Adversity in Yann Martel's Life of Pi

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People don't truly accept life for what it is until they've actually tasted adversity and went through those misfortunes and suffering. We are put through many hardships in life, and we learn to understand and deal with those issues along the way. We find that life isn't just about finding one's self, but about creating and learning from our experiences and background. Adversity shapes what we are and who we become as individuals. Yann Martel's Life of Pi shows us that adverse situations help shape a person's identity and play a significant role in one's lief by determining one's capabilities and potential, shaping one's beliefs and values, and defining the importance and meaning of one's self. Adversity has the effect of evoking abilities which, in booming circumstances, would have lain dormant. Through adversity we come to see ourselves grow and advance as individuals, and realize our true potential. In retrospect, we see Pi overcoming fear and loss and realizing what he is capable of and his potential as one of God's disciples. Adversity brings out the finest in people, the most magnifcant qualities and abilities that a person can possess. Yann Martel expresses through this writing that people fall victim to adversity all the time, but our understanding for different situations makes us able to determine our capabilities as individuals. Pi has many potential talents and abilities that he just hasn't uncovered yet and could use to survive. Throughout the novel Pi goes through many life changing experiences, overcomes many obstacles and pushes his limits. Like when Pi catches the fish and kills it for the first time. He's hesitant and begins to fret over it, but he soon comes to realize that in order for him to survive he has... ... middle of paper ... ...nk of as accomplishments that shaped who we are. Measuring ourselves against our personal achievents and the adversity we face is one of the many ways that we can examine our lives and potential. Adversity plays such a big role in our lives that it's almost invisible. We don't realize that practically everyday we face it and set it up to determine who we are going to be. Sometimes people are given a really crappy deck of cards and don’t know how to handle them. When were in a difficult situation, or faced with adversity we have two choices. Battle through it and become an even greater individual because of it or succumb to the situation and give up. It it all depends on how much determination a person has to fight through the adversity and in turn, become a better person. Works Cited Martel, Yann. Life of Pi: A Novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.

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