This second part of the novel begins with the tragic scene of the ship where Pi and his family where traveling with their zoo. Soon after the ship starts to sink Pi finds himself on a lifeboat next to wild animals, the tiger, the zebra, a hyena and a monkey. His family is gone and he is left all alone to survive on a lifeboat full of wild zoo animals that soon kill each other and leave Pi and Richard Parker, the tiger, alone in the boat.
This section of the book shows
the will power to live and avoid death. In many occasions we can see how Pi
avoids its death and continues to live even if it hurts, he still has hope. It
also has many symbols present like Orange Juice the monkey, this character
seems to be representing the maternal figure Pi is missing in the boat, I also
believe that this specific part shows the turning point in an adolescent’s life
where he
must navigate the rough waters between the security of family life and the
independence of adulthood.
Even though Pi goes through a lot in that
lifeboat he manages to learn more about him self and the animals, as well as
live through the pain and endure it. For example he can tell that Orange Juice
has the most human like qualities, she is seasick and she looks out at the open
water in a way that Pi instantly recognises as both hopeful, awaiting the
appearance of her two sons, and hopeless, not really expected them to appear
after all. Though comforted by Orange Juice’s humanlike manner, Pi is also saddened
by their common bond: their loss of family.
Fear is always present along this book, but
eventually Pi realizes that to survive he cannot separate from nature, he has
to live along it and with it. For example, respecting Richard Parker to get
respect back, and fishing instead of just relying on the little rations that he
found on the lifeboat. Although manmade tools make survival easier, Pi remains
reliant on nature, since, man cannot completely separate himself from and be
independent of nature.
(This article explains the importance of nature in humans and how it is hard to survive without it)
(This article explains the importance of nature in humans and how it is hard to survive without it)
The lifeboat soon starts to look like a zoo
enclosure where Pi is the zookeeper of Richard Parker. The repetition of the
same activities in life tend to be comforting but in the boat, they are a pain
for Pi, maybe that is the reason why each “first” is described with great
detail but later on it becomes part of the same dull routine.
By the end of part two we many ups and downs of
Pi’s life just like the ups and downs in an open sea. First there is the storm,
which Pi feels certain will cause his death. Then, the appearance of the tanker,
which holds the potential for a rescue, but ends in hopelessness. Next comes Pi’s
dialogue with Richard Parker, which leads to the arrival of the French-accented
castaway. The island begins as a beacon of hope, a seemingly healthful oasis
that turns out to be dangerous. The real conclusion is sudden and unexpected.
Without warning, the lifeboat lands in Mexico, and Pi is saved.
This section of the book teaches us not to give
up and always have hope. With hope you will always be able to find a solution
to most of your problems and act rationally, this case act with nature not against
it.
(This youtube video is of Jim Valvano, a famous motivational speaker that teaches to never give up on yourself)
