Life of Pi

   

The Savage Inside

  

          Born into the world an Indian, young Pi Patel was raised a vegetarian; as unfamiliar to killing as a new born. Then, forced out into the world on his own he is faced with life or death, and in order to choose life he must kill. Pi turns from an innocent vegetarian to an experienced killer within a matter of days. Like Pi, human beings are so able to forget their morals when they fear their life.

          Being a vegetarian such as Pi and then turning around and eating like a savage -- like Richard Parker -- takes a large amount of debating and decision making. If the consequences of this decision include living or dying, the choice seems simple. Humans fear nothing more than death, and in order to live one would sacrifice anything. Pi sacrificed his innocence -- someone who used to shudder at the breaking open of a banana for the sound reminded him of the breaking of a bone -- to became a meat eater... A killer. Is this not like what all humans do in the face of death? what all living creatures do when their life is in danger? The answer: yes.

           For most, Life is more precious than their most beloved beliefs. Unfortunately, people do have to face the challenges such as Pi did and choose whether or not to disregard their entire childhood and teachings to live; but without those things. Sometimes the outcome is for the greater good, but whether the outcome good or bad, the majority of our race would choose to deny their morals to live. 

 Mr. Kumar

          Mr. Kumar is a favorite teacher of Pi's, and a man that inspired him greatly. How could this be? This man claimed that religion was not darkness; God did not exist. Was this not the same God that Pi held Faith in? The same God that Pi had worshiped his entire life? Yet, Pi still respected this man that stood before him and doubted that his Faith was not Truth.
        Although this belief is opposite of what Pi believes in, he still respects Mr. Kumar for he has Faith of his own, and that is something that cannot be doubted. "It was my first clue that atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them -- and then they leap." With this quote, Pi is saying that atheists are trusting in their faith just as he, and are taking the leap of faith with what they know and believe. He respects and embraces this new belief and the rituals involved in it.
       Even though Mr. Kumar is an atheist, his description -- "His construction was geometric: he looked like two triangles, a smaller one and a larger one, balanced on two parallel lines." p. 25 -- describes otherwise. The triangle is a symbol of holiness and trinity, spirit and divinity. A triangle is often used to represent God, that is why the dollar bill has a pyramid with an eye embedded in it, looking out and surveying the beholder of the bill. It represents the all-seeing God. Mr. Kumar -- an atheist and strong believer in science -- was described as the symbol of God. Mr. Kumar is a paradox.