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Literary analysis of life of pi character
Literary analysis of life of pi character
How trauma influences human beings
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All over popular culture are fictional villains vying for total world domination. They can try all they want but there is only one thing in the world that can have complete control over humanity. The Brain controls all aspects of humanity from keeping people alive to choosing what it wants for lunch. The problem with the brains dictatorship over mankind is the brain can be damaged like any other organ. Trauma can cause all kinds of problems for the poor soul that it affects. The Psychological diseases and disorders can cause major or minor problems that change the whole chemical structure of the brain. These psychological diseases that are caused by trauma affect many people including PI Patel in Yann Martel’s fictional novel Life of Pi. Life …show more content…
Like Schizophrenia, DID can be treated which would remove the visible effects in the present time( with the “author”). Pi Patel shows signs during the time on the boat where Pi exhibits multiple personalities, one as himself( Animal story) and one as Richard Parker(Human story). According to the Journal of Childhood Abuse, DID causes “the presence of two or more personality states or distinct identities that repeatedly take control of an individual’s behavior”(Maya Reed-Gavish, Dissociation in Abuse Victims). Pi Patel demonstrates this fact in multiple different situations. At the end of the book when Pi is being interviewed by the Japanese men he demonstrates his two personalities in the different versions of the story. With Pi alone on the boat(Besides his animal hallucinations) he has another personality who lives the “human story”. In Pi’s first personality he acts as the other version of himself: Richard Parker. Pi claims that “I found myself kicking in the water in the Pacific ocean. I swam for the lifeboat… I wouldn't have made it if the cook hadn’t thrown me a lifebuoy and pulled me in”(Martel 303). In Pi’s other personality, the as himself as an oceanic tiger tamer he claims “He [Richard Parker] was to far. But the sight of the life buoy gave him hope. He revived and started beating the water with vigorous, desperate strokes”(Martel 98). Both of the Japanese Men notice the similarities between the story and possibly helped Pi find a therapist after the end of the story. Pi’s multiple personality have some side effects that, in his delusion, Pi is able to notice. One of the Major side effects of DID is to have a blackout where the victim “...[has] amnesia, or "lose time," for periods when another personality is "out."”(Minddisorders.com). Pi Patel experiences these Blackouts and even
In “Offensive Play” by Malcolm Gladwell, Gladwell shows his view on the damages of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and how people should adhere to the topic and make changes. Even with changes it won’t guarantee that brain damage won’t be likely but it does ensure that people are adhering to the topic and changes are going to be made for a duration of time till little damage is sustained from big hits to the head.
In Life of Pi, storytelling is told through the eyes of Pi Patel, who’s the main character. He gives such a bewildering story with many descriptive details that it’s hard to believe. He starts his story off by him surviving the shipwreck, jumping into a life boat with a zebra, hyena, tiger, and an orangutan. One important factor to consider is how he documents his journeys in a journal which he finds in the survival kit on the lifeboat. This is relevant because this might have served a role in keeping him sane as writing down his experiences gave him some sort of relief. Towards the ending of the novel we see Pi being interviewed by two Japanese reporters, Mr.Okamoto and
...knowledge his shadow self. He was able to survive his plight on the lifeboat because of the characteristics of his shadow self, Richard Parker. Even at the loss of his shadow self, Pi remains connected and constantly misses this part of his persona. After his ordeal on the lifeboat, Pi becomes rational and humane; however his experiences has scarred him, and will forever remain with him. Readers can definitely learn from Pi’s experience with his shadow self. The more we refute our shadow, the more it weighs us down. However, if we are willing to come to terms with the reality of our shadow, learn how it works, “tame” it so that it does not control us, we would be more literate and enlightened.
The reader is meant to think Pi manages to survive about a year at sea with an adult bengal tiger, and considering the reader's knowledge so far in the novel that makes sense. Amazed by this idea, the reader continues, each chapter becoming more, and more intriguing. Until just about the last chapter this novel seems almost logical, despite its unrealistic premise. Yann Martel does such a good job of conveying such convincing information about Pi’s journey with Richard Parker that there is not a thought in the reader's mind that this could just be a story. When the Japanese officials from the Ministry of Transport come, Pi tells them his unbelievable story, and to them it is too unbelievable. They ask him to tell a new story, a more realistic one. And Pi does, one that doesn’t have tigers, zebras, orangoutangs, or hyenas. Instead it is a story of Pi, his mother, the cook from the boat, and the sailor. In this new story Pi is represented as the tiger, his mother is the orangoutang, the cook is the hyena, and the sailor is the injured zebra. As it turns out Pi’s unbelievable story might not be as unbelievable as the reader originally thinks. Pi, as said in the quote above, is twisting his story to bring out its essence whether that is on purpose or
An id and ego split is also shown between Pi and Richard Parker. Richard Parker is an imaginary tiger that is created by Pi in order to keep him alive and focused on staying alive. Pi eventually abandons his superego and partakes in eating meat, even though he was a strict vegetarian prior to being lost at sea. Over the duration of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, the story relates to Freud’s theories in several ways that are made blatantly obvious; these relations are what makes this story come together to keep the reader involved and interested. Works Cited Martel, Yann.
The projection of Richard Parker helps Pi to be aware of this current situation, which was him being stranded in the ocean on a lifeboat in comparison to his beliefs in his religions. His fear towards Richard Parker was one of the reasons of his survival. Pi says, “Fear and reason fought over answer. Fear said yes. He was a fierce, 450-pound carnivore. Each of his claws was sharp as a knife” (Martel 108). Pi describes Richard Parker as an extremely dangerous, fearful, and vicious predator. This causes Pi keep aware because he is on a boat with a deadly carnivore. He tries to keep awake at night while being on the lifeboat with Richard Parker from the fear of being attacked and eaten by the Bengal tiger. However, since Richard Parker is Pi’s id, it was actually him keeping himself aware and alive. Pi states, “If I still had the will to live, it was thanks to Richard Parker. He kept me from thinking too much about my family and my tragic circumstances” (Martel 164). This shows how Richard Parker occupies Pi’s mind and influences his thoughts about the tragic incident that has happened. The will to live for Pi is no longer his family, but Richard Parker, his id. Richard Parker taught Pi how to survive based on his instincts an...
"People may be born with some risk factors, while others may be triggered by physical or emotional trauma, stress, drug abuse, or physical illness." (Bjornlund, 2011) DID sufferers frequently report severe abuse as a child, either physical or sexual. (Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder), Nov. 2014) “Child, persecutor, and protector identity states are often exhibited by DID sufferers.” (Rosik, 2012). Research shows that the development of the disorder is probably a mental response to interpersonal and environmental hardships, particularly at a young age when emotional abandonment or abuse can interfere with personality growth and development. (Goldberg, 2014) “The common belief among most professionals is the personality splintered or fractured before the age of five.” (Swartz, 2001) Victims use their multiple personalities as a coping mechanism when too difficult to remember the trauma they have been through. For example, in the study Recovering Identity, the abuse history
... how it has a connection to Freud’s idea of psychoanalysis. When Pi reveals an alternate story of the events that unraveled and led him to the Mexican beach it brings his story to a halt. The reader has to decide for themselves which story is to be believed. When looking at both stories it is easy to match up the connections on the characters being switched. It also makes it very clear that Richard Parker could have been a disguised idea of Pi’s actual id, the reason for his survival. Meanwhile Pi stood for his own ego and somewhat managed to answer to both his id and super ego to some extent. By the ending of the novel the readers come to conclude Mr. Patel does come full circle and carries all three aspects, the id, ego, and super ego and is a functioning member of society once again.
Damage to the frontal lobe cortex of the brain can cause difficulty in everyday activities. The frontal lobes role in people’s behavior includes executive processes, language, emotional expression and movement. Ryan Godfrey has difficulties in some areas of executive processes due to the damage tumors caused in his brain. Ryan and others with frontal lobe damage can benefit from knowing these deficits by taking steps to reduce their impact. The brain tends to compensate for damaged parts and a faith in God brings power to overcome deficits. Thus, behavioral difficulties for frontal lobe damaged patients are only a guideline not a box, for nothing is impossible for God to accomplish.
The effects of trauma on the functioning of the brain is an expanding subject of research and treatment. Trauma can change the chemistry of the brain and disrupt normal human functioning. Information in this section has been taken from the works of Judith Lewis Hermann, MD, Robert Scaer,
However, there are two major theories that give an understanding in the cause of DID. The Post-Traumatic model of DID suggests that it originates from severe trauma during childhood or adolescence. This trauma can be disorganized attachment, chronic neglect, and abuse (Vissia 2016). These experiences cause the formation of alters within the person as a defense mechanism. The second theory is known as the sociocognitive model, also known as the fantasy model (1). This model suggests that people who are diagnosed with DID are the product of their environment. Meaning, they are influenced by social and cultural factors that create or maintain the disorder. In this model, the person does not know, or think, that they have alters until it is suggested by a professional or another person in the patient’s life. It is at that point, they begin to believe that the do have alters which leads to diagnosis of DID. Unfortunately, the long-term prognosis for DID is not great, regardless of treatment method. However, there are treatment methods that can improve the symptoms. Ultimately, it is possible for alters to fuse, in others words they merge into their host personality. Yet they very rarely become unified
At the start of novel, and when Pi is a child, he is extremely religious. He devotes his life to loving God, and even practices three religions to do so. He practices Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. His explanation for practicing all three is that according to Bapu Gandhi, “‘All religions are true’”(69). Pi explains that he practices all three religions because, “[he] just wants to love God”(69). Pi’s major religious values and faith in God continue to shape his life daily, until the shipwreck leaves him stranded on the Pacific, with a tiger for 227 days. Although Pi still remains religious and continues to praise God most days, the shipwreck does change Pi’s religious morals. Richard Parker is the factor that begins this change in Pi, because Pi knows that in order to survive he will have to fish to provide for Richard Parker if he wants to avoid being eaten himself. Fishing, however goes against the religious practice of Hinduism, which requires vegetarianism. Also, killing animals goes against Pi’s whole religious morals to not hurt another living being. Pi says the idea of killing a fish, and of “beating a soft living head with a hammer [is] simply too much”(183). It goes against everything he believes in. So, he decides to instead cover to fish’s head and break its neck (183). He explains that, “he [gives] up a number of times.
The most significant level is psychological because it is very important to a person’s emotional and physical survival. In order for someone to survive, he or she must have a positive mind with faith and determination in every action they take, Despite the fact that having high hopes with slim chances of survival is not as easy as it seems. “In its general form such a requirement insists that important relations (survival, identity, psychological connectedness)”. (Brennan 225). Trying to survive, Pi has to struggle with himself mentally: he has to go against his ethics like rectitude and religion pledge. To do that easily Pi finds his animalistic part which he called in his story as Richard Parker. May be because of his religious grounds he would have never done things like killing people eating fish or cannibalizing humans as done with just imagining himself as a Bengal tiger and he admits that “If I still had the will to live, it was thanks to Richard Parker. He kept me from thinking too much about my family and my tragic circumstances. He pushed me to go on living. I hated him for it, yet at the same time I was grateful.” (Martel, 219) This quote shows that he used this imagination to kill his loneliness boredom...
Right before the men depart, Pi asks them this question, “In both stories the ship sinks, my entire family dies, and I suffer… Which is a better story?” (Page 398). He points out that there is no factual difference either way, so it makes the most sense to tell the more compelling tale. It is more intriguing for listeners, and easier for Pi to cope with having to talk about the situation. Immediately, after he makes this point, when told the men will be watching out for Richard Parker, the tiger, Pi explains, “He’s hiding somewhere you’ll never find him.” (Page 399). Richard Parker symbolizes Pi when he is on the lifeboat; The part of him he doesn’t want to admit is there and wants to forget. By using illusion to tell his story he is able to reference that the part of him he thinks of as the tiger is now gone for good. Proven by this, Pi relies deeply on illusion to portray his inner feelings instead of telling them as they
Having just experienced the sinking of his family’s ship, and being put onto a life boat with only a hyena, Pi felt completely lost and alone. When he sees Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger from his family’s zoo, it is a familiar face to him. His initial reaction is to save the life of his familiar friend so that he may have a companion, and a protector aboard the lifeboat. Suddenly Pi realizes just what he is doing. He is saving the life of Richard Parker, by welcoming him, a 450 pound Bengal tiger, onto the small lifeboat. He experiences a change of heart when helping the tiger onto the boat. Pi realizes that he is now posing a threat on his own life. With Richard Parker on the boat, Pi is faced with not only the fight to survive stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but the fight to survive living with a meat eating tiger. The change of heart that Pi experiences might possibly mean that he is an impulsive thinker. It may mean that he often does something on impulse without thinking it through, and then later regrets his actions.