Pi Patel a Hero

Not all literature that consists of an adventure brands the protagonist as a hero; however, Yann Martell’s Life of Picontains many patterns of a monomyth quest. The Heroic Monomyth, also known as the hero’s journey, explains the common stages of a quest in many classic stories. The novel is split into three sections, each with a specific purpose. The first section introduces the readers to the protagonist, while the second section is the actual journey he partook in. The final section is the ambiguous conclusion, leaving the reader questioning the story. Following Piscine Molitor Patel’s endeavor, many of his heroic qualities are exposed. Due to his innovative thoughts and curiosity towards religion, his developed skills, and the quest patterns he experienced, Pi Patel portrays heroic qualities.

In “Part One: Toronto and Pondicherry”, the reader follows Pi’s thoughts, introducing them to his beliefs and ideologies. What contrasts Pi from any other sixteen year old, is that he questions his beliefs and independently inquires about religious practices. Pi is dissimilar to the student body of his school as he has been brought up in the peculiar environment of a zoo, leading him to have an advanced view on societal aspects of his community by comparing it to the animals in his home. Pi is not inevitably more intelligent than others his age; however, he is ambitious; he was eager to learn and to experience all he could, a very significant heroic quality. Ambition, a quality that is shared among many protagonists, can be a positive characteristic as much as it can be a flaw. Pi had controllable ambitions that do not require him to violate his ethics, vouchsafing him as a true hero.

In “Part Two: The Pacific Ocean”, Pi is faced with the hardships of, as stated in the section’s title, the Pacific Ocean. Pi is forced to care for himself, along with an adult Bengal tiger, developing skills involving acquiring food, fresh water, and shelter. Not every child who has