Life Of Pi By Yann Martel Survival Analysis

In Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, Piscine Molitor Patel illustrates the suffering of a survivor following a major traumatic event. After a cargo ship carrying a full zoo and all of Pi’s family sinks, Pi is left with a few animals and his thoughts to keep him company. While at sea, his supplies dwindle and he has to resort to extreme measures. These measures come into full effect when Pi’s boat leads him to another survivor. The characters of Pi and the other survivor, a French man, portray how the need to survive can force these survivors to resort to savage actions. Throughout this scene, there is a common thread of this idea. It first becomes apparent as Pi’s eyesight diminishes and he is blinded. He completely gives up, forfeiting his life and his will to live. As he often does throughout the story, Pi turns to his faith when he is in this time of need. He decides to “leave matters in the hands of God” (242). He does not allow himself to be driven mad because his faith is able to ground him. On the other hand, he gives up his life. He desperately wants his suffering to end so he becomes willing to pay the ultimate price. Driven by the pain of not having the necessary rations of food and water to live, Pi feels as though he should give up. His religion has taught Pi how sacred life is so for Pi this is the most extreme form of desperation.
He was not speaking to a tiger but to a French man who survived on a lifeboat just like Pi. Pi didn’t realize he was speaking to another person because the lack of nutrition caused his eyesight to fade. The french man, suffering from the same things as Pi, has resorted to murder to survive. He has killed two people, a man and a woman. His desperation makes him realize that in order for himself to survive, the others need to die. He does not feel any guilt, saying, “It was them or me” (247). Because his will to live was so strong, two innocent people were