How Does The Raft In Life Of Pi Persuasive Essay
To be stranded at sea is already a difficult enough feat to deal with. To do so with a tiger aboard your lifeboat is even harder. However despite the struggle, Pi manages to accomplish it. Piscine Molitor Patel is marooned at sea after the Tsimtsum sunk in the Pacific Ocean. Along with a 450 pound Royal Bengal tiger, Pi struggles to survive. In Life of Pi, Yann Martel demonstrates the idea of safety through the raft when it becomes Pi’s territory and protection. After Pi overcomes his self pity, he decides that he was going to do everything in his power to survive. Pi thinks to himself, “I only had to hitch the other end of the rope to raft...and I might be saved”(Martel 150). This reveals that theme because in Pi’s eyes the building of a
raft was the only way that he could save himself from dangers of Richard Parker and his territorial habits. Not only was the raft his protection, but it also served as his territory. Pi explains that “Tigers are very territorial”(Martel 171). Knowing this, Pi had to figure out a way to separate their territories in order to ensure minimal conflict. When a fish jumps into the boat, Pi attempts to catch it for Richard Parker. However, after the fish escapes, Pi is in grave danger of being attacked by Richard Parker. The tiger was displeased that such a great gift had escaped from his grasp. Richard parker had, “... turned to me. ‘Where’s my treat?’ his face seemed to inquire”( Martel 181). Pi had been blamed for the escape of his food. To abscond the dangers of Richard Parker, Pi turned to the raft he had constructed to save him. This is evident when Pi says, “I turned with...hope that I could jump onto the raft before he could jump onto me”(Martel 181). The first idea of safety that comes to Pi’s mind is the raft which indicates how it serves as his protection from Richard Parker. The raft serves as an essential part of Pi’s survival and Pi himself when he says, “The loss of the raft was...fatal to my spirits”(Martel 228). This shows that the presence of the raft gave Pi not only way to survive and a way to protect himself from Richard Parker, but hope. When Pi constructed the raft, it was after his hopes had been replenished. That leads the reader to think that the raft, in Pi’s mind, the raft was a symbol of hope. Pi does not realize the importance of the raft, which had protected him for so long, until it was gone.
Not only did the raft provide Pi with protection, but it became a last resort for him. When all else failed, his raft did not. When Pi ends up in the sea and is forced to swim for his life, he says, “I swam for the raft in frantic strokes…”(Martel 206). This evidence conveys the idea that he used the raft in desperate situations. He always turned to the raft when he was in need of saving. The last option for Pi, was to create his own territory, separate from that of Richard Parker’s. In doing so, he has established a place that is foreign to his companion, therefore being his protection. After being stranded at sea, Pi Patel becomes a cast away in the Pacific Ocean. The Tsimtsum’s sinking brought great grief upon Pi but he still has not lost hope in himself. Along with a 450 pound Royal Bengal tiger, Pi struggles to survive the dangers of sea survival. Yann Martel demonstrates, in his novel Life of Pi, the idea of safety through the raft as it serves as Pi’s protection and territory.
raft was the only way that he could save himself from dangers of Richard Parker and his territorial habits. Not only was the raft his protection, but it also served as his territory. Pi explains that “Tigers are very territorial”(Martel 171). Knowing this, Pi had to figure out a way to separate their territories in order to ensure minimal conflict. When a fish jumps into the boat, Pi attempts to catch it for Richard Parker. However, after the fish escapes, Pi is in grave danger of being attacked by Richard Parker. The tiger was displeased that such a great gift had escaped from his grasp. Richard parker had, “... turned to me. ‘Where’s my treat?’ his face seemed to inquire”( Martel 181). Pi had been blamed for the escape of his food. To abscond the dangers of Richard Parker, Pi turned to the raft he had constructed to save him. This is evident when Pi says, “I turned with...hope that I could jump onto the raft before he could jump onto me”(Martel 181). The first idea of safety that comes to Pi’s mind is the raft which indicates how it serves as his protection from Richard Parker. The raft serves as an essential part of Pi’s survival and Pi himself when he says, “The loss of the raft was...fatal to my spirits”(Martel 228). This shows that the presence of the raft gave Pi not only way to survive and a way to protect himself from Richard Parker, but hope. When Pi constructed the raft, it was after his hopes had been replenished. That leads the reader to think that the raft, in Pi’s mind, the raft was a symbol of hope. Pi does not realize the importance of the raft, which had protected him for so long, until it was gone.
Not only did the raft provide Pi with protection, but it became a last resort for him. When all else failed, his raft did not. When Pi ends up in the sea and is forced to swim for his life, he says, “I swam for the raft in frantic strokes…”(Martel 206). This evidence conveys the idea that he used the raft in desperate situations. He always turned to the raft when he was in need of saving. The last option for Pi, was to create his own territory, separate from that of Richard Parker’s. In doing so, he has established a place that is foreign to his companion, therefore being his protection. After being stranded at sea, Pi Patel becomes a cast away in the Pacific Ocean. The Tsimtsum’s sinking brought great grief upon Pi but he still has not lost hope in himself. Along with a 450 pound Royal Bengal tiger, Pi struggles to survive the dangers of sea survival. Yann Martel demonstrates, in his novel Life of Pi, the idea of safety through the raft as it serves as Pi’s protection and territory.