“Solitude began. I turned to God. I survived.”

Life of Pi 

A novel by Yann Martel

Part Two: The Pacific, Chapters 90-94

Part Three: Benito Juarez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico, Chapters 95-100

At the close of the novel, Pi's transformation of innocent boy to courageous man shows his oneness and relationship with God. Although his condition continued to deteriorate, Richard Parker was there with him along the way. Both were gloom and doom, knowing hope was all they had to press on. Pi became convinced that he was near absolute death. And, as mentioned before, he came across a "French accent" he couldn't quite place. The voice spoke of beef and brains and all sorts of food that Pi found to be repulsing. He assumes the voice is just RP but soons finds out it is a castaway, old man, seeking food. Pi begins questioning the voice if he had ever killed someone. Yes -- a man and a woman. The two join boats when suddenly the man comes aboard to kill and cannabalize Pi...but, of course, RP comes to the rescue and kills the man. Pi weeps and washes his eyes out with seawater...and he is no longer blind!

The two come upon a low island. There, they nursed themselves back to health and fled to join the meercats. Pi stumbles upon a fruit tree but the fruit contains a middle with a TOOTH. Pi soon climbs back aboard and seeks better land opportunities.

The next destination -- the life boat washed ashore on a Mexican  beach. RP flees to the jungle immediately without saying goodbye.

Two officials, Totohiro Okamoto and Atsuro Chiba, from the Maritime Department in the Job Ministry of Transport are in California on unrelated business. They soon hear Pi has made it to the States. As they journey and venture out to go see him, they two get lost and take a forty-one hour trip...! They face several setbacks along the way but make it to interview Pi about his journey. The tape began recording on February 19, 1978.

An interesting way to keep the reader's attention, Martel uses great syntax and diction through the differnt font for the interview type. In chapter 97, his prompt and willingness showed in his "indoor" area. And first, in English, the men were very interested in Pi's story...but in Japanese, the men were in extreme disbelief. Through proving bananas can float and other instances like that, Pi showed his true colors of the love, charity, TOLERANCE, and GUILTY that entitles it. The book ends on a lighter note than expeced...I'd love to actually meet Pi to hear him recount his experiences from the novel.

"Suddenly, his brute strength meant only moral weakness. It was nothing compared to the strength in my mind..."

Life of Pi 

A novel by Yann Martel

Part Two: The Pacific, Chapters 56-89

 

"I had to tame him. It was at that moment that I realized this necessity. It was not a question of him or me, but of him and me. Most likely the worst would happen: the simple passage of time, in which his animal toughness would easily outlast my human frailty."

In my third posting on the novel, it's still hard to tell if I really like this story. It's interesting, to say the least. In the beginning of this portion of Pi's journey, tension is still on the rise between Richard Parker the tiger and Pi himself.

Pi pulls out the survivor manual he once found in the lifeboat. Curious, he delves into everything the book has to offer him through advice and tactics. He comes to the realization that he needs to handle two things: fishing and creating a shelter. Meanwhile, Richard Parker has clearly "marked" his territory. Pretty disgusting. To make matters worse -- Pi did the same and marked his own.

Here, I can see how Pi has begun to really become one with nature. His transformation is heavily displayed throughout this section. As he becomes one with natural life and the surrouding elements, he begins maintenance on the raft, water system, and shelter/lifeboat. He eats his rations and basks in the ocean and wildlife surrounding his world.

Lifelong, Pi has been a vegetarian and pacifist. That philosophy quickly goes down the drain...he kills a fish with his bare hands! Ewwwww.

By Chapter 62, it has been one week since the shipwreck. In the next few chapters, Pi has counted a total of 227 days as the lost, deserted seaman. Likewise, he has developed several every day chores and activities to stay busy and keep a routine. He feeds himself as well as Richard Parker, keeps the vessels clean and functioning properly, and stimulates his mind by praying, writing, and resting. In order to stay sane, Pi had to forget the notion of time completely...who wouldn't? After 227 days, I would definitely be in a panic.

Time passes and Pi's clothes deteriorate...causing sea boils from the wetness. Okay. Too. Much. Information. That is really disgusting.

He becomes better and better -- a natural, you could say -- at fishing. He learns to use a net and soon catches more fish than he is able to eat. Pi spends hours observing sea life...there isn't much else to do, after all.

 Pi sticks pretty closely to his survival guide. One piece of advice -- drink animal blood to quench the thirst. So -- Pi drank TURTLE blood. Ick. He begins thinking of his own survival guide -- of training and taming a wild creature in a lifeboat while at sea. Pi keeps a diary to recount the daily events, as well.

Here's what made me almost put the book down -- Both Pi and Richard Parker defecate once a month due to constipation and high protein dieting...once, Pi tried to EAT Richard Parker's feces. I draw the line there. That is absolutely repulsing.

Pi becomes almost too good and too natural when it comes to the wild. Whether catching a shark with his bare hands or wolfing down his food, Pi has transformed into an animal.

At the close of this section, Pi endures several storms at sea. Whether physically or emotionally, Pi has faced many trials and tribulations. A tanker -- rescue ship, Pi thought -- gave Pi false hope. Pi sent out a message in a bottle through the ocean. Defeated, Pi is just sure he is nearing death. His pen loses its ink. He begins sleeping more and more. And Pi eventually goes blind and faces delirium.

His crazy bizarre incident is a great indication of his delirium -- a French accent "voice" who turns out to be a cannibal. Okay, Pi...

The plot is interesting (that's an understatement), but who could come up with this stuff?! It's nuts...I can't wait to find out how he'll make it back to civilization. The question is -- will he be able to function in society ever again?

 

"How I had failed to notice for two and a half days a 450-pound Bengal tiger in a lifeboat twenty-six feet long was a conundrum I would have to try to crack later, when I had more energy."

Life of Pi 

A novel by Yann Martel

Part One: Toronto and Pondicherry, Chapters 30-36 

Part Two: The Pacific, Chapters 37-55

The next portion of the novel opens with Pi's religious philosophies and preferences...again. Surprised? As the point of view is switched back to Pi's narration, I saw that Pi was not just a Hindu or a Christian or a Muslim -- he was all three simultaneously! Priests nagged and begged for him to chose a faith. His reply was that he just wanted to love God. After much ridicule, especially from his brother Ravi, Pi says this: "People who act out in violence or anger in the name of God misunderstand the true nature of religion." Gosh, we should all have that 'mantra' ...right? Pick a religion and belief, sure -- but he has a point there. Pi also begins experimenting with prayer, through the excitement of the new prayer mat/rug he receives. He was then baptized.

The 1970s proved to be a difficult time for India. Yet these political adversities did not seem to have much of an affect on Pi. Nevertheless, Pi's father was troubled and decided to pack up the family and move westward -- to Canada, that is. 

In the next portion, the author briefly meets Pi's wife  Meena Patel. Later, he also comes in contact with Pi's two children: Nikhil and Usha, who is four. 

Pi and the family set sail for a new life on June 21, 1977 as they traveled into the unknown. But, leads in the story make me wonder and even believe Pi's story has a happy ending. 

Suddenly, the ship, Tsimtsum sinks! Pi makes it into the life boat as utter chaos and dysfunction erupts.

Enter Richard Parker, the Royal Bengal tiger. Pi saves him and let's him aboard. Has he gone mad?! Pi flashes back to occurrences of the Tsimtsum the night before. He encounters many trials through his memory. And soon, Pi is hopeless. It appears there are no other HUMAN survivors except for himself.

Enter the hyena, the zebra, and Orange Juice, the orangutan. Pi begins to think -- surely, help is on the way! He quickly realized there is not much of a boundary or barrier between him and the "others" -- those animals! Worried about the night events that would ensue, Pi cannot stop thinking of how uncomfortable he is around the hyena. 

Here comes the gruesome part -- the hyena EATS the zebra's already broken leg. Ewwwww. What a traumatic event to witness.  As Pi becomes devasted with defeat, he tells a sea turtle to go find help. Okay, since when did he become the animal whisperer? 

More disgusting details about animal brutality continued...the hyena atacked the zebra, eating it alive from its insides! OJ and the hyena face off. Pi just begins to grieve over his loss of his family. The hyena attackes and eventually decapitates OJ. 

We soon learn the reason Richard Parker is named Richard Parker and how he was captured to be taken to the Pondicherry Zoo. 

Pi is overcome with thirst, so...he goes to check out the rations. Here's my favorite part! The list....cannot get more thorough than that! I make lists for everything and loved reading something I could relate to. As he finishes tallying the supplies, Pi decides it is crucial for survival that he distance himself from Richard Parker. The tiger kills the hyena and turns to Pi next but gets distracted when Pi throws a rat at him. 

As Pi toys with plotting to kill RP, he ultimately decides to tame him instead. 

Although graphic, I really enjoyed this section...I felt like I knew Pi and connected with him so much more!