When authors give shout outs to other great works, people, and events, it's usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary References
- Edgar Allan Poe, " The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket": Richard Parker is the name of a sailor in the story.
- Dante, The Divine Comedy: The Comedy has three books and 100 cantos including an introduction; Life of Pi has three parts and 100 chapters.
- Leo Tolstoy (Author's Note.1.8)
- Moacyr Scliar (Author's Note.1.38)
- Robert Louis Stevenson (1.26.26)
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1.26.29)
- R.K. Narayan (1.26.30)
- Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe (1.26.32)
- Herman Melville, Moby-Dick (2.63.1 and 2.84.2-5)
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (2.84.8)
Jewish, Christian, and Islamic References
- Isaac Luria (1.1.2)
- Christ Renames the Disciples (1.5.4)
- Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (1.7.21)
- Christ or Christ on the Cross (1.7.21 and numerous other times)
- Virgin Mary (1.15.2 and numerous other times)
- Parable of the Mustard Seed (1.16.1)
- Holy Spirit (1.17.21, 1.17.26-27)
- Christ and the Fig Tree (1.17.36, 2.90.20-27)
- Baptism and other Christian rituals (1.26.4 and numerous other times)
- St. Francis Xavier (1.27.17)
- Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (1.27.28-29)
- Noah (2.45.2 and numerous other times)
- Cain (2.61.26)
- Doubting Thomas (2.92.12)
- Mohammed (1.5.9 and numerous other times)
- Allah (1.15.6 and numerous other times)
- Call to Prayer and other Muslim rituals (1.18.12 and numerous other times)
- Qur'an (1.20.3, 1.23.10, 1.31.49)
- Abraham (1.26.15)
- David (1.26.15)
- Moses (1.26.15)
Hindu References
- Ganesha (1.15.1, 1.15.3, 1.23.7)
- Shiva (1.15.2)
- Vishnu, Krishna, Rama (1.15.3 and numerous other times)
- Lakshmi (1.1.11, 1.15.3)
- Shakti as Parvati (1.15.3)
- Brahman (1.16.3, 1.17.21, 1.17.29)
- Atman (1.16.3)
- Ramayana (1.17.21, 1.23.7)
- Yashoda, Foster-Mother of Krishna (1.17.23)
- Hanuman (1.23.7, 2.66.7)
- Mahabharata (1.23.7)
- Darshan, Puja and other Hindu rituals (1.23.12 and numerous other times)
- Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita (2.73.1)
Historical Figures
- Søren Kierkegaard (Author's Note.1.10)
- Richard Parker: A sailor hanged for a 1797 mutiny
- Richard Parker: A seaman who was eaten by fellow survivors in an 1846 shipwreck
- Richard Parker: A cabin boy eaten by fellow survivors in an 1884 shipwreck
- Gregor Mendel (1.7.2)
- Charles Darwin (1.7.2, 3.99.56)
- Indira Gandhi (1.7.8, 1.27.10-12, 1.29.4-6)
- Heini Hediger (1.13.3)
- Gandhi (1.23.54-55, 1.26.45-46, 1.27.13-15, 2.92.71)
- Chief Minister Karunanidhi (1.29.4)
- Morarji Desai (1.29.6)
- Dougal Robertson and Family (2.63.1)
- William Bligh (2.63.1)
- Steven Callahan (2.63.1)
- Owen Chase (2.63.1)
- Poon Lim (2.63.1)
- Christopher Columbus (1.34.1, 3.99.50)
- Nicolaus Copernicus (3.99.56)
Pop Culture References
- Mr. Magoo (1.1.4)