In his introductory note, Yann Martel says,"This book was born as I was hungry." What sort emotional nourishment might Life of Pi have given to its author?

Canadian author Yann Martel believes that there is a strong relationship between religion, faith, and storytelling.

I’ve always been struck how . . . religion is profoundly narrative. All religions convey stories and I think that speaks to who we are as a species.

Life of Pi clearly shows this attitude of Martel through the character of Pi, and I believe that simply exploring Pi's unique outlook on life, faith, and religion wound up being emotionally nourishing for the author. Creating a character is hard work, and authors will frequently build characters around what the author knows and feels from personal experiences. That doesn't make a character a direct reflection of an author, but it does lead toward a more credible character. As Martel himself believes in the power of religious narratives, he is able to share those feelings with readers through the very lovable character of Pi. Putting his own feelings on paper through Pi's thoughts most likely helped Martel organize and more fully explain his own personal belief set.