In Chapter 3 of Moby Dick, Ishmael, in a "towering rage," questions his landlord concerning Queequeg, the savage "purple rascal" harpooner, he has yet to meet. "What sort of bamboozling story are you telling me?" he nervously asks after learning that Queequeg is peddling shrunken heads-- and on the Sabbath, no less (Melville 811). Yann Martel makes use of the same mellifluous warning in the "Life of Pi" "Author's Note" foreshadowing young Pi's life that is filled with bamboozling questions. While visiting India, the note's narrator recalls a friend's warning that Indians speak "funny English," using words like "bamboozle" (Martel vii). Martel's narrator persona makes good use of the word disputing expensive train fare. "You're not trying to bamboozle me, are you? . . . There is no bamboozlement here" (viii). Thus "Life of Pi" is set in motion with this comical allusion, the first of many Melville references. Because of its broad topical scope, Martel's novel presents an extraordinary opportunity to engage students and faculty in an exciting, diverse adventure. The article examines Yann Martel's novel, "Life of Pi," in the context of providing instruction across the high school curriculum.