Life of Pi

Our Beliefs, Our Life, Our Reality

Author's Note: This is my final response to the book Life of Pi. In this piece I have talked about making choices and molding your reality. Please pay attention to the voice in this piece. I have also tried to vary the use of pronouns. I hope you like it! 

Through struggles, pain, miracles, and belief we get through life one step at a time. We set foot on this land that is full of wonders.  Our swimming pool may be small, but the journey across the ocean is larger than reality. In this vast, endless ocean the boat we ride on strives to float upon the water. In this entire journey, fiction, horror, and fantasy walk past us at some point in time.  Likewise, in the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel,  Pi's voyage across the ocean is a story made up of its own. You may think it is impossible to survive with vicious animals, and this is a story full of fiction at it's core, but as Pi thinks, anything you choose to believe in can become reality. 

What we believe in is our choice to make, so the life we choose to live is also our choice. What is ahead of us in this lifetime is not known, just like which of Pi's stories is real. There are two versions of Pi's adventure, the one with animals and the other with humans. Just like all of the other problems that come in life, this is another decision that is left for us to make. There is no right or wrong answer, so the one you choose, is the one that is true. The things we believe in is what will draw an outline to the life we live. Therefore, what we consider to be right, it is the reality of what is yet to come.

There are many choices you have to make, but others shouldn’t make your decisions. We are the pilots of our own lives. There is no one else that could fly your plane better than you. There are many paths to take; the decision we make is what shows us who we really are. What we are today, is based on the decisions we made yesterday. This shows, that the choices you make are what mold your life. It's what we believed from the beginning that forms the days and lifestyle we live now. You are the only one to create your reality of a life.

The decisions we make and the outcomes that are concluded may be what is fated to happen, but as I see it, there is a chance that the life that is yet to come, is in our hands. The future is unpredictable, but the choices we make and the actions we take are what we choose to do. Life is what we make it, the path we take and the road we choose to walk on is our verdict. So it's time we take charge of what is rightfully ours, and the time is now. These are our beliefs and we shall be the judge of what is right and what is wrong. There are two stories of Pi's voyage, the one with animals and other with humans.  The story you choose to believe is the reality of Pi's journey, but which one is it? That is your decision to make. 

Orderly Chaos

Author's Note: In class today, Mr. Johnson gave us a prompt for us to write about. We talked about it as a group for a while, and this is what I have came up with. The prompt was: 'What does the listing and taking of inventory represent for us? … Why do we make lists?'. 

In this section of the novel, Pi makes a list of all of the supplies that are on his lifeboat, he also has a survival guide to help him through this journey over the Pacific. When we think about it, what was the reason that he made a list? In the middle of all the drama that has been happening on the lifeboat, he chooses to make a list. The things in the manual are things that we would think are common sense, so it seems unusual to us. In this section of the book, we learn what the meaning behind the survival guide was and why Pi made a list. As readers, we learn that Yann Martel chose to make a list in this situation to represent what listing does for us, in our own lives.

Chaos, it's a state of confusion, disorder and a lack of organization, nothing is ever in our control. It's a point in our lives that nobody wants to reach, everything is just pure chaos. To not reach the point of destruction and to prevent this from happening, we make lists. Whether it's a schedule or a check list, lists are made for everything to be orderly. In Pi's situation, it's actually vey ironic when he makes a list. Orange Juice, the hyena, and the zebra have all died by now. In the middle of all of this, Pi finds these supplies, so he makes a list of them. When there is chaos all around him, he makes a list. To prevent all of this commotion from happening, he makes a list of what is there. In our lives, we make lists to avoid disorder. That is what Pi is doing in this book too.

Although Pi makes a list, he also has a survival guide that helps him too. The reason for this is somewhere along the lines of making lists. When in confusion, where do most people go to? If you are in complete mayhem, there is usually a book you go to, depending on what religion you're a part of. For example, one book people go to for answers is the Bible. We use these books to prevent chaos in our lives, we use them to guide us through it. Likewise, Pi uses this survival guide to lead him through his journey through the ocean. After looking deeper into the book, we learn that there was a reason for each and every detail in Pi's adventure.

Not only in this section of the book, but throughout the whole novel Yann Martel uses a lot of symbolism through the objects to portray the characteristics and things we do in our lives. The list and the survival guide are just two of the many objects he uses. Both of these items are used to portray the fact that chaos is a part of our lives. Pi uses them to keep in himself intact and that is what we do too.  Whether it's making a list or have a book as a guide, even for a minute, chaos is bound to overtake life. Chaos is what nature insists, when order is what a we, as humans desire. 

Wherever We Go 

Author's Note: This is another response to the book I am reading, Life of Pi. In this piece I chose a quote from the book to write about. I decided to write a poem for my response. In this poem, I have reflected upon what this quote says, although it is very straight forward, I've written this poem along the boundaries of the quote.

"Things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to, but what can you do? You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it," (pg. 91).

For life is short,

Truth be told,

We face tomorrow,

As we say goodbye

to yesterday.

A chapter ends,

The pages turn,

But the story has just begun.

We move on,

Let go,

Making memories,

Wherever we go.

Looking upon the road ahead,

Awaiting the life,

That is yet to be lived, 

But cannot say goodbye.

Who we are,

Where we go,

Why we're here, 

Yet to be told.

We might be apart,

But always know,

Life takes us,

On an adventure,

Through sun, rain, sleet, and snow.

Steps to take,

Miles to go,

Our journey starts now,

In this world.

Come along for the ride,

Where it takes us,

Who knows?

We move on,

Let go,

Making memories,

Wherever we go. 

Truly Equal

Author's Note: This is my first response to the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel. In this piece I have written about grouping and categorizing things. I have concentrated on how everyone should be treated the same. I have also gave my thoughts about grouping in the world around us.

We categorize everything on this planet, from the animals in the zoo, to the people around us. Plants are grouped into types of plants, animals are separated into types of animals, and people, we're categorized as types of people.  Our minds are set to: everyone and everything is different; to show this we group things in ways we can understand. It's about time we realize that we aren't like the animals in the zoo, we are humans that need be treated equally, no matter who we are and what we believe in.

In the novel Life of Pi, Yann Martel describes to us that animals are categorized throughout the zoo. He is right about that. When entering the zoo, we go to different parts of it just to see the different animals. All reptiles would be in one area while all arctic animals are in another. Are we the animals in the zoo to be categorized and grouped into types of people? When we look at ourselves, what do we see in each other that is so different? Besides our looks and personality, what power do we have to segregate people. We all have the same fundamental needs, yet we split ourselves apart for who we are and how we choose to live our lives. Each person is different, there is no doubt about that, but we're certainly not different species. 

We are all the basically the same, yet people still separate each other into groups based on religion. "Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims," (pg.50) Pi says to Auntieji. Which is absolutely right. Everyone is made into the same building, the only difference is that we are constructed differently. Just because you practice another religion than someone else doesn't make you any different. We are all the same, even in the area where grouping people is the most important. Every person follows a different religion, which is fine by all means. The one thing that I don't understand yet, is why other people don't think it's okay.  It does not make you a bad person to be part of a different religion. I'm sorry that I'm not Christian, it's who I am and you're going to have to deal with it. It doesn't make you any better or worse than other people. You will always be equally good no matter what religion you belong in. 

Segregation has been surrounding us everywhere in this world for years. Whether it's between people or animals, we group everything. It can be practical and it may be the right choice, but not all the time. Although these groups were pre-set when we came into this world, it's time we change them. We should start seeing the similarities between ourselves, than pointing out the differences in each other. From the way we look to the religion we practice, we are all humans who should be treated equally. We will be treated the same, whether it takes two days, two months or two years. One day, we will understand the importance of not grouping things. It makes life a lot more complicated. Not one person should be an outcast of society. From the tip of Alaska and to the shores of Thailand, every person will be treated the same as the people around them, not differently, but equally.