Life of Pi, Part One
Blog One
Please comment on Chapters 1-68 (including the “Author’s Note”) of Life of Pi by July 21st.
In your first blog, you might comment on one of the following:
A. Mr. Adirubasamy claims that the story of Pi will make you believe in God. What do you think he means by this? Does the story deliver on that promise? How, specifically? At any point does the author agree with Mr. Adirubasamy? If so, why do you think he accepted the claim of belief at that point?
B. “There are three hills within Munmar...on each stood a Godhouse. The hill on the right...had a Hindu temple on its side: the hill in the middle farther away, help up a mosque; while the hill on the left was crowned with a Christian church.” Pi is a convert to three faiths. Discuss the importance of faith versus doubt in the book.
C. A topic of your own choosing. If you choose this option, avoid summary and be specific in your comments.
Please comment on Chapters 1-68 (including the “Author’s Note”) of Life of Pi by July 21st.
In your first blog, you might comment on one of the following:
A. Mr. Adirubasamy claims that the story of Pi will make you believe in God. What do you think he means by this? Does the story deliver on that promise? How, specifically? At any point does the author agree with Mr. Adirubasamy? If so, why do you think he accepted the claim of belief at that point?
B. “There are three hills within Munmar...on each stood a Godhouse. The hill on the right...had a Hindu temple on its side: the hill in the middle farther away, help up a mosque; while the hill on the left was crowned with a Christian church.” Pi is a convert to three faiths. Discuss the importance of faith versus doubt in the book.
C. A topic of your own choosing. If you choose this option, avoid summary and be specific in your comments.
posted by Mr. Hunt | 5:45 AM
26 Comments:
When Mr. Adirbasmy says “This story will make you believe in god” he is talking about the uncharacteristic living style between a young Indian boy and a 450 pound adult Bengal tiger. The incredible miracle that helps Pi Patel survives and stays sane over 227 days at sea, on a small life boat, with a raft held together by knots and oars.
However this book has yet to make me believe in god. Although Pi might have thought his life in the hands of some unknown force, I think that his life was truly in his own hands, everything he did was the use of his personal intelligence and eventually instinct.
It’s obvious that Pi is a very religious boy. He converts himself over to 3 different faiths, Muslim, Christianity, and Hinduism. One day a wise man from each religion arrives at the Patel house to properly inform the parents of his beliefs. Each one speaks of his own god (or gods) to be the best of all and continues to speak lowly if the others. Over the course of the whole argument I found that yes these religions are different but they are also strikingly the same. This part of the book helps bring out the understanding that there is no right or wrong god.
Mr. Adirubasamy does in fact claim that the story of Pi will make one believe in God. That is exactly how I see it at this moment in time; as a claim. It is quite clear why he says so seeing as how the first part of the book is centered around Pi being obsessed with God and religion, and the second part around him managing (somewhat miraculously) to survive 227 at sea stranded with dangerous animals. His central focus and main idea is most likely that when you look for reasons besides religion, you’re forced into somewhat of a circle, leading back to his suggestion; religion. Simply put, when you test the theory you start with how he could have managed without God. One quickly arrives to the atheist conclusion that it all came down to human instinct, will to survive, and sheer perseverance. However, if you yourself would like to prove your theory, you must base the “will to survive theory” upon fact. The problem arrives here, when one realizes that the only thing that Pi believes so strongly in, to create this faith that keeps him alive, is God.
Personally, I do not believe the book delivers at all. I am not even swayed one bit by the Bible, or any other religious book or inscribing. I am convinced that some humans are capable of extreme will and lust for life, but not yet of God. Pi is basing his religious faith in God on readings, religious figures, and trust that it is all true. There is no concrete proof, and to me it would be ridiculous to believe in God solely because some child survived a ship sinking because of his ability to trust in something so unproven and magical. I agree with Caitlin when she says that Pi survived because of himself. If you believe a force is helping to power you, that is your choice and belief, but the fact of the matter is that it is simply your faith that helps you, not a God who allows you.
As for whether or not the author agrees with Mr. Adirubasamy, is yet to be clearly stated. I do however believe that he is at least inspired by him and the story, otherwise he wouldn’t have written a book about it.
It is difficult to tell whether, without his faith, Pi Patel would have survived his 227 day journey across the Pacific Ocean. If at any point Pi had strongly doubted his ability to survive in a lifeboat with limited supplies accompanied only by a 450 pound Bengal Tiger, it is likely that he would have perished. It was the importance of faith versus doubt that kept Pi alive.
There were certainly times when Pi was nervous, skeptical, and naturally, terrified, but he rarely doubted his ability to survive and when he had doubts his faith defeated them each time. He always had a plan. From building a raft to killing Richard Parker (the Tiger), Pi was always prepared with a strategy for survival. He kept faith in his ability to stay alive.
Pi lived through hunger, thirst, exhaustion, heat, lonliness, and near death experiences and still survived. Many people would not be able to live through these things and still have the will to carry on. However, Pi survived with much help from his faith. Each day he prayed and came up with new ideas about how to survive. He never doubted the fact that he could surive, he always persevered through the difficulties and came out on top.
If Pi had been doubtful, he would have lasted perhaps a week or two before he either went crazy or died under the conditions in which he was forced to live. But Pi willed himself to survive, he prayed every day, he learned how to fish, he learned how to keep himself as healthy as he could, and above all Pi willed himself to learn to tame a 450 pound tiger. If he had not had faith in his ability to survive, if he had indeed doubted his ability, Pi inevitably would have perished.
It is clear from the beginning of the book what Pi thinks of doubt and its place in his life: “To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a form of transportation” (Martel 28). It may well be true that if he did doubt his faith or his abilities, he would not have survived on his raft. Although Pi did not feel doubt was an option, I feel that it played a huge role in defining him early in the book.
The moment where Pi’s blind faith is tested is a true testament to this. When he is approached on the street by the carriers of all three of his religions and is asked to choose one, he responds: “I just want to love God” (Martel 69). His lack of doubt here shows the strong character that he possesses. Many would claim that his innocence and pure naivety on what it means to be religious was the driving force behind his faith. I agree, but I feel that his youth is what helps him to embrace all three religions without considering the social pressure to choose only one that someone older might feel.
While he never outright falls into doubt during his time at sea, the whole situation would push many to forget or blame their religion for their misfortunes. The issue of faith versus doubt creates an interesting dynamic and unwritten tension that can be seen throughout Life of Pi. We are left constantly wondering, ‘Is he going to slip and cast away his pious, youthful attitude?’ To our amazement, Pi never wavers.
It is very clear to see that faith is one of the most important parts of Pi Patel’s life. He practices Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. That takes a lot of commitment from a teenage boy. The scene when the priest, the pandit, and the imam came to tell Pi’s parents that he was a good follower of their respective religions was very interesting. No one could believe that Pi was practicing three religions. It was strange to me that they would try to make him choose just one. However, the fact that he practiced all of these religions must have helped him greatly while floating in the Pacific Ocean.
It takes at least some faith to stay alive on a raft for 227 days. In the beginning, when he had just lost his family and the ship had sunk, Pi questioned God, but later he thanked Him for the locker and the flying fish. When he described his daily routine, prayers were a large part. His faith helped him stay busy which was very important to making it through the day. Pi really did believe that as long as God was with him, he would survive. I agree with Katie, that Pi would probably not have lasted more than two weeks in the ocean if he did not have the kind of faith he had. If Pi did not believe that someone or some force or being was watching out for him, the loneliness would be overwhelming. From the loss of his family, the fear of Richard Parker and the fact that he is on a hand built raft in the middle of the Pacific, without faith, he would have died.
People are free to believe whatever they want, and that fact is perhaps most noticeable when it comes to religion. Many people insist they do not believe in any form of god or higher authority, and such people are free to hold that as their belief. However, a majority of human beings all over the world believe in some form of god or higher power. While there is no hard evidence to prove the existence of such a god, there is no evidence to the contrary, either. If nothing else, therefore, it is the individual's faith itself, not necessarily the higher power working through the person in response to faith, which can seem to work miracles.
This story so far simply evidences the idea that religion provides a necessary ultimate focus to an individual's life. By studying Pi's history, which is filled with extreme situations most people will never encounter, the storyteller can attribute the character's survival to the fact that he was obviously incredibly religious. On several occasions, the boy's extreme devotion to God (in all three applicable forms) apparently helped him survive for just one more day. As Ella stated, for the first several days, Pi was able to fall onto his religious practices as activities to pass the time. While it is true that this in itself is not proof of there being a god, Pi's faith provided a means to keep him sane.
I do not think this story alone can actually in effect "make someone believe in God." The storyteller provides a compelling, captivating example of how religious belief has the capability to empower an individual in desperate times. For someone to actually start believing in a god when he didn't before, however, I think he needs more than just a story showing how religion has helped another person. Religion involves a factor of personal application. If the individual cannot relate to religion and understand how it impacts his life, he will not believe. While this is a truly magnificent piece of literature, even it cannot hope to genuinely alter one's religious beliefs.
A man creates his own beliefs. This is what Pi does throughout the book, building his own religion and guidance by combining Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. He feels he needs all three religions in order to be complete. When the boat is sinking he prays to each of his Gods: “Vishnu preserve me, Allah protect me, Christ save me,” (Martel 98). Each religion completes him in a different way and without even one of them he would feel incomplete. From Christianity he gleans sacrifice and devotion; from Islam he learns that all things are holy and that God is in everything, and from Hinduism he discovers undying love. “There are three hills within Munmar...on each stood a Godhouse. The hill on the right...had a Hindu temple on its side: the hill in the middle farther away, held up a mosque; while the hill on the left was crowned with a Christian church" (Martel).
In order to survive he must overcome his fear and put into practice his belief in the gods he has created. The miracles: the rat, the flying fish, the food supply, and generally taming a 450-pound Bengal tiger for 227 days, are all a result of his unflinching devotion. His faith never wavered and he ignored what others might have seen as an inevitable fate. Thus, he was able to go against the odds and survive.
In this book faith and religion played major roles in the story line. Pi, a devout Christian, Muslim, and Hindu wouldn't have survived the 227 trecherous days at sea without the guidance from his religions. Needless to say, if Pi had ever doubted for a second that he had no more faith, it would have led to his demise. If I had been on a ship that had just sunk with my family in it, I don't think that I would have been able to put faith in a higher being and be able to take the actions to survive. It was by pure faith that Pi was able to pick himself up and continue to survive the way he does with a 450 pound Bengal tiger. An example of how Pi's faith and belief in God propels him to keep surviving is on page 148. "I was giving up. I would have given up-if a voice hadn't made itself heard in my heart. The voice said, "I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard worl necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen." This quote from the story shows that for a split second Pi doubted his faith and was going to give up. But something inside him knew not to give up and that God would stay with him. So, you can see that his faith , even though once doubted, gave Pi his survival story.
It is clear in the first half of the book Pi deals with an immense amount of faith and doubt. These things both help him become the person he is and how he manages to survive being stranded on a lifeboat with dangerous animals and minimal survival equipment. The difference between faith and doubt are both important to the decisions Pi makes.
The amount of religious interest Pi has is one of the largest difference makers in the amount of faith he has in himself, his survival, and each of the three religions: Hindu, Christian, and Muslim. Within each religion Pi meets a leader of that faith and from him or learns the ability to believe and trust in the many ways and forms of god. However, when his parents discover and discuss with Pi his religious pursuits they seriously doubt his ability to be faithful to all three religions. Not only do his parents believe this but the Priest, Pandit, and Imam do not find it possible that Pi could be a member of all three. With all these people doubting him it is surprising that Pi finds the inner strength to accomplish what he believes in.
Pi's interest in religions seriously strengthens his personal faith when he is stranded on the lifeboat. As he finds himself struggling to survive he uses his faith and the knowledge he has through school, mentors, and religion in order to pull himself out of a heap and uses the limited amount of resources to survive. Without his perseverance and will to live he would have literally been dead meat. When Pi does discover he is not the only passenger on the lifeboat he begins to seriously doubt his survival. When faced with a Bengal Tiger one would find themselves terrified, looking directly at what would be there cause of death. Pi's strong faith wills him to live but his fear in avoiding the tiger and fierce weather conditions often have him in disbelief.
Sometimes just our belief can help get ourselves out of a bad situation. If one believes that he or she can get out of the situation it is most likely that they will be successful. However, if one is pessimistic about the outcome they may never achieve there goals or get out of a tough situation.
I am not going to automatically disagree with Mr. Adirubasamy's claim that the story will make you belive in God, though it seems like an adequate reasoning. But I don't think Pi Patel survived soley on his instinct and continuous persistence. Pi did not pray five times a day to pass the time. He did it because he knew God was ultimately his deciding factor for living or dying with this huge Bengal Tiger lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. On pages 145-146, at the end of his thorough and exact list of what he was left with on the lifeboat was
"1 God". I liked that part because I think it showed that deep down, Pi knew that above all those usefull tangible things, (fresh water, emergency rations, lifejackets, survival manual, solar stills etc.) God, and staying faithful, will make it possible to stay alive.
The part of me that agrees with Mr. Adirubasamy's claim comes from the extent of Pi's strong piety. I feel that dedication to a religion (and in Pi's case, a few) and a God can indeed result in a reward. Like Caila noted, it could just be ones own faith that gives them power, but I think it can also be the asistence from God for those, like Pi, who ardently believe.
Some might argue that I am saying if Pi was a boy who had no religious beliefs what-so-ever, whould he be gobbled up by Richard Parker within a few days? There is no real answer for this. I think it really comes down to the reader's personal views before they even read the book. If you originally never believed in God, I think you will believe Pi's personal intelligence/physical strengh was the sole reason for his survival. And for those who already had believed in God, then this book will give you all the more reason to.
Right before Richard Parker killed the hyena, Pi stated; "I was giving up. I would have given up--if a voice hadn't made itself heard in my heart. The voice said, ‘I will not die. I refuse it... so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen" (Martel 148). Pi would have died long before he said this (making it a very short and boring book) had he not had faith. His belief that somewhere, a higher power is guiding him drives him onward, willing to face whatever life throws at him. It gives him hope, something necessary when one finds them self stuck on a lifeboat with a dangerous predator.
We also see this later when Pi wrestles a Dorado aboard the boat. He received the gift of flying fish as bait and now has this enormous fish that was a gift from the heavens. “Thank you. Lord Vishnu, thank you!’ I shouted. ‘Once you saved the world by taking the form of a fish. Now you have saved me by taking the form of a fish. Thank you, thank you!” (Martel 185). Pi believes his faith has paid off and now the forces of fate are on his side. He has the drive to carry onward, despite having a tiger in his way. Without faith, Pi would have given up long ago and submitted to what seemed inevitable; his death. Pi’s determination and strength come from his faith.
It is a part of human nature to doubt one's ability to survive when faced with a situation similar to that of Pi. Entrapment aboard a 26-foot lifeboat with a 450-lb Bengal tiger, Pi's desire to give up on life, and his doubt of survival is to be expected, "It is like losing-I'm sorry I would rather not go on. I lay down on the tarpaulin and spent the whole night weeping a grieving, my face buried in my arms" (Martel 128). While most people, when faced with circumstances parallel to that of Pi's would have ended things much earlier in the book, myself included. Pi, however, had something else that kept him going strong and allowed him to survive those 227 days alone at sea: his faith. Unable to choose just one religion to live under, Pi practices Christianity, Hinduism and Islam simultaneously. Surrounding neighbors, family and friends were moderately confused and somewhat disturbed to learn of Pi's choice to believe in not just one but three gods, however, his decision was eventually accepted.
After the initial shipwreck, Pi is presented with two choices: to simply give up and end his life, or to believe in himself and find a way to survive. eventually, Pi discovers an emergency stash of food, water and other supplies aboard the lifeboat. Prior to this discovery, thoughts about his faith were abandoned; He had stopped praying, and temporarily lost the belief that there was even a god (or gods) at all. After his discovery, however, Pi compensates for this lack of devotion by shouting to the heavens "Thank you Lord Vishnu! )one of the many gods of Hinduism) Thank you, thank you!" (Martel 185). This reaffirmation of faith rewards Pi in more ways than one: After the finding of food and water came a talent for fishing, flying fish that threw themselves into Pi's outstretched hands (literally), algae growth on the lifeboat, attracting sea life for Pi to feast on, and and the ability to train Richard Parker. Pi viewed these circumstances as miracles that had been sent upon him by his gods, in reward for his strong devotion. Without Pi's belief in these gods, he may not have survived at all. Though many of these "miracles" may simply have been luck, Pi chooses to believe that the gods are to thank. As a reader, you find yourself agreeing with Pi in believing that survival would have been impossible if not for his faith, thus establishing belief a stronger theme over doubt in the book.
In the beging of the book Mr. Adirbasmy makes the statement that the story of Pi Patel will make you bielive in god. I bielive that apon hearing this story many people would agree and come to the conclusion that god or some higher power lead Pi through his travels safly. Most wouldn't come to this conclusion because they bielieve god controlls everything but because they don't understand it. ever since humans have lived on earth there are things they don't understand. Why did this person die or why does rain fall from the sky. Without answers to these questions and many more most people would feel lost in a world with no rules or boundieries. this is why era after era in human history people have clund to religion. In the case of Pi's story it is very hard to understand how he survived. In many parts of the story Pi should of been dead and it is almost inconsivable for him to survive the things he did.people hear this story and need to know the reason for him staying alive and an easy solution is to say god saved him.
Though Pi’s story may not make everyone believe in God it could make many people believe in faith and a higher power. I think that Mr. Adirubasamy said that Pi’s story would make you believe in God simply because of its miraculous existence. Pi’s lifeboat journey with Richard Parker is clearly amazing. If one believes that a loving God was watching over Pi and keeping him safe then the story becomes easier to believe. In the same way if one reads such an amazing story the existence of God becomes easier to believe. Besides the obvious miracle of Pi’s survival the fact that he belongs to three different religions and therefore believes in a number of heavenly beings could sway people towards thinking that a God or Gods exist. When you combine Pi’s faith with his extraordinary survival might make some believe in God but I do not think many feel this way.
For me specifically this story confused me more than confirmed a faith in God. Even if a God was protecting Pi how is anyone supposed to know whether it was an Islamic god, a Christian god, or a Hindu god that kept Pi safe? It could have been a completely different God for all we know. What I do think is that it would be hard for people to argue that Pi’s faith in his religions didn’t help him on that lifeboat. I agree with Micah and Ella when they talk about how praying and other religious activities kept Pi busy. I think they also gave him a sense of familiarity and relative comfort.
In the Author’s Note it is clear that Yann Martel does agree with Mr. Adirubasamy because he writes, “It was as I listened to that tape (from the Japanese Ministry of Transport) that I agreed with Mr. Adirubasamy that this was, indeed, a story to make you believe in God” (Martel XI). I think that he accepted the claim of belief after he got the tape because it was the last piece of Pi’s story. Maybe it was because Martel talked to Pi personally he came to a believe in God but it is clear from the other posts on the blog that this story does not do that for all. However I still think that no one can deny the power of faith and perseverance after reading this book.
From the beginning of the story it is apparent that faith plays a major role for Pi in his life. “A germ of religious exaltation, no bigger than a mustard seed, was sown in me and left to germinate. It has never stopped growing since that day.” (Martel, 47). At the age of fifteen, he practices three religions: Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. After the priest, the pundit, and the imam all approached Pi and his parents on the street, they discover that he has been following each others religions. Furious were the men, all told him to choose only one to abide by. Having found virtues within the three which he can not give up, as he declares, “I just want to love God” (Martel, 69). It becomes his strong will in faith, which throughout his journey in the Pacific Ocean for 227 days that assists his survival.
While stranded on a lifeboat with a 450 pound Bangel tiger, Pi battles fear starvation and sorrow after the cargo ship, including his family, sunk. Over a few days, he starts to overcome these conflicts with pure faith. Everyday Pi stayed active with his prayers, believing God was with him, while also strategizing ways to live. Without his virtues, his beliefs and his faith, I feel it would have been most likely that Pi would have given into doubt and death shortly after the ship had sunk.
Mr. Adirubasamy claims that reading Life of Pi will make one believe in God. However, from the beginning this claim seems unbefitting to be associated with Life of Pi. First and foremost, Pi is a man of multiple religions, (Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, respectively), and thus saying that by reading this book one would come to believe in one, singular, and most likely Christian god, seems contrary to Pi’s beliefs and actions throughout the book. A better claim might have stated that reading Life of Pi would make one believe in the power of religion, or in a higher being or greater power.
It also seems that, as of chapter 68, the reason Mr. Adirubasamy makes such a claim is due to the number of seemingly miracles that affect Pi, as well as how religion helps keep Pi in a solid and effective state of mind and body. For example, the first “miracle” that affects Pi is when he wakes up early on the boat, and decides, for reasons still unknown to him, to go exploring in order to find out what the source of the noise was that woke him up. Thus, he was not in his families’ cabin, and thus did not quickly drown when the boat began to sink. Some of the other “miracles” that affected Pi included: when Pi, a self-described “puny, feeble, vegetarian life form,” survived the 40 foot drop, (which is the distance at which falls become lethal and mortal for humans), on to the tarpaulin of the lifeboat. Another “miracle” was when Pi needed some fish to both feed to Richard Parker and to use as bait for fishing, a school of flying fish literally threw themselves at him. It is important to note that, generally, after each “miracle” Pi gave thanks to the religious figureheads of all three of his religions, not just one.
In addition to the multitude of apparent miracles that affected Pi, his religion also helped him organize his days at sea, keeping him preoccupied and sound in mind and somewhat in body. On pages 190-191 of the book, Pi details what an average day would consist of, and it reveals that each section of the day would either begin or end with prayers. Thus, Mr. Adirubasamy bases his claim that reading Life of Pi will make one believe in God, on the facts that, in the face of so many “miracles,” and mind and body supporting religious practices, it would be impossible not to.
Mr. Adirubasamy’s claim that the story of Pi Patel would make me believe in God was one that the systematic, logical part of me rejected out of hand. Who was he to say that this one story would do what years of my own religious explorations had not? I realized, however, as I grew accustomed to the author’s voice and the voice he assigned to Pi, that it was not belief in a specific God that he was trying to evoke. Mr. Adirubasamy may have had his own God in mind, but when Mr. Martel takes the story into his own hands, it is my impression that he is exhibiting the enduring strength and power of belief itself, not the omnipotence of a higher power.
From the beginning, the author makes clear statements as to where Pi Patel’s religious allegiance lies: in God. Pi’s adherence to the rituals of three different organized faiths demonstrates his devotion, and when confronted with the supposed impossibility of worship in three languages, he says simply: “All religions are true. I just want to love God” (Martel 69). It is clear that the faith of this one boy is boundless and not limited to an exact image of God.
Part One of the story is filled to bursting with evidence of Pi’s religious beliefs, and of the routine that is born of those beliefs, but as soon as the Tsimtsum goes down, his faith takes a different form. Almost all references to his blind belief in God disappear, and are replaced by a will to live that is almost solely responsible for Pi’s survival. Who’s to say that Pi would have been capable of such spiritual endurance had he not been faithful to God for years beforehand? As his ordeal progresses, Pi never claims that it is God keeping him alive; he does not look to God to bring him salvation. But he continues in his prayers, and in his faith. Through 227 days of fear, doubt and seemingly unbearable and unbeatable adversity, Pi’s faith endures and, with that faith, Pi lives on. It is my opinion that belief is what keeps the human spirit driving on, and that belief need not be specific. Whatever he needed to believe in at the time, Pi believed wholeheartedly, and his faith gave him a reason to live.
I do not believe in God any more than I did when I opened my copy of Life of Pi to that very first page, but I do believe that it is Pi’s God that kept him alive. Not because his God brought him food, or gave him water, or kept the fearsome tiger at bay, but because that God gave one small boy who had lost his family someone to believe in and someone to love.
- Jennie Meglathery
I apologize if my name didn't appear at the top of this post, but blogger.com hasn't loaded correctly despite my many attempts over the last few days. This seems to be the best I can do right now.
Throughout the entire book, Pi contemplates the question of whether or not he should give up his desperate struggle to stay alive at sea. Each time these thoughts cross his mind, Pi reassures himself to believing that, with the help of God, he will survive his unfortunate ordeal. At one point, after realizing Richard Parker was still aboard the lifeboat, Pi is convinced that he would sooner or later become lunch to the massive Bengal tiger. Almost immediately after thinking this, Pi comforts himself with the strong belief that "so long as God is with him," he would make it out alive.
Although Pi obviously did not rely solely on faith as his only method of survival, this is an example of how faith became a significant part in it. Faith alone would not have given Pi the slightist advantage, though when combined with his wits, inteligence, and plain common sense, his devotion and trust in God is what kept him alive. Without having any faith to counterbalance his doubt over his ability to endure his surroundings, Pi would not have had any chance of survival.
I definitely do not think that Mr. Adirbasmy is right when he claims that the story will make the listener a believer. It is true that throughout the ordeal Pi calls upon his god/s for help, but at the same time he also claims that he believes that he is in an unique class of humanity in his commitment to survive. Pi never gives up throughout his voyage.
I don't even think Pi was even all that religious. I think he worshipped three religions more because he was scared and covering all his ways out. Throughout the book he is very cautious and I believe that that is also the main reason that he made it through his ordeal. Hinduism, Catholicism and Islam all believe in an afterlife or rebirth. Personally, i think that if Pi believed that this life was just a journey to a better place, I would want to get there as quick as I can, and I definitely would not have endured 227 days on a boat with a tiger when there was an easy way out, which was to kick Richard Parker in the face and tell him to eat me quickly. Still, Pi doesn't do anything like this. Instead, he goes on and tries to survive till the very end and even feeds that Richard Parker who is, ironically, that ticket to a better life.
This story has clearly portrayed what it is to believe and what the power of belief can do. Pi is an admirable character, at sixteen he is more dedicated to his beliefs than the average boy. He trusts so firmly in his gods to guide him through his ordeal, he even has the ability to connect his religion to some of his worst moments. In Chapter 61 Pi begins in foray into fishing, the task is not an easy one, and Pi is physically tired finally he catches a dorado, apparently a very large fish. He triumphs but does not just credit himself, he takes the time to thank the deity he believes was providing help at the time.'"Thank you, Lord Vishnu, thank you!"..."Once you saved the world by taking the form of a fish. Now you have saved me by taking the form of a fish. Thank you, thank you."'(Martel 185). It is inspiring to be shown by such a forlorn character the power of belief and trust.
Pi spends his days going between sanity and reason, to fear and misery. He is caught in a battle of giving up or going on. His beliefs are the stronghold that guide him through these mental obstacles. "I must say a word about fear. it is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know"(Martel 161). Most of Chapter 56 illustrates quite clearly Pi's battle between losing hope and keeping his faith. He is forcing himself to avoid thinking about his current predicament and is instead discovering ways to keep his mind and body intact.
I think that Mr. Adirbasmy means that the story is so unbelievable that no one could believe this story and doubt the existence of god. The fact that Pi Patel survived aboard a life boat for 227 days with a Bengal tiger is so amazing that it only could have happened if god was helping Pi survive. Pi prayed every day to god and Mr. Adirbasmy believes that that is the reason that god kept him alive.
The story failed to make me believe in god however. I thought that the story showed that Pi was merely and incredibly resourceful and intelligent boy. I think that the story shows the incredibly strong human sprit and will to live hat is almost impossible to crush, but I do not think that it proves that god exists. Some people would argue that the human sprit and god are the same, but I do no think that they are. I think that when Pi asks his father to baptize him and to get him a prayer rug that the author accepts Mr. Adirbsmy's argument. I think that the Author accepted the claim then because it was so astounding that Pi would Ask for those two things.
Most people have faith in something in the course of their lives. whether it be Santa Claus, three different gods, like Pi, or, like Mr. Kumar the science teacher, In the great unknown. It seems as though everyone needs something to believe in. In the book, Pi states this in saying also that doubt is connected to fear. “ I must say a word about fear. It is life’s only true opponent…. It begins in your mind…disguised in the garb of mild mannered doubt, slips into your mind like a spy.” (Martel, 203). Only faith can beat back doubt. Even if this faith is in something that does not exist, it does not matter, as long as the person can hold off all fear and doubt in his mind, he is invincible to everything. Pi had a great capability of faith, and so he was able to survive in the face of great doubt and fear. Even faith in something that does not exist is better than living always in fear, or dying.
Pi Patel has loads of faith but he still feels doubt; especially when trapped with a tiger. Pi begins to doubt he could live. He strongly believes in god and religion is one of his biggest interests. Pi is a Muslim, Hindu and a Christian. He loves his god and he studies the stories from each religion. This is Pi's favorite thing to do. The more he learns the more his faith grows. When he receives his prayer rug from his parents the first time he prays he feels closer to the earth and believes he has a better connection with his god. His second interest has to do with nature. Pi grew up in his father's zoo. Animals and nature became his path of studies beyond his faith. Pi has great knowledge about animals and how they think; he knows what animals are capable of. His mind fills with doubt when he's stuck with Richard Parker on board the lifeboat. His faith is strong but his knowledge of animals, especially tigers, fills him with doubt. He knows the odds of surviving against a tiger are slim. He understands how dangerous tigers are. One day his father, the zookeeper, decided that Pi was old enough to see a hungry tiger stalk and tear apart a goat for food. Pi hid behind his mother when this happened and blood was everywhere, scarring young Pi's mind. This left a mark on Pi, something that his father wanted to happen because this way Pi would be much more careful around tigers and other wildlife. His father told him that it is not just tigers; every animal will protect itself when they feel threatened or are in a dangerous state. His brother would taunt him by whispering,"Just wait, you're the next goat" (Martel 39). Pi knows how dangerous animals can be and because of this he begins to doubt he can survive, however; his faith will keep his hope strong. His knowledge of animals and nature will also help him stay alive. Pi is in a dangerous situation and he will do what he must to survive.
Mr. Adirubasamy’s claim that Pi’s story will make you believe in God is his personal claim. I agree with Micah and others when they say religion is a personal thing, but I also think that almost every person who reads this book is left with questions and thoughts about their belief in God. This is believing. If you questions something exists you are going back and forth between believing and not believing and so, part of you does believe.
I think that the author wants you to question God’s existence and what you believe. He wants you to think about the traditional religious communities. He wants you to consider this essential and important human problem in a new way. He wants you to see and understand Pi miraculous journey. I think the author is still unsure of himself still puzzling this important human mystery. But he believes he needed to write the book and let the reader decide for themselves.
In the authors note he speaks briefly about his ideas “It was as a I listened to that tape that I agreed with Mr. Adirubasamy that this was, indeed, a story to make you believe in God.’ He does seem to want to let his ideas into the book because he seems to know that this is a personal question which each person must face alone.
“I have a story that will make you believe in God” (Martel X). So claims Mr. Adirubasamy in the beginning of this novel. When he says this he is not referring to one god in particular, but instead saying that his story will make you believe in the power of god, or the power that having a deep faith in god holds.
Trying to prove to anyone the existence of a single true god would be too narrow minded for this book in which the main character shuns the idea of a single religion and a single god, choosing instead to worship “Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu!” (Martel 150), with his reasoning being that “I just want to love God” (Martel 69). I would not say that this story has made me believe in the power of having a deep faith in god, if only because it appears to be a fictional story. Were this a true account, I would indeed say that it is as convincing an argument as you can find to show the ability of a person’s faith in god to help them deal with any obstacle that they may face. As Vanessa described, I think that from his belief that there exists a higher power who will watch over him Pi draws strength in the direst of circumstances. “I will not die…I will turn miracle into routine…Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen” (Martel 148). If this were a true account, I would find it hard to doubt the power that can be found in a deep belief in any type of “God”.
In the Author’s note, the author reveals that after hearing the story and then listening to an interview with the subject, he “agreed with Mr. Adirubasamy that this was, indeed, a story to make you believe in God” (Martel XI). I think that the author finally accepted Mr. Adirubasamy’s claim after hearing this tape because it somehow was the final piece of evidence to show that the trans-pacific trip indeed happened, and that it was his belief in God that allowed Pi to survive it. Similar to Abby’s idea that if you already believed in God, then the story of Pi will only act to cement that belief, I would say that if the author was already open to religious ideas, then this could easily have been the thing to finally make him sure of the existence of a god.
The battle between faith and doubt is a prominent theme in the book Life of Pi. Even from the beginning, Pi’s choice of having three separate religions is questioned by those who know him. Throughout his ordeal at sea he is faced by overwhelming struggles that threaten to destroy him, from stormy seas to having a Bengal tiger inhabiting his lifeboat. Sometimes Pi doubts he will survive for long, but then his faith wins through and he perseveres. A good example of this is when he is debating using his makeshift raft to escape Richard Parker, but then realizes he would have no warmth, sustenance, or protection, and he resigns himself to his death. Once he has assured himself he is going to die to the point where it is almost unbearable for him, he hears a voice in his heart telling him to continue (as others have stated), he then says to himself “So long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen.” It is this cycle of faith and doubt that is central throughout the book, and the author stresses the importance of his faith in God (or multiple gods, depending on Pi’s current religious thoughts, I love the part where he shouts “Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu!”.) to stay with him throughout his hardships.
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