Yann Martel's Life of Pi wonderfully blends seriousness and playfulness, as Pi must navigate the very serious reality of trying to survive on the raft while whimsical and fantastical events happen that can be considered playful. The novel explores deep spiritual and social themes while the storyline leads readers into a fantastical world of tigers and apes, sea creatures, and magical islands.

The novel contains tragic elements, too, as Pi loses his family when the ship sinks. He is thrust into a life boat and must figure out how to survive in the ocean. However, Pi is an incredibly thoughtful and intelligent boy, and his interactions with the tiger are certainly both playful and serious as he befriends this dangerous creature.