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Life Of Pi Research Paper

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All individuals must complete their journey from adolescence to adulthood. Life of Pi is an adventure novel written by Yann Martel. Life of Pi explores the development of Pi Mortel Patel from an eager and outgoing child who is dependent on his family for care in Pondicherry to a shy adult who has to be self-sufficient and rise to meet the challenges he faces. His journey through religious and human faith in God,willingness to survive and an attempt at acceptance.
Pi's religious and human faith in god has guided him through his journey from childhood into adulthood. Pi Molitor Patel is a pious follower of three different religions. He believes that all three religions are essentially the same. All three religions:,Hinduism,Islam, and Christianity, …show more content…

A year later, God was again introduced to Pi in the form of Allah. Pi describes Islam as "a beautiful religion of brotherhood and devotion"(Martel).Pi says:"They didn't know I was practicing Hindu,Christian, and Muslim"(Martel).At the age of 16, the pandit, the priest and the imam showed up at his house and demanded that he choose one religion as in it is against Indian custom to follow more than one religion. He became overwhelmed and blurted out:"Gandi said all religions are the same"(Martel). Pi uses his rational intellect to the fullest extent. When he tells the Japanese investigators that many things are hard to believe:"Love is hard to believe,ask any lover.Life is hard to believe,ask any scientist. God hard to believe,ask any believer"(Martel). Just because it's hard to believe doesn't mean it's an illusion. Pi believes in things that he cannot see nor prove. In one instance of the novel, Pi gives a distinction between atheist and agnostics. The definition of an atheist is to only believe that "there is nothing" out there, other than their perception …show more content…

First, there is an essential need for "physical survival" as he must keep his body alive(Sparknotes). The most basic needs being food and water. He knows how to protect himself from imminent danger such as Richard Parker. As well as other threats that come when being stranded at sea such as dehydration,sharks, and drowning. Pi's creativity to build an adjoining raft to keep a safe distance from aggressive dangers such as sharks and the tiger enable him to sustain physical safety. Secondly, Pi's necessity for "spiritual survival"(Sparksnotes). Pi must keep his hopes up and not yield to hopelessness. He says that Richard Parker kept him sane in the presence of a companion. Pi's mental toughness for taming the tiger prevented him from thinking about his deserted future. from a shipwreck. Lastly Pi has Biological survival as he is the sole member of the Patel family. He would have a desire to live a long and healthy life, raise a family and pass his genes on to the next generation. He is able to survive for 227 days at sea. As he inherited powerful swimming ability from his Uncle Mamaji. At the end of the novel, the readers learn that Pi is a father,"So his story does have a happy ending"(Martel). Ultimately,Pi's willingness to survive shows his character as an

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