American author, E. E. Cummings, once said, “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” In other words, individuals are born with potential and must find a way to overcome daily challenges in life to fully achieve their purpose. An example of an obstacle might be failure or rejection, but how one acts in the face of adversity is determined by possessed courage. In Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, he portrays how emotional courage is an essential component to overcome the pain of separation and discover success through self-development. More specifically, the main character, Pi Patel, experiences tragic loss in which he must apply his existing emotional courage to make informed decisions to ensure his survival at sea. While it is evident Pi retains strong emotional courage during his 227 days shipwrecked, the question remains in how he is able to transform his innate potential into courage that can be called upon in times of crisis.
Courage is a virtue that is continually developed over the span of Pi’s life in India through security he finds in his childhood at the zoo, family, and religion. …show more content…
He considers his childhood to be his “fondest memories,” describing his home, the zoo, as “paradise on earth” (15). Along with this, knowledge about animal instincts and behavior is readily available to him and becomes second nature. For example, Pi learns the importance of dominance and ferocity in tigers, a lesson that becomes essential in his survival later on. Being equipped with this familiarity and understanding, Pi is able to start constructing his courage at a young