Orange Juice In Life Of Pi

“Oranges” by Roisin Kelly tells us about a woman who, in her imagination, goes to the market and buys one orange. The narrator starts off in front of the fruit stand looking at the oranges, while “having decided/ to ignore the apples/ the mangoes and the kiwis” (5-7). Since she is trying to find the perfect orange, she “won’t be happy/ with the first one [she picks]” (20-21). Kelly then tells the reader how the woman will know that it is the perfect orange by its warmth and the “vision” it brings into her mind (29). The narrator then goes on to explain how she will choose this right orange by the way it feels and smells before slipping it into her coat pocket. She then ventures onto a hill with the orange still in her

Religious allegory is a large topic in this novel. Yann Martel parallels many characters in this novel with Religion and Religious figures. When he meets Orange Juice for the first time, he is overwhelmed with happiness. He even compares her to the 'Virgin Mary’ upon first seeing her. Pi exclaims, “Oh blessed Great Mother, Pondicherry fertility goddess, provider of milk and love, wondrous arm spread of comfort, terror of ticks, picker-up of crying ones, are you to witness this tragedy too?” (Martel, 139) The orangutan is not only a metaphor for a religious figure, but is also a metaphor for his own mother. At the end of the novel, Pi retells the story using people instead of animals, because the rescuers will not believe a story this fantastical using animals. His mother is seen through Orange Juice’s feelings and maternal actions; it was almost like she takes on the feelings and experiences (and sufferings) of the passengers on the boat. The religious allegory with the raft arises when the tiger surfaces onto the same level of the boat as Pi; where he had been hiding. With these

"It's the plain truth: without Richard Parker, I would not be alive today to tell my story" (Martel 89). Richard Parker is, realistically and symbolically, what kept Pi alive throughout the novel, Life of Pi. Richard Parker not only illustrates Pi's emotions of innocence, fear, and savage, but he also symbolizes Pi's id. Id is a part of a human being's unconscious personality that is always present from birth. It is based off of the pleasure principle, which “is the idea that needs should be met immediately” (Cherry, What is the id?). Richard Parker symbolizes Pi's id and the dual nature of mankind by acting as a ‘little devil’ on Pi’s shoulder.

Hinduism is represented through Orange Juice the Orangutan, since orange is the color of Hinduism, its native to India, and in his story to the Japanese investigators his Hindu mother becomes Orange Juice. Then, Christianity is seen through the Zebra; it like the painting of Christ in the church, show venerability in the divine. The Hyena stands for Islam, one of the pillars of Muslim faith is prayer five times a day, which goes with the Hyenas noticeable sounds. This leaves Richard Parker, he represents Pi’s faith; having certain traces of the other animals or faiths, in one autonomous being. Since, Richard Parker is the embodiment of Pi’s decision, he is Pi’s Helen. This is not a grandiose love affair between boy and tiger, so much as being Pi’s counterpart. Once again going back to the other version of the story Richard Parker is Pi, so that means the same conflict in Richard Parker is reflected in Pi. Even though it goes without saying Richard Parker is more than just a symbol of Pi’s faith; he also is a dangerous animal. In order to deal with the challenge Richard Parker brings Pi must adapt, which put his morals and beliefs at ends with his will to

1. The main characters in Life of Pi are Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi) and Richard Parker the Bengal tiger. Pi is the protagonist he is hopeful and believes that things get better. He is very optimistic which gets him through a lot of his troubles. In the beginning of the book Pi seemed to have things the rough way and continues that way but he was very hopeful. In the beginning of his lifeboat journey he was sure things would get better but as time went by he wasn't sure anymore but he had things to remind him to keep going. I also think he became more grownup and stronger by the end of the book. Richard Parker is the tiger on the lifeboat with Pi he is there every step of the way with Pi. He helps Pi get through things. Richard Parker is very

My agency was pure and miraculous. It conferred power upon me” (Martel 248). To further support Pi’s claim, Pi even provides evidence for why Richard Parker’s reliance on him gave him power: “Proof: I remained alive day after day, week after week. Proof: he did not attack me, even when I was asleep on the tarpaulin. Proof: I am here to tell you this story” (Martel 248). If Pi Patel had not been on that lifeboat with Richard Parker, the chances of survival of the tiger would have been slim. Richard Parker would have eventually died of starvation or dehydration if Pi had not been there taking care of him. Thus, Richard Parker’s reliance on Pi gave Pi power over Richard Parker.

Richard Parker, the tiger, is a symbol of Pi himself. Pi directly correlates himself with Richard Parker. If Richard Parker “give[s] up” (121) then Pi is giving up. When swimming toward the life boat Richard Parker “look[s] small and helpless” (121) much like Pi actually is. Next to the tiger, zebra, and hyena Pi is small and feeble; he has no way to defend himself against the other animals. Pi egging Richard Parker on, toward the boat; “keep[ing him] swimming” (122) shows Pi’s resilience for survival; determined for Richard Parker to survive, which is actually his determination to survive. It is often mistaken in the novel as to whether Pi is speaking of himself or of Richard Parker because they could be the same being.

“The Ballad of Orange and Grape,” by Muriel Rukeyser, is about the frustration towards lack of change and effort to improve a poverty-stricken community. The poem begins with the speaker walking down the street of East Harlem to a hot dog stand. At the hot dog stand, the vendor is refilling the drink machines where he knowingly pours the grape drink in the container labeled “orange” and the orange drink in the container labeled “grape,” causing speaker to get frustrated with the disregard for the importance of language and words. In response to her frustration, the vendor smiles and ignores the mistake, continuing to pour the drinks. In this poem, the speaker is symbolic of progressive, educated individuals, the hot dog vendor represents society, and the labels “orange” and “grape” represent the significance of words. Words are significant because they are a critical piece of education. Educating East Harlem will decrease crime and improve the financial status of residents, leading them out of poverty and creating a safer more comfortable city.

The poem, “Oranges” by Gary Soto focuses on the emotions and thoughts of a young boy meeting up with a girl for the first time. The poem begins with the boy, walking in the cold, December weather, carrying two oranges in his jacket. Then comes his initial contact with the girl at her house, following the walk to the drugstore. In the drugstore, the boy offers the girl to get what she wants, in which the picks a chocolate bar. However, the chocolate bar costs a dime, but the boy has only a nickel. To prevent embarrassment, the boy keeps quiet to the girl and pays for the chocolate bar using the nickel and the orange he brought. The cashier understood the situation, allowing the purchase. The two kids walk out the drugstore, holding hands until they stop to unwrap the chocolate and peel the orange. The poem ends with the author describing the contrast with the bright orange against the gray, gloomy weather.

Life of Pi was a well written novel with an interesting story line. The authors syntax and use of metaphors make the book a great read. Of all the books that we have read this year, Life of Pi sparked the most conversation outside of school on what the book meant, and which story was true. The novel provides two stories. The story that the majority of the book follows has Pi stranded with Richard Parker, a hyena, an orangutan, and a zebra. At the end of the book, Pi provides an alternate story after the men interviewing him state their disbelief of his original story. This second version equates each animal to a human that had been aboard the Tsimtsum. The hyena was the cook aboard the ship, the orangutan was the mother,

He created an unknown bond with him and didn’t notice it until they departed. “Richard Parker escapes into the woods without even looking back”. This quote signifies Pi’s inner-emotions towards Richard Parker. When Pi is brought back to the modern world he notices he is not his same self. he is now a man. His mind is then fixed into a new mind-set of “survival” and “scarcity” making it an obsicle to re-adapt to civilization, limiting what he would usually do with his life as a kid to dispersing his new assets he didn’t know he ever

3. The colour orange appears many times in the novel "Life of Pi", as do the colours red and yellow, which together create orange. The colour red as an archetype symbolizes great passion, blood and sacrifice. The colour yellow symbolizes hope and happiness. Orange is a combination of these two archetypes. On page 153 in "Life of Pi", Pi remarks, "It seems orange---such a nice Hindu colour---is the colour of survival." Survival could be viewed as passion, sacrifice and hope all combined together.

Bengali polymath, Rabindranath Tagore, once said “you can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the protagonist, Pi, faces many challenges at sea while being accompanied by a tiger by the name of Richard Parker. This tiger, though a nuisance, proves to be essential in the role of Pi’s survival. Throughout the story, Richard Parker symbolizes survival, a reflection of Pi, and a being of God.