Life of Pi: The Balance between Strength and Spirit
Author’s Note: After reading Life of Pi, we had to finish off the book with our summative paper. We took staggering six months to read, collect ideas, and write for Life of Pi. The book, itself, had many concepts, allegories, and symbolism that we learned over the course of reading it. Our idea and outline process took months to get together because there were times when we put it off. I had some difficulties with making an outline and getting all of my ideas together, but with some assistance I got my outline completed. Beginning composition was probably the most complicated part for me because I didn’t know where to start. I had such an extensive topic which made thinking of a thesis even more difficult. In this piece I worked on incorporating text-evidence, repetitive syntactic devices, broader vocabulary, improved sentence structure, and less be-verbs. I organized my paper by subtopic in an A/B method – where A was applying the concepts to life or history, and B was the text-evidence from the book. I decided to use my Life of Pi summative essay as my district writing assessment because I thought it would be a very strong, persuasive piece. I was the last one to finish my essay, but now that I’m done we can celebrate the conclusion of Life of Pi! Please leave me feedback.
Are we killers? Or are we caregivers? As complicated as it may seem, humans are both. Our outside appearance and actions may be loving, caring, and peaceful, but within us is our tiger. Inside of us is the killer – our strong and desperate self. As both spiritual and animal beings, we need our conventions to contain and control the animal-self within us, unless severely needed.
Humans are created to have balance with both a spiritual and animal self – where both are necessary components to a person. On most occasions when you see someone you are looking at their spiritual-self; the self that’s peaceful, intelligent, loving, and caring. The animal-self conceals itself beneath the surface of the spiritual-self unless completely necessary. When exposed, the animal-self is nearly uncontrollable because it will do whatever it can to protect and serve the person. Our inner animal is the strongest, most desperate, and most protective part of us. We need equality and control between our two selves because without one, there would not be the other.
Yann Martel, the author of Life of Pi, creatively symbolized the two selves of a person using Pi, a loving, religious boy, and Richard Parker, a murderous Bengal tiger. Pi always prayed to God wherever he happened to be and whatever situation he happened to be in. He was also a very intellectual and clever boy when it came to problem solving situations or simple studies.
On the contrary, Richard Parker materialized when danger or additional concerns got in the way. He carried out the more brutal killings for protection and food. Richard Parker was intelligent as well, but in a way that would determine life or death. “I will tell you a secret: a part of me was glad about Richard Parker. A part of me did not want Richard Parker to die at all, because if he died I would be left alone with despair … If I still had the will to live, it was thanks to Richard Parker.” (p. 164) The quote represented how one couldn’t live without the other and continue a balanced life.
For some, killing or stealing would be far out from anything they would ever do. Therefore, they believe there is no animal-self. Unfortunately, people can face situations where they need to serve the body.
Sigmund Freud created three parts of our personality: the id, ego, and super-ego. The id represents our animal-needs – our necessities to serve our body. We were born with the id and that is why a baby will cry when they are uncomfortable, hungry, or tired. Our animal-self comes out when the id must be assisted. The ego develops over the following few years after birth. A child will begin to understand reality and take into consideration other people’s needs instead of merely their id. By the age of five, the final personality begins to form: the super-ego. As the super-ego grows stronger, the person will learn rules, behaviors, ethnics, and morals brought upon them from their caregivers.
Survival is our most essential part of our id that needs to be served. Without that animal-need being served, there would be no life at all. Through every drought, every sickness, every downfall, we are kept going by our animal-self grasping on our life to survive. Whether it's food, medicine, or love that will keep our life together, the animal-self will vigorously work.
In Life of Pi, when Richard Parker, the animal-self of Pi, was stranded on the lifeboat for 227 days there were many times when he faced survival situations. Much of the time, lack of food and water paid high tolls not only for him, but for the other characters as well. There were various times when they resorted to cannibalism. For example, after Richard Parker fought and killed the hyena, the cook, he cut up the flesh and other parts of his body to eat.
Protection is also one of our animal needs. When faced with danger to ourselves or another life, our animal-self will come out and bear the protection of our lives. For instance, Richard Parker stayed in shelter while on the lifeboat. Every so often, he came out to attack or feed. When Pi was stranded at sea for days, and suffered from blindness, he came across another blind man on a nearby lifeboat. After having a friendly talk, Pi invited the man to come onboard his lifeboat. All went wrong when the man was about to attack Pi. Richard Parker swiftly ripped him to pieces, crushed his bones, and shattered his life. Metaphorically, that symbolized what people will do, even kill, to protect themselves or another life from harm.
With an untamed animal-self to every person, people may ponder the thought of how they can contain it. Why doesn't the animal-self go out and endanger others? The answer is simple: conventions. Our conventions are similar to a swimming pool in life – bordered, safe, and familiar. They make up an agreed way of looking at the world and at life. Conventions are simply everything we know – so simple that we don't even think about it. They are the reason we sleep, wake up, get ready, and go to school.
When Pi was lost at sea, it represented the journey of life. “I was on the tarpaulin, wrapped in a blanket, sleeping and dreaming and awakening and daydreaming and generally passing the time. There was a steady breeze. From time to time spray was blown off the crest of a wave and wet the boat. Richard Parker had disappeared under the tarpaulin.” (p.229) When Pi was lying there, relaxed, he was able to control and please Richard Parker under the tarpaulin – the conventions. Throughout Pi's extensive journey, obstacles eventually got in his way such as lack of food and water, loss of sleep, predators, and solitude. At those moments, reality struck and the conventions were no longer there.
As conventions slip away, we lose the sense of everything we know. We leave the swimming pool and enter the unknown waters of the ocean. We enter reality. The ocean is more like a regular life with spontaneous surprises, highs and lows, and miles of indefinite waters. Without conventions, there’s nothing stopping us from making a wrong or crazy decision.
Richard Parker represented the animal-self of Pi – the self without conventions. Pi with no conventions left a murderous – uncontrollable – self that did whatever it took to serve his id. He killed for protection, food, and survival because there was no longer anything holding him back. Once Richard Parker satisfied Pi’s id, then Pi had the ability to manage his animal-self again.
As we live with spirit and strength, we need conventions to contain the strength from surpassing the balance between the two. Our spiritual-self leads us in the right direction and our animal-self protects us from danger; they need to work together to stay strong. Humans are a combination of two opposites, but like magnets, opposites attract to create one.
Vote for Mai as Your Student Senate President
I am Mai Vo and I’m running to be your ninth grade Student Senate President. Since third grade I have been in Student Council three times and I'm hoping to make it four. Student Council gave me the ability to do many service projects, get involved in the community, and learn to lead others. For each year that I was in Student Council, some activities and events differed, but overall, we had the same goal: To be the positive leaders of our schools.
I would appreciate the membership as the ninth grade Student Senate President because I enjoy lending a hand to others, leading the grade to a superior future, and preparing all the exciting events for everybody. Not only do I want to be in Student Senate because of the leadership openings taking place, but it’s also an incredible place to meet new people and work together.
Being a leader in our school teaches me so much. I’ve gotten the opportunity to learn and experience teamwork activities, and go to a couple leadership conferences that taught me to challenge myself to lead others. I really enjoy Student Council because I get so many chances to work with everyone and bring all of us together.
Donald McGannon once said, “Leadership is action, not position.” I think his quote really means that someone can say, “Yeah, I’m in Student Council.” but the question is, Do they really take their time to be a leader in their school, in their community? To be a true leader, someone will need to take action and simply go forth to begin a chain reaction. I am willing to lead and represent our grade and our school.
To put Donald McGannon’s quote in action, I think Student Senate and I could sponsor an event where anyone could come and have an amazing time. If we really work towards it, there can be rides, inflatables, carnival games, concessions, and more. All of the raised money would be donated to a good cause, or multiple causes, such as cancer research, the humane society, or a homeless shelter. Participating in the community doesn’t have to be so grand though; it can be as simple as doing a community clean-up or volunteering at food pantries. We can really show that Pewaukee High School cares and will go above and beyond. Overall, I think any community leadership activity can bring all of us together to work at something great.
I’m grateful for your time to think and read about voting for me as Student Senate President. If I were to become your president I am willing to do my best to lead all of you and represent you in any way I could. Thank you and consider Mai Vo as your ninth grade Student Senate President.
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