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How Does Yann Martel Use Religion In Life Of Pi

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Faith is an important aspect to people. It is the ability to believe in God without seeing Him. Faith is what keeps individuals preserving through hard and tough times. In Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi, Pi’s exposure to three different religions help him get through 227 days on the Pacific Ocean. Pi’s faith saves him at sea, helping him continue his journey. Each religion teaches a different lesson to Pi. He learns about the presence of God everywhere from Hinduism, sacrifice and love from Christianity, and interconnections and miracles of life from Islam. Hinduism is the first religion Pi is introduced to in his youth. Pi explains that Hinduism is about how “Brahman expressed not only in gods but in humans, animals, trees […] for everything has a trace of divine in it” (Martel 53). Throughout his childhood, …show more content…

Here, he learns about the miracles of co-existing with different life forms. When Pi discovers Islam, Mr,Kumar— the baker— explains what it is. Pi learns that “every element lived in harmonious relation with its neighbour” (Martel 68). Mr.Kumar teaches Pi that all living things are on entity and the relationships between species and nature are miracles in itself. the teachings later on help him survive on the boat as he decide to keep Richard parker alive. When he and Richard Parker barely escape being hit by the by the oil tanker, Pi tells him “‘I love you Richard parker. If I didn’t have you now, I don’t know what I would do. I don’t think I would make it […] I would die of hopelessness’” (Martel 262). Pi’s constant growth of love for Richard Parker is a sign of the harmonious relationship, that which seems impossible between a human and a tiger. Richard parker depends on him for food and water and Pi needs Richard Parker so he can have the will to go on and survive. Islam’s teachings of living with different animals for Pi, helps him live through his painfully long

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