本文主要探討《少年Pi的奇幻漂流》符合神話英雄的冒險行徑。理論是根據神話學大師坎伯所著的《千面英雄》。此書蒐羅世界各文化的神話傳說，歸納出英雄冒險的相似軌跡分成三部分：啟程、啟蒙及回歸。英雄得到某種外在的召喚，離開熟悉的家鄉出發前往陌生的領域，在此期間他必須經歷各種磨難考驗，所幸有外在的神祕力量保護而生存下來，並得到心靈的成長。最後英雄通過試煉回返家園，把冒險得來的智慧分享給世人。此類英雄的範圍，包含屠龍的勇士甚至如佛陀及基督之類的智者。
《少年Pi的奇幻漂流》是Yann Martel（楊•馬特爾）所寫的奇幻小說，內容敘述16歲的印度少年Pi，在舉家移民加拿大的途中遭遇船難。他靠著信仰，在救生艇上漂流227天後奇蹟生還，唯一的同伴是原先動物園內飼養的老虎。Pi的故事吻合神話英雄的三階段冒險。搭船前往加拿大，是英雄的啟程，他所信仰的三個宗教是外在的助力，他的啟蒙及帶給世人的禮物，是對神更堅定的信仰及推翻科學的客觀真理。
本文重新發掘坎伯的神話英雄理論，引用它來檢視Pi的冒險，以期增加此小說的深度，同時也證明神話英雄並非過時的理論，它仍然可以啟發無限的創作靈感。全文分三部分書寫，以呼應英雄的三階段冒險。透過神話英雄的角度，可以證明《少年Pi的奇幻漂流》不是一般膚淺的劫後餘生故事，而是反映人類共同的苦難及藉由信仰而開悟的成長小說。

This paper examines the universal structure of a mythological hero’s adventure in Life of Pi. The theory is based on Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, which illustrated and distilled heroic patterns from various cultures. The hero’s journey has three stages: separation, initiation, and return. Answering a call to adventure, the hero departs from his familiar world and ventures into a region of supernatural wonder. Miraculous forces are encountered there and a decisive victory is won. He then returns from this mysterious land, bringing an elixir to benefit his fellow men. Through this journey of trials, the hero transforms his former self and achieves spiritual growth. Such heroes range from monster slayers to spiritual leaders such as the Buddha and Christ.
Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel about an Indian boy who survives a shipwreck by drifting on a lifeboat with a tiger. His adventure fi ts Joseph Campbell’s hero archetype. Similar to the mythological hero, Pi departs from his familiar land of India, answering the call for adventure to a new country. Protected by the supernatural powers of Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam, he penetrates the dangerous and mysterious realm of the Pacific Ocean. After experiencing harsh ordeals, he returns to the human world with a life-enhancing boon to share.
In this study, Campbell’s insights on the heroic pattern are appropriated as an analytical tool to deepen the meaning of the novel and reveal the common mode of the heroic quest. As enlightening today as in the last century, Campbell’s book continues to inspire artistic creations instead of becoming fossilized. The contents of this paper are divided into three parts corresponding to the hero’s three stages of adventure. This study proved that Pi’s journey is profound in that it reflects universal human suffering and enlightenment. Examined from the perspective of the hero archetype, Life of Pi is a perfect testimony to faith and divinity instead of an ordinary survival story.