Life of Pi: Blog 3

In this chapter, Pi's religious beliefs are tested. As a devout Hindu, Christian, and Muslim, Pi has certain practices that he has become accustomed to, especially in his Hindu faith because, as a Hindu, eating meat is forbidden. Pi tries to fish to no avail, showing that he is open to the idea of feasting on meat, but his real transformation happens a little after his failed fishing attempts. After seeing Richard Parker dining on flying fish, Pi takes the difficult plunge and kills a fish for himself. This shows that humans, when faced with difficult, possibly religiously affiliated decisions will most likely choose survival over beliefs. Pi realizes that he must eat to live but that eating meat means that he isviolating his religious beliefs. While this isn't savagery, this concept is similar to that of Lord of the Fly's when the boys resort to violence to survive. The boys weren't initially savage people, but their predicament called for savage measures to insure their survival. Pi soon becomes content with killing the fish because he understands that when it comes to religions, flexibility is okay (as seen in his simultaneous practice of three).

In this section, it also is becoming evident that Pi is experiencing some of the "zoo morphism" as well. He seems to be becoming more and more like Richard Parker in his eating habits, just like how Richard Parker is not acting as a tiger should. They both changed their ways to accommodate one another, and weather it was subconscious or not, the morphism allows them to relate to one another and is key in their survival. Pi needs Richard Parker as a companion, and Richard Parker needs Pi for food.