Life of Pi Essay Example For Students

Life of Pi Essay Having just experienced the sinking of his familys ship, and being put onto a life boat with only a hyena, Pi felt completely lost and alone. When he sees Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger from his familys zoo, it is a familiar face to him. His initial reaction is to save the life of his familiar friend so that he may have a companion, and a protector aboard the lifeboat. Suddenly Pi realizes just what he is doing. He is saving the life of Richard Parker, by welcoming him, a 450 pound Bengal tiger, onto the small lifeboat. He experiences a change of heart when helping the tiger onto the boat. Pi realizes that he is now posing a threat on his own life. With Richard Parker on the boat, Pi is faced with not only the fight to survive stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but the fight to survive living with a meat eating tiger. The change of heart that Pi experiences might possibly mean that he is an impulsive thinker. It may mean that he often does something on impulse without thinking it through, and then later regrets his actions. We will write a custom essay on Life of Pi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now How does Pi maintain his religious beliefs while on the boat? Pi maintains his religious beliefs while on the life boat through his daily prayers. He takes time aside each day to say the prayers that he always would say. In one instance, he turns where he believes Mecca is located, and prays his traditional prayers towards Mecca. Pi also often states that he will include specific animals in his prayers, such as the zebra aboard his lifeboat, and the first fish that he ever killed. With Pi keeping his ritual prayers going, it helped him to survive. He was able to somewhat maintain the religious lifestyle he had prior to the sinking of the Tsimtsum. We also find him making many religious affiliations throughout his journey. He made comparisons between that of Orange Juice, the orangutan, and the Virgin Mary, and would also often bring up Jesus on the cross. Truly, Pis religious faith remained strong throughout his journey on the Pacific Ocean. . Life of Pi Essay Example For Students Life of Pi Essay Life of Pi Essay Pi Patel is on a ship to a whole new world. Hes leaving his whole world behind except the zoo, its on board with him. When awoken by a sound, Pi goes to explore. He finds that the ship is sinking and before he can wake his family he is thrown into a lifeboat. A zebra falls into the lifeboat, breaking its leg. Without truly realizing what he is doing, Pi helps Richard Parker onto the lifeboat. Then he realizes, he is on a lifeboat with a 450 pound Bengal tiger. We will write a custom essay on Life of Pi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Pi builds a raft out of oars and life jackets so that he can stay a safe distance from the lifeboat. The lifeboat doesnt seem to have the tiger on it at all. Just a zebra and a hyena and orangutan. The hyena attacks both zebra and orangutan and then the tiger appears. He is sleek and quiet about his approach. None the less, Pi Patel is now alone on a lifeboat with Richard Parker. He wonders how he will survive with a tiger. Pi decides that it would be best to keep the tiger alive, to act as the alpha. He trains Richard Parker to understand which space belongs to who. Pi uses a solar power water filter for fresh water and fishes for food. He feeds himself and the tiger. This keeps them at more of a alpha relationship because Richard Parker knows where his food and water come from. When there is no fish to caught and no more supplies, the only option is to starve for that day. Finally, Pi and Richard Parker land on an island. It is a very mysterious place. The trees seem to grow straight out of the algae and the meerkats do no seem to be afraid of anything. There are fresh water ponds and for some reason Richard Parker always returns to the lifeboat at night to sleep. Pi finds out the algae is acidic and thats why Richard Parker sleeps in the boat at night. Pi waits until Richard Parker is on the boat and then they leave. Pi hits land some days later. Richard Parker jumps out of the boat and runs into a forest to hide. Pi is found by a group of people who all try and help him. He is put with a foster family and moves to Canada. This is the story of Pi Patels journey and his conflicts. . Life of pi Essay Example For Students Life of pi Essay Life of pi Essay, written by Yann Martel is one of Canada;s most acclaimed books. It tells the story of sixteen-year-old Pi Patel;s journey while he discovers religion and his own determination and strength. This book is highly recommended for many reasons including the insightful views expressed on religion and life, the interesting facts on zoology, and the author;s unique talent in making something that at first glance seemed totally unrealistic become reality humour inserted along the way! First of all, it is obvious that Pi Patel learns to have a very open mind when it comes to religion as he has embraced three of them, resulting in a unique Hindu-Christian-Muslim boy. His interesting views on the different religions lead the readers to broaden their horizons and have an open mind to different religions. His analogies were also quite humorous, for example, when comparing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to his father feeding him to the lions because the latter killed two llamas, a black buck, a camel, painted storks, grey herons, and who;s to say for sure who snacked on our golden agouti?;. We will write a custom essay on Life of pi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In addition, Pi Patel;s journey helped him have a great view on life and its value, allowing him to give many anecdotes that make the reader stop and think. For example: I have nothing to say of my working life, only that a tie is a noose, and inverted though it is, it will hang a man nonetheless if he;s not careful.; Secondly, this book is packed with zoological information including mating, hunting, and sleeping habits of a variety of animals from hippopotamuses to ;meerkats; (small African carnivorous burrowing mammals). Also, it includes many circus trainer tactics for lions and tigers, such as using foreign surroundings, having an erect posture, a calm demeanour, a steady gaze, a fearless step forward, a strange roar, etc. Also, Pi Patel;s very original view on how animals are indeed happy in a zoo was very enlightening for anyone who has ever felt sorry for the entrapped animals, feeling that the latter were not free. According to this boy, animals in the wild are driven by ne cessity in an environment where the supply of fear is high and the supply of food is low, whereas the environment in a zoo is quite contrary. Also, animals are quite territorial (no matter what the territory is) and they protect it, not because they are prisoner of it, but because they are landholder of it. Finally, whoever would have thought the story of a sixteen-year-old boy trapped on a lifeboat with a hyena, an orang-utan, a zebra with a broken leg, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger would ever be plausible? However, the way Yann Martel has written the book, with the author;s note in the beginning, explaining how this novel came to be written, the inserted chapters told from a journalist;s point of view (possibly the author himself) visiting an older Pi Patel, and the third part of the novel with the taped inquisition from two members of the Japanese Ministry of Transport really makes the reader search time and time again for the phrase A True Story written on the front cover. In conclusion, Life of Pi is a brilliantly written book full of insightful views, humorous analogies, and anecdotes on religion and life, inte resting facts one would probably never learn in their lifetime unless they majored in zoology or circus training, and an intricate, unrealistic, yet believable, plot. This novel is highly recommended to any person, young or old, as reading it will truly be a life-altering experience. .