Transnational media is any form of media or text that crosses over from a country's borders to another (Hundle, 2016, p.620). In most cases, transnationalism showcases some existing relationship between the two or more countries. According to the Nevada City Film Festival (2015), there are many ways through which media gets from one part of the world to another. Notable ways include entertainment and news events. Over the years, entertaining movies has been one of the issues that have been subject to transnational media (Perimeter Institute.ca, 2017). Indeed, transnational media is a method used in uniting the world.

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In Canada, a novelist pays a social call to a storyteller of Indian origin named Pi Patel, The novelist request Pi Patel to talk to him about the story of his life. Pi communicates the story about his youthful years while living in Pondicherry, India (Imbert, 2014). The location where he lived was also the source of his nickname. At some point, his father, who is a proprietor of a zoo, clarifies that the metropolis stopped providing support for the children's zoo. It was for this reason that he opted to migrate to Canada. He envisioned that he would be able to have the animals the family-owned sold (Life of Pi, 2012). They thus board a freight ship that is owned by the Japanese together with their animals. Unfortunately, while they are on their voyage there happens to be a storm, which results in wrecking their vessel. Despite the occurrence, Pi can survive using a lifeboat (Squire, 2017, p.228). He survives alongside some animals such as a zebra, a Bengal tiger a hyena and an orangutan. While they are on the lifeboat, they drift in the Pacific Ocean. Since he is in the company of an aggressive hyena a tiger which are getting hungry, Pi needs to find a way that can enable him to survive the encounter (Life of Pi, 2012).

Before its conversion into a film, the Life of Pi was an award winner in the year 2002. The award that then books won was called the Man Booker Prize. Rana (2016) adds that the film won the prize for being termed as a pleasant book as rated by readers in the best way possible. The author of the book Yann Martel and the commission located in Britain that picked the attractive script complete greatly of the narrative's hypothetical spiritual implications. Certainly, Martel's assertion that the book was a manuscript that potentially makes one belief in a supernatural being or at least query why you do not, is a highly accurate expression (Life of Pi, 2012).

The film and the book Life of Pi cannot by any length be associated with Moby Dick. Since it was decided that it was better to honor both Ireland's as well as the Commonwealth utmost literary reward to Life of Pi, the Man Booker board rewarded the most interesting trait of modern literary and creative writing.

The films plot summary is fascinating. The main character who is a young boy of Indian origin called Piscine Molitor Patel is named after a swimming pool in Parisian. Patel becomes religiously diverse person since he adopts different religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. When he is stranded in the middle of an ocean after a shipwreck, he has to be creative to be able to feed himself and the animals that survived with him. He interestingly relies on his intellect and a survival guidebook, which enables him to collect water for drinking and fish for meals. He also uses his intellect to tame the tiger and the hyena (Overdof, 2013).

The film has an essential mandate in the livelihood of people in the society. Watching films that people can relate is a way for them to find leisure as well as escape their monotonous and depressing lives that are full of exhaustion. Other than universally providing a source of leisure, films are a mirror for society. They are also an avenue for the portrayal of influence, conveying social identity or even constructing them. Films do function as influential instruments that can be used to change opinions of the public, cement traditional views, as well as demystify traditional lines of thought.

Ever since its commencement begun in the 20th century, films that originate from India have so far realized success in their aims to transcend geographical as well cultural limitations. Consequently, they have been able to rise and become one of the most prominent film industries in the world, and at the moment, they are the third largest industry in the world with industry in the United States and China taking the lead. Since 1913 to 2016, the excursion that Indian film industry has gone through displays a wide range of movies that portray conflicting ideas and beliefs. For example, during the period there were films such as Angry Goddesses (2015) which made attempts to demystify patriarchal tendencies which made the lives of women unbearable. Other films like Sultan (2016) upsettingly decided to contribute to the re-establishment of patriarchal tendencies, which the film Angry Goddesses (2015) has tried to eliminate.

Similarly, whereas films such as Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) emphasize emotive recollections of friendship among the two the countries of Pakistan and India, there exist latent undertones in the society that precipitate ruthless political games. On the other hand, movies like Border (1997) andGadar (2001) have deliberately shaped a downright undesirable appearance of India's neighbor Pakistan. Consequently, Bollywood appears to be a platform for the manifestation of corresponding inconsistent marvels where the predisposition to one is contingent on the background inducements of a specific era.

Nationalism is an idea, has been the exhibition of prevailing principles and ideals. It is diligently linked to the personality and principles of the individuals. The association exists to the extent that is being guided by the essentialist understanding, is assumed to be territorially destined. Benedict Anderson is, unquestionably, precise and accurate when he maintains on in his resolve on the presence of a nonfigurative association between persons. The occurrence could be shaken up or changed by instituting nationalism through print, social and mass media channels. Though, nationalism does not concern to merely opinions but also establishes a system of political affairs. The emotional tenets can be associated with national anthems, national flags, and other symbols of nationalism, which are implanted into publics' mind using tutelage and the influence of the media. For example, Narendra Modi's communications are often full of symbolism of a particular national ideology. Prime Minister Modi's communication in Parliament on 28 November 2015, was a representation of how he indirectly hold Sanskrit 'shlokas' to high esteem at the same time he shares concepts of setting forth the 'idea of India.' To achieve a 'better India,' the original basis remains assimilation into the Hindu idea of the nation, barring any other cultural identity whatsoever. India, which accommodates diverse cultures, gets subsumed under one culture, the majority culture.

An assessment of the relevance of global cultural films and its relationship to the film "Life of Pi" shows the result of the impact of nationalism and is illustrated by specific entities such as the influence of the media in shaping ideas through technological platforms (Rana 2016; Wintle, 2017, p. 311). For example, technological platforms such as the internet made it possible for individuals to access the film and the result was people having an idea into the Indian culture as well as well as other religious affiliations as shown in the film (Ahanger, 2017). Besides, Hundle (2016, p.621) adds that the media aspect of global cultural glows directly correlates with the formation and spread of the intended idea. In this case, the relevance of the spread of information and ideals through the media makes it possible for individuals to understand the intricacies in which Patel had to go through to survive the different cultures as depicted in the "Life of Pi" (Bills, Bond & Cascio, 2014, p.17)

O'brien and Williams (2016) argue that the assumption that the political economy as an important factor in consideration of how the media propagates the existence and functionality of the society is valid. For instance in the film "Life of Pi" Squire (2017, p.228) implores that the media enhances the essence of nationalism through the character Patel. Patel is depicted as an individual that has to adjust to different cultures and religions (Imbert, 2014). Inherently, O'brien and Williams (2016) add that the political economy also influences the incorporation and assimilation of communication channels as well as the perception of cultures as shown in the film. Nevertheless, the political economy also affects issues associated with the democratic ideals in a nation, the comprehension of propaganda, as well as the depoliticization of any community (Punathambekar, 2007).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the film "Life of Pie" is instrumental in illustrating the relevance of transnationalism through the existence of media platforms as well as the primary role of culture. Patel in the film acts as the symbol for the transnationalism whereas an Indian; he can assimilate himself into various cultures and religions at the same time using his wit for his survival as well as that of the animals.

Bibliography

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