Parallels between modern text and Greek mythology
THE LIFE OF PI
By Yann Martel
The Greek Mythology unit we are doing in English class has resulted in me thinking about how lovely it would be to return to Greece. The other day I was looking through travel journals and I came across a book I had read while I was in Greece, The Life of Pi. I wondered if Pi, the main character, was in fact a hero. In The Life of Pi, there are numerous heroic archetypes.
To summarize the book:
The main character and protagonist, Pi Patel embarks on a grand journey, both physically and mentally. He comes to a realization of what is meaningful in life as he struggles for survival at sea. Pi is a sixteen year old formerly privileged boy from east India. His family decides to move due to political unrest in their home town where Pi’s father runs a zoo. Pi and his father, mother, brother Ravi and the inhabitants of the zoo depart for Canada on the ship called the Tsimtsum.
While at sea the Tsimtsum sinks in shark infested waters with no land is insight. The only other survivors other than Pi consist of a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan named Orange Juice and Richard Parker a 450 pound male Bengal tiger. All of the animals join Pi on a small life boat. Trouble start immediately when the hyena devours the orangutan and zebra, Richard Parker then devours the hyena. Subsequently Pi is alone with the soon starving Richard Parker. Rather than avoiding the tiger, Pi realizes that he must train it. Through a significant amount of persistence and effort Pi asserts authority over Richard and Pi is relatively safe from it.
While suffering at sea Pi encounters a starved Frenchman who has intent to cannibalize Pi, however the Frenchman is oblivious to Richard Parker who slays and devours the French man. Strangely enough Pi is a devotee of three religions, Hindu, Islam and Christianity, subsequently he allows numerous gods to lead him and encourage him to survive. Pi happens upon a strange island in the middle of the ocean which hosts no life other than algae and meerkats. On the island Pi and Richard Parker regain strength. After discovering human teeth and seeing the islands acid emissions that obliterate all living things, Pi and Richard Parker flee. While at sea again Pi experiences starvation, loneliness, fear, the power of belief in faith and maintaining the will to live. After 227 grueling days at sea Pi finally lands on a Mexican beach where Richard Parker quickly darts away into the jungle never to be seen again, this decision greatly disappointed Pi.
Finally while amongst humans Pi is fed and taken to hospital. Unfortunately the story of his grand journey is not believed. Pi then changes his story and substitutes the animal characters for humans, which leaves the reader wondering about Pi’s credibility about the first story.
The focus of The Life of Pi is on the power of religion:
Religion is an incredibly powerful force that encourages mankind to maintain hope and a will to survive. Although Pi Patel is only a sixteen year old boy lost at sea he is a hero. His strong belief in religion and ever-present will to live, despite the disparity of his situation, define him as a true hero.
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Heroic Archetypes
Pi Patel does not fall into any particular heroic archetype. I believe he is an accidental hero. The journey across the ocean is purely accidental and against his will. He is a hero as he continued to preserver and maintained the will to survive despite his dire circumstances.
Types of Archetypal journeys
Pi unwillingly embarks on an epic journey, where he must survive and struggle to find the meaning of life and the will to live.
Stages of a Hero’s Journey
Departure:
Pi is summoned to adventure when he and his family depart India for a new life in Canada.
Pi entered into a new and incredibly dangerous world when the Tsimtsum sank. Pi was forced to face being alone to survive.
The Road of Trials:
Pi’s devout beliefs in Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, provide Pi with supernatural aid. The gods encourage him to survive. Furthermore the very being that tests Pi’s survival helps him survive.
Richard Parker saved Pi from the cannibalistic Frenchman. If Richard Parker was not present Pi would easily give up due to severe loneliness and the overwhelming sense of hopelessness. In ancient Islam texts state tigers were sent by Allah to punish sinners. If Pi gave up practicing religion it would be a sin, subsequently Richard Parker would devour him. Richard Parker inspired Pi to survive and maintain his faiths.
The Inner Most Cave:
Pi is continuously placed under great trial at sea. He is fighting for survival, against all odds. He is fighting against fatigue, hunger, a starving tiger and extreme weather conditions. Pi’s devotion to religion is tested, he lost nearly everything when the Tsimtsum sank, yet he still maintains strong faith in the gods for the entirety of his journey.
Pi faces a trial when he landed upon the seemingly peaceful island. The island is an ideal place for Pi and Richard Parker to regain strength. Pi plans to stay on the island are eliminated when he discovered human teeth and the island acid emissions. He and Richard Parker quickly evacuate.
Return and Reintegration with Society:
After his 227 day journey Pi had a difficult time telling his story to the public. He provided an alternate version where the animal characters are human. The two versions portrayed how Pi came to view the animals. When Pi immigrated to Canada he used his wisdom to become a zoologist and retell his story.
