"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!