Life of Pi reflection

Frankly speaking, the initial impulse that made me want to read this book is because the awarded movie ”Life of Pi” is adapted from here. Nevertheless, as I attempted to read it in depth, I found that it not only depicts the interaction between a man and a few animals but also involves some interior issues that is worth discussing.

The main idea of the book is surrounded by “believing”, and one of the issues discussed in the story is religion. Three clerics from different kinds of religions, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, argued with each other for which God they believed in exists. However, this problem not only appears in the book, but also occurs frequently in our lives.

The protagonist, Pi, possessed enthusiasm for every religion. He attempted to understand God through the lens of the three religions and preserve the advantages of each religion. However, the argument between them made him wonder why we have to get approach to knowing life by just “a” God. Why cannot a tolerating religion accept its adherents to believe in other religion at the same time? Indeed, to insist their own faith, people despite continuously breaking out religious wars and conflicts with other religions. It seems pious externally; however, isn’t it also betraying the original purpose which the religion is created for? Isn’t soothing and inspiring the public or even maintain the world peace the major aim of a religion? However, these functions are gradually out of function because of it. I think, no matter which religion it is, its god must feel disappointed.

Another important issue that is worthy of being discussed is how Pi thinks about religion during his journey. In the beginning stormy night, Pi was tossed on the boat by a crowd of sailors in solitude, though he implored them to rescue his families as well. Therefore, hatred sprang deep in Pi’s mind, and that is why when Richard Parker the tiger attempted to go on board, Pi pushed it aside. After Pi killed people, the tangle between Pi and Richard emphasizes the struggle of whether a religious person should suppress his rage or release his anger. The witness of the killing between the animals showed that Pi should release his anger to protect himself from death; however, the pious aspect of him told him to let go the hatred of companions being killed. It also brings out the incident of the change of his belief, which he found that why a person who dedicated himself to his family and the God will encounter such a unfortunate circumstance? Believing single-mindedly will only let you forget the cruelty of life, which leads you to destroying yourself. For instance, the existence of Richard showed he survived not only because of God but also living in the danger with Richard. If Richard shouldn’t have existed, I think Pi won’t have the ability to survive in such a boundless ocean. After being rescued eventually, Pi had a new decipherment of belief and rediscovered the meaning of life as well, which is, the beauty and the cruelty coexist in reality life. The leaving of Richard Parker stands for the start of the new life. From beginning to end, belief is the best tool to make people get rid of the reality, but it is absolutely not the whole of the life.