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Life of Pi Rough Draft
In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, there are three themes that seem to overpower throughout; religion, fear, and hope. When the main character in the novel, Pi, is forced to move the family's zoo from Pondicherry India to Canada in search for a better life, their boat suddenly begins to sink in the middle of the pacific ocean. Miraculously Pi is the only human that survives. But unfortunately for this poor boy he is stuck on a 26 foot lifeboat with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a three year old bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The themes religion, fear, and hope are repeatedly stressed to try to get the reader to greater grasp the concepts of what Pi was going through while stranded on a lifeboat for 227 days. These three themes are also the driving forces that strive and help Pi to fight for his survival even when there are no signs of success..

Pi is a strong believer and practices Hinduism, Christianity, and islam. Believing in all three of these religions Pi sees good things in every one of them because he loves and believes so strongly in god. “I just want to love god” (Martel, 69). Even through the emotional and physical strain Pi faces while on the lifeboat, he still finds the time to pray to god everyday pleading for him, or it to help him survive.
“I was giving up. I would have given up if a voice hadn't made itself heard in my heart. ‘I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now i will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen everyday. I will in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as god is with me, I will not die. Amen.’” (Martel, 186) Pi’s dedication to god gives him the hope he needs in order to survive his unfortunate predicament.

Fear, another dominant theme in the novel also gives Pi the will to fight for his survival. Fear is a human emotion that sometimes prevents humans or any animal to be successful.
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