Life of Pi Essay (ISU)
Keanan Haddock
I think that the book “Life of Pi” is a very interesting and adventurous book, as Piscine
Molitor Patel struggles through life on a life boat with Richard Parker, a 450 pound Royal
Bengal tiger, and all sorts of other wild animals. While seeking for God when he is all he has to
believe in, when his parents die.
Piscine was always pushed around and bullied in his childhood, for example at school,
his name was made fun of by being called “pissing” when his name should be pronounced PISING. Piscine’s parents wanted to move to Canada because it would be safer and better for their
business. Piscine did not have a say in whether he wanted to say or move, he is just pushed
around.
Tragedy made it difficult for Piscine to find God in his life. Piscine wanted to find God so
badly that he ask his dad for a prayer rug to pray on, and face Mecca. Then Piscine’s parents
where furious when they found out that he had a “triple religion” between the priest (Catholic),
the Panduit (Hindu), and the imam (Muslim). He only did this because he wanted to find God
through different paths.
Piscine did not fully understand what was happening in his life at his age, his parents zoo,
getting in to trouble, and suddenly moving to Canada. Piscine’s parents wanted to move to
Canada because it wasn’t safe were they were living and they were not getting enough money
from the zoo to live off of. When Piscine and his family were ready to move, they got in their
boat with all of their zoo animals and set sail to Canada. During the voyage the boat crashed into
something and began to sink, only Piscine and a few of the animals survived. This was a very big
horrible shock for him. Piscine, Richard Parker, and a few other animals were left on a life boat,
but then he was so scared of Richard Parker that he abandoned they life boat to a piece of the
boat.
Piscine was gaining courage throughout these events, he gains so much courage that he
actually decides to move back on the life boat with Richard Parker. After time, Piscine was
trying to become friends with Richard Parker by bonding with him, Piscine would catch fish for
the tiger first before himself so Richard would start to grow respect for Piscine. This takes a lot
of courage to be on the same boat as a tiger and feed it right from your hand and not be scared.
Piscine would try to bond with Richard Parker as much as possible so they could have a
close relationship. Piscine and Richard had already become good friends but still Piscine did not
fully understand and trust Richard. He needed to really show Richard that he is his friend by
trying to protect him whenever he can. Even though it was dangerous for him to this, he basically
had to because he did not have very many more options.
After Piscines’ efforts of trying to get the tiger to have respect for him, it finally paid off.
For example when Piscine’s boat came across another one with a man on it, the man acted nice
to him. Richard knew better though, he knew that the man was planning on eating Piscine. So
Richard protected |Piscine by eating the man before he could eat piscine. Piscine was becoming
sick because he was not eating enough and became blind, and Richard Parker was helping him
get around, Richard had finally gained respect and loyalty for Piscine.
When Piscine’s boat finally reaches the shore of Mexico, Richard Parker just walks right
away into the forest like nothing happened, like there was no bond between them. After when
Piscine was talking to the reporters he says: "'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.'" Chapter 99, page 317. This shows
that Piscine also did not really care about what had happened, and that it had just happened for a
reason and that was that. Piscine finally found god in the way he was looking for him and that is
what really matters, not how he did it.
Piscine was scared and did not fully understand life at the beginning, and as he went on I
saw him gaining courage, strength, and becoming more mature while understanding life more
clearly. All while in the process of near death and his parents death. That is why I think the book
“Life of Pi” is a very adventurous interesting book, and is a great story.
By: Keanan Haddock