Read the chapter carefully and record key quotes and ideas for later reference.

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Warren Pierce
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1 The big ideas to keep in mind when exploring this section of the novel are to do with SURVIVAL and NATURE. Pi is going to be forced to change the way he lives and sees the world in order to survive, and his survival is going to become increasingly intertwined with that of Richard Parker. But Pi, ever philosophical and attune to the importance of belief, also offers some telling reflections on the world around him, as his experience leads him to new realisations about how we observe and experience beauty. Chapter 56: Fear Pi discusses the danger posed by fear and how it can take over a person. Fear, driven by a sense of hopelessness, is going to become Pi s biggest enemy in his struggle to survive. Read the chapter carefully and record key quotes and ideas for later reference. Chapter 57: Plan Number Seven Pi comes up with a new, final plan that is going to allow him to survive: Keep Him [i.e. Richard Parker] Alive. What is the importance of this plan in helping Pi survive? Chapter 58: Survival In this chapter Pi begins by listing tips from the survival guide in the boat, but there is nothing that helps with coexisting with a full grown tiger. He realises he must create his own plan. In this chapter, Pi comes to a realisation: I should not count on outside help. Survival had to start with me a castaway s worst mistake is to hope too much and do too little. Survival starts by paying attention to what is close at hand and immediate. To look out with idle hope is tantamount to dreaming one s life away. 168 This chapter also ends on note of hopelessness: My situation was patently hopeless. 169 What does Pi need to come to terms with in order to survive?

2 This is the beginning of Pi s journey to become a survivor. Pi comes to the realisation that he is his own last hope for survival; that survival had to start with him. His understanding of his situation is growing as he lists/realises all of the things that must be done and that he should not count on outside help. His shift to self-sufficiency and practicality leads to a new routine. He adapts to his situation as a survivor and castaway no longer a boy, but something new. He becomes dependent upon himself, abandoning idle hope and takes ownership of his situation and avoiding merely dreaming [his] life away. The chapter establishes what will need to be done in the future in order to survive this is where he begins to learn how to survive. However, his solitude is also a source of tremendous distress and feeds a growing sense that his situation was patently hopeless as he faces his reality and the fate of his family. Chapter 59: Taming Richard Parker In this chapter Pi begins the process of taming Richard Parker and asserting himself as the alpha. This chapter ends with Pi noticing all of the life around him, and his original assumptions about the ocean were wrong. He comments: You are as likely to see sea life from a ship as you are to see wildlife in a forest from a car of a highway You must stroll through the Pacific at a walking pace, so to speak, to see the wealth and abundance that it holds. 176 How does the raft offer a different perspective of the ocean than the ship? The raft is slow paced, and the increased time coincides with an increased awareness of the world and an engagement with the spiritual. The chapter provides a note of positivity. Pi seems to have endured a full circle of emotion within the past few days swinging from hope to despair and back to an appreciation of the beauty around him which he would otherwise have missed. By stroll[ing] through the Pacific at a walking pace, he sees things the he would otherwise have missed it allows him to see the little details. When travelling through life at a fast pace, it is only the things which are obvious and jump out that are noticed, such as the dolphins chasing the ship, or dogs chasing cars. It is only when you slow down that you are able to seek out and notice the little details. He is beginning to see how life exists in this sparse, seemingly inhospitable place. It is capable of supporting life, which feeds a sense of hope that he too can find a means of existing within it. How might this be a metaphor for our view of the world? To see the world in all its beauty, you need to slow down, look at it in detail and take life in at a slower pace. This was also seen in the Kumars and the amount of time they devoted to understanding the beauty and purpose behind the creatures in Pi s zoo. Likewise here, Pi s understanding of the world, his

3 faith and his existence is beginning to change as he adapts to his new situation. The faster we go, the less we see as we spend out lives on a metaphorical highway, we can only experience those things which are big or jump out at us. We lose the richness that the journey can provide, and that even though this can require time and suffering, to gain a deeper understanding of the world and ourselves, we need time to stroll, reflect and take in the little unsuspect[ing] life and details of the world around us. Chapter 60: Beauty The beauty of the ocean at night makes Pi realise his insignificance the finite nature of his suffering. I can t help but mix my life with that of the universe. Life is a peephole, a tiny entry onto a vastness how can I not dwell on this brief, cramped view I have of things? 177 What does viewing the ocean at night teach Pi about his predicament? Pi realises that he truly is insignificant in the face of such a huge landscape, in which he was only one small part. His life or death really doesn t have any impact on the constellations of the heavens, or the currents of the ocean. The universe is an infinite vastness, whereas his suffering, like himself, is only finite and must eventually come to an end. However, while he is insignificant, it still matters to him that he can provide this peephole, and that his life, which not significant in the course of creating, is important to him that he is able to experience the wonder and life that it provides. If his peephole is all [he s] got, then it becomes all the more important that he protects it and dwell on this brief but cramped view of things. The universe doesn t revolve around him, and he isn t there to alter its course, but the fact that he is able to witness, comprehend and experience it takes on ever increasing importance for him. Chapter 61: Pi s First Kill Pi begins to catch food for himself, and as a result must make what is for him an agonising decision to kill a flying fish: I wept heartily over this poor little deceased soul. It was the first sentient being I had ever killed. I was now a killer. I was now as guilty as Cain All sentient life is sacred. I never forget to include this fish in my prayers. By the end of the chapter Pi kills a dorado gleefully, and he comments: it is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even to killing. 185

4 Why does Pi weep over having to kill the flying fish, yet he is happy to kill the dorado without a second thought? In this chapter, Pi s experiences are beginning to change him as is adapts to a new way of life with an increased focus on survival. The survival instinct requires him to put himself first, and this instinct overpowers his sense of morality, decency, identity or humanity. However, his sense of empathy is not completely forsaken, as shown by his empathising with what it would feel like if [he] were wrapped in a blanket and someone were trying to break my neck, the fact that he never [forgets] to include the first fish he kills in [his] prayers and the gratitude that he shows for this gift. The dorado is easier to kill because it for Richard Parker a selfless act for another being, one who s place in the world requires it to hunt and kill. But similarly, this explanation allows Pi to continue down his own path of increasing savagery. Pi s descriptions of humans become increasing simple, in stark contrast to his detailed and nuanced explanations of animal behaviour. What is Richard Parker s role in showing Pi the path to survival Chapter 62: Water, Food and Parker Pi gathers water, continues to care for and train Richard Parker. He tries fishing, but has little success. It has been one week since the freighter sank. Chapter 63: Routine This chapter begins with Pi recounting other stories of survival at sea. He then provides an outline of his own daily routine on the boat (page 190), including regular prayers. He comments that: I survived because I made a point of forgetting I survived because I forgot even the very notion of time What role does routine play in helping Pi to survive? Routine plays an essential part in helping part to survive. It is the fact that he kept [him]self busy which he credits as being key to [his] survival. Because his surroundings and situation was so unusual, routine gives him an aspect of familiarity that makes his existence more manageable (otherwise the focus on time leads to exhaustion; it is an illusion that only makes us pant ).

5 His routine allows him to live in the present, focussing on what needs to be done in the moment rather than giving into idle hope. It allows for time to pass, providing distractions and structure to his day (e.g. prayers five times a day), giving him a basis for the rest of his existence. The routine, with its endless repetition, also allows him to forget, to the point where he forgot even the very notion of time : he is no longer waiting for things to happen; he is doing things. Chapter 64: Decline This chapter describes in detail the effects of Pi s and Richard Parker s physical declines since being stranded on the boat. They are surviving, but are weakened by the process. Chapter 65: Paradox Pi reads through the navigation instructions, but they are of no use: without sea or navigation training, he cannot understand them. He realises that while he has control of his life, he has no control of the direction he is going. Chapter 66: Savagery Pi begins spearing fish, wrestling turtles aboard and feels jubilant at killing them. By the end of the chapter he reflects: I descended to a level of savagery I never imagined possible What does this chapter suggest about the human instinct for survival? This chapter reminds the audience that humans are still animals, driven by the same needs as any other creature. Pi is equated with the animal instincts and viciousness of Richard Parker. The contrast with Pi s previous life further emphasises the shift that Pi has undergone, to put himself first. The next section of the novel discusses Richard Parker and goes into detail about how Pi tames him and makes himself the undisputed alpha of the boat

7 Chapters 67 to 72 These chapters describe the process through which Pi is able to tame Richard Parker. Chapter 73 My greatest wish other than salvation was to have a book. A long book with a never-ending story. One that I could read again and again, with new eyes and a fresh understanding each time. Alas, there was no scripture in the lifeboat. 207 No thundering from a pulpit, no condemnation from bad churches, no peer pressure, just a book of scripture quietly waiting to say hello, as gentle and powerful as a little girl s kiss on your cheek. 208 What does this chapter reveal about the nature of stories? The value of a story comes from the ability to interpret it. A story which is open to interpretation is a story which enriches the reader. It provides both escape from their reality and provide a better understanding of their reality. The pinnacle of this writing, for Pi, is scripture, which one can read again and again to gain a fresh understanding each time. Pi sees a big difference between organised religion, with bad churches and thundering pulpit[s], and actual faith, with is a quiet and gentle yet powerful act, where the individual takes the role of the interpreter, and finds their own definition of faith and belief. It reiterates his distrust of fundamentalism and the single interpretation. Chapter 74 I practiced religious rituals that I adapted to the circumstances They brought be comfort, that is certain. But it was hard, oh, it was hard. Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love but sometimes it was so hard to love. Sometimes my heart was sinking so fast with anger, desolation and weariness, I was afraid it would sink to the very bottom of the Pacific and I would not be able to lift it back up in this way I would remind myself of creation and my place in it. 209 Despair was a heavy blackness that let no light in or out. It was a hell beyond expression. 209 The blackness would stir and eventual go away, and god would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving. 209 Why is Pi able to remain faithful, despite the struggles of his ordeal?

8 Pi s faith is not incapable of being shaken, and his does question God s involvement in his situation, but he nevertheless returns to the core idea of the purpose of creation and the bigger picture it provides. It is not religion, or even God, that saves Pi, but rather the core of his faith that gives him strength. He can doubt religion and purpose, but his belief does not shift. His faith reminds him of existence beyond his current situation. The little moments confirm his faith and belief. Love is still central to his belief. Compare and link with chapter 60, and Pi s reflections on his place in existence. Chapter 75 is very sad. Chapters 76 to 85 These chapters continue the story of survival as Pi struggles with finding enough food and water, and continues to train Richard Parker. Nature occasionally offers a means of breaking the long monotony of the voyage in the form of a storm with mountainous waves (chapter 83), a vivid lightening storm (chapter 85), sharks which are drawn to the lifeboat (chapter 78) and a passing whale (chapter 84). By Chapter 80 Pi proves he is the master of Richard Parker and the alpha of the lifeboat. For each chapter find one or more quotes that link with the following core ideas: Chapter 77: Hunger and the desperation that it brings (p ). Describing consuming RP faeces: no doubt I will be considered to have abandoned the last vestiges of humanness by those who do not understand the degree of the suffering when I say that it sounded to my ears like the music of a coin dropped into a beggar s cup. 214 anything was good to eat, no matter the taste. 213 My fantasy meals grew to be the size of India. 211 there was a time when I looked upon a live sea turtle as a ten-course meal of great delicacy 212

9 Chapter 78: The nature of boredom and terror (p.217) The worst pair of opposites is boredom and terror. 217 And in the grip of terror the worst storm you yet feel boredom, a deep weariness with it all. 217 To be a castaway is to be caught in a harrowing ballet of circles. 216 struggling with fear, rage, madness, hopelessness, apathy. 216 Only death consistently excites your emotions, whether contemplating it when life is safe and stale or fleeing it when life is threatened and precious. 217 Life on a lifeboat isn t much of a life. It is like an end game in chess, a game with few pieces. 217 Chapter 80: Pi masters Richard Parker, and starts to become less controlled by fear (p.222). Suddenly his brute strength meant only moral weakness. It was nothing compared to the strength in my mind. 222 a terrific battle of minds for status and authority was waged between a boy and a tiger. 222 Later on I turned the other way, with my head resting just above the middle bench, by back to Richard Parker and his territory. 223 His simple presence no longer strained me. 222 Chapter 82: Pi s increasing loss of humanity as he becomes more animal-like in his quest to survive (p.225). If I got to be so indiscriminate about what I ate, it was not simply because of appalling hunger, it was also plain rush. 225 I ate like an animal. 225 this noisy, frantic, unchewing wolfing-down of mine was exactly the way Richard Parker ate. 225

10 Chapter 86 The lifeboat is almost destroyed by a passing tanker. Pi is not rescued. Chapter 87 Pi uses a dream rag to reduce his air supply, sending him into a deep sleep. He uses this as a form of escapism into the most extraordinary dreams, trances, vision, thoughts, sensations and remembrances (235). Most important, though, is the act of waking up and the resulting delight to find that time had slipped by (236). Trapped in an existence where time has no meaning and existence and suffering are intertwined and continuous, the act gives Pi proof that the present moment was different from the previous present moment (236); a feeling that is otherwise absent in the monotony of his survival. Chapter 88 Pi drifts into a large mass of foul-smelling garbage. He sends out a message in a bottle. Chapter 89 Pi describes the physical decline of himself and Richard Parker, which is now dire. We read the last few pages of his diary. He had been trying to conserve paper by keeping his writing small, but ultimately the pen runs out of ink: I thought I would run out of paper. It was the pens that ran out. 240 Why do you think the pen running out of ink coincidences with the physical wasting away of Pi and Richard Parker? Emphasises the state of decline (wasting away and the running out of ink). It was not that which Pi was most worried about which ended up being his undoing Richard Parker wasn t the problem, it was illness/hunger/etc. He lived for longer than he was expecting. He lives on, but the story ends. Metaphorical: life = paper; story = ink Takes the record out of the story what is real, what isn t? Adds to the surrealism of what is to come. Daydreams and reality become indistinguishable. What is real? Does it matter?

11 In chapter 90, Pi will speak to the first new soul to enter the story since he began his voyage of survival on the lifeboat months ago

Life of Pi Chapter Questions

Name: Life of Pi Chapter Questions Author s Note Who do you think is writing the author s note? Is this part of the fiction of Life of Pi, or separate from the story? PART ONE Chapter 1 What does the sloth