Reflection of Passages in Life of Pi by Yann Martel: AP Literature and Composition I

“This was the terrible cost of Richard Parker. He gave me a life, my own, but at the expense of taking one. He ripped the flesh off the man’s frame and cracked his bones. The smell of blood filled my nose. Something in me died then that has never come back to life. “(255)

This passage is significant to Part II in Life of Pi because it shows a darker moment in Pi’s life. Throughout the novel, Pi has exemplified positive and optimistic behavior as an individual who respects many different faiths. As a child, he was an avid reader, who was eager to learn about many faiths and religions to expand his horizons. As the book evolves and Pi is stranded on a lifeboat, he shifts to a self-sufficient behavior. Pi begins to question his values and morals on the boat as it seems more hopeless that he will survive the devastating circumstances.

Richard Parker and Pi have endured many hardships, including temporary blindness. The two are looking gaunt as their rations are lessening and it is harder to catch fish for sustenance to survive. When Pi and Richard Parker encounter the French individual in their adventure, the plot thickens. Richard Parker sees the French man as a threat when he tries to attack Pi. Defending Pi against a perceived threat, Richard Parker kills the man. Pi is shocked. He feels guilt and regret because one man had to die for Pi to stay alive. He felt partial responsibility for the death of the man because he failed to warn the man of the tiger on the boat. The guilt remains with Pi as he states, “I pray for his soul everyday” (256).

The passage shows further character development in Pi and in Richard Parker. As readers, we are reminded of the animal act of protecting territory. Richard Parker symbolizes instinctive actions for survival and defense, which overcame the behavior of control at that moment of life or death. Pi also transforms because of his traumatic experience. He admits to cannibalism and using the dead man’s flesh as bait for fishing. Pi feels that God is absent from his life because he has had to commit such horrendous acts. This moment is one of the lowest points in Pi’s life and the last sentence really illuminates how this moment influences his journey and his entire life.

As we grow older, we can experience moments that are agonizing. When we reach those moments, the act of escaping is what we want most. Sometimes people cannot identify the source of their suffering, but they understand how much it hurts. This feeling is most relevant when we suffer some sort of trauma, whether it is physical or emotional. When this happens, overwhelming grief from an unfathomable experience can cause us to lose a piece of our soul. The pain can be unimaginable. We can seek in vain for a coping mechanism to address the pain. Now, I have never felt the guilt that Pi feels for being partially responsible for the death of another man. I am young and have thus far been fortunate to avoid a tragedy like the one Pi experiences. Part of being young is being oblivious to pain and tragedy. That being said, I was able to sympathize with Pi. The last part of the passage highlighted to me why adults are wise. The passage of time exposes them to more opportunities for tragedy to strike. Tragedies shape them in a way that they never expected. Life-changing moments can tear away pieces of our soul because of the suffering that we endure. To show our true strength, we must learn how to cope with our pain and suffering to start the process of healing.  

-Stephanie Sandra