Change in Life of Pi (Free Essay Sample)

Imagine finding yourself stranded aboard a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. For Pi Patel this was a reality. On a voyage to find a better life in Canada, Pi’s boat sinks and he is forced to endure the unimaginable task of surviving in the middle of the ocean with a tiger! Even with these fierce conditions, Pi experiences religious, moral and spiritual change throughout the course of the story. 

Pi reacts very emotionally after he kills a flying fish for the first time on the lifeboat. He goes as far as to say he still includes the fish in his prayers. Pi is a vegetarian so this makes it hard for him to adjust his diet to become more energy efficient. Pi emotionally says, “I wept heartily over his little deceased soul. It was the first sentient being I had ever killed. I was now a killer.” ( Martel 183 ) It's interesting how Pi describes himself as a killer when he simply kills a fish. In today's world, millions of fish are killed and consumed every day so it would be odd for someone to show such intense feelings. Most of his voices are just in his head therefore he is forced to change his morals or die which allow the reader to question their own morals and how they would react in this situation. This demonstrates the care Pi has for animals and his values. He changes by adapting to his environment to fit his dietary needs and morally accepts this is the way of life now. 

Pi has also begun to adapt to his new environment. “Pi says he has actually grown quite fond of the sharks and has a different perspective about them now that he's been on the sea for awhile” ( Portfolio Chapter 78 ). At first Pi is very terrified at even just seeing a shark, but now he describes them as old friends that like to visit from time to time. Although this change isn't very significant, Pi is still becoming more connected to his environment and is going back to his instinctual roots. 

In order for Pi to survive at sea with the limited resources he has, he needs to rely on planning and strategy. Thus he learns how to conserve food and eat the bare minimum to keep himself healthy enough to continue his journey. “Life on a lifeboat isn't much of a life. It is like an endgame in chess, a game with few pieces. The elements couldn't be more simple, nor the stakes higher” ( Martel 217 ). Pi at the beginning of the story wouldn't believe he could survive off such little rations, let alone having to feed a tiger too. But Pi learns to create a sustainable way of life aboard the lifeboat, which he hopes will lead him to safety. 

Pi needs to show his dominance over the lifeboat so Richard Parker the tiger doesn't attack him. He exclaims, “It was time to impose myself and carve out my territory” ( Martel 256 ). This is a distinct contrast to the beginning of the book when Pi wouldn't even so much as be in the same presence as Richard Parker. Pi now knows that in order to survive he needs to prove that he is the alpha male. This would beg the question: If Pi is Richard Parker, is he taming his instincts instead of the animal? Pi has slowly been learning how to survive like a wild animal would, so when he talks about taming Richard Parker, this is a symbol that he needs to control himself and his feelings so they may lead him to rescue. Pi could also just completely avoid Richard Parker all together but this would create more tension between them. He needs to conduct himself logically and disregard his emotions until he is finally saved. 

Pi conquers his fear of Richard Parker after having formed an unlikely bond. At the end of their journey, Richard Parker never looks back at Pi when they finally hit land. Pi is crushed by Richard Parker's lack of emotions, even though he is a tiger. One line says “I wept like a child” ( Martel 73 ) and I think this line is very profound. In the beginning of the book when Pi’s father shows him the consequences of getting too close to a tiger, Pi cries like a child because of fear. At the end of the book Pi says he cried because he didn't get to see Richard Parker again. This shows Pi has won his battle over fear. He goes from being scared of the tiger to missing the tiger. It's almost like they formed an unlikely bond while at sea. 

Religion and spirituality grew significantly during Pi’s time on the lifeboat. His entire family died and he was left on a boat stranded in the middle of the ocean with various animals on it and had a limited amount of resources. Yet he still thanks God for the few blessings he does have. He shows gratitude when he says “Despair was a heavy blackness that let no light in or out. It was a hell beyond expression. I thank God it always passed” ( Martel 232 ). His faith is tested throughout his entire journey and he remains loyal throughout all of it. In fact this experience just makes him believe in God more, because he believes God blessed him with little things on the way. He changes from the beginning of the story because his connection to god and spirituality becomes deeper even through despair. 

Pi wasn't challenged physically as much as he was as he was morally and mentally. The circle of life revolves around life and death so Pi needs to conform to the laws of nature if he wants to thrive. Nature is not fair, therefore Pi must adapt to this lifestyle of natural selection. “When your own life is threatened, your sense of empathy is blunted by a terrible, selfish hunger for survival” ( Martel 67 ) Pi grows from being someone who is particularly fair and tends to be more callous in situations but this experience has transformed him to rely more on his natural instincts. 

Due to the strenuous nature of Pi’s environment, he is forced to conform to his natural instincts and grow into a new lifestyle to survive. His relationship with God changes from normal to deep when Pi gets little blessing along his journey. Pi reacts very emotionally after he kills a flying fish. He goes as far as to say he still includes the fish in his prayers. Pi has also begun to adapt to his new environment. Hence, he learns how to conserve food and eat the bare minimum to keep himself healthy enough. Pi’s relationship to Richard Parker goes from fearful to loving because he learns how to control his emotions. Nature is not fair, therefore Pi experiences growth to fill the mold that nature provides.