Reflection About The Life Of Pi

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The Life of Pi is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. This book covers a wide variety of emotions, such as happiness, confusion, thrill, and sadness. The main theme of this book is the concept of telling a good story, which, according to Pi, was the one God would choose as well. In the words of Pi, " The world isn’t just the way it is. It is how we understand it". Believing in something that is unseen and illogical helps us deal with fear and strengthens our faith.
The story begins in India where Pi's father owned a zoo. Zoology was one of Pi's passions along with religion. Pi had a very strong thirst for knowledge but he also had a hunger for God. In the book, Pi clearly showed his love for the many classical divisions of religion. He worshiped as a Hindu, Muslim, and a Christian. Pi's family laughed at Pi because they said that it was not possible to believe in that many different religions. Pi was very much against not having a belief at all. He thought that you should have to believe in something in order to get by in life. Pi's devotion to his belief in God was shown very well at the beginning of the story. His life changed drastically when his father decided to sell the zoo and move their family from India to Canada due to political unrest. His father sold the majority of the animals to zoos in America. They loaded their belongings and the animals onto a freight ship. Unfortunately, half way across the Pacific, the ship sank. Pi then found himself abandoned on a lifeboat with only a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker, a zebra, a hyena and an orangutan. He was faced with more physical needs than ever before and his faith and devotion to God wavered a bit. Pi always tried to remember his devotion during...

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...e on a Mexican beach, like the cheek of God. Pi was weak, tired and exhausted and Richard Parker got out of the boat and just walked into the jungle without so much as a glance back never to be seen again. Pi weeped as Richard Parker walked away into the jungle as he felt abandoned and sad that he was not able to give a proper farewell. Richard Parker's existence could not be proven but he is what kept Pi alive. And so it goes with God - His existence cannot be proven but He is what kept Pi alive.
Both stories match but with different characters. The first story allowed his mind to reach out in faith and imagination to escape to a place to be able to deal with the harshness of his existence on the lifeboat. This was a powerful strategy for self preservation. Even though the second story was far more believable, it was not the better story.
Which do you prefer?

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