“Just as music is noise that makes sense, a painting is colour that makes sense, so a story is life that makes sense.”

“The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no?Doesn't that make life a story?”

“The world isn’t just the way it is. It’s how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn’t that make life a story?”

“I think art comes from some sense of discomfort with the world, some sense of not quite fitting with it.”

“When your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival.”

“I have a story that will make you believe in God.”

“So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can't prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?' Mr. Okamoto: 'That's an interesting question?' Mr. Chiba: 'The story with animals.' Mr. Okamoto: 'Yes. The story with animals is the better story.' Pi Patel: 'Thank you. And so it goes with God.”