Life Of Pi

People ask hundreds of thousands of questions in their lifetime. These questions differ for each of us, but there are two questions that we all have in common. The questions are who am I? and with whom might I connect? We all go on journeys to find answers to these questions. On our journey, we reach roadblocks that we must go over to reach our answer. Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a book that illustrates the personal journey of a boy named Pi, who asks these questions. In Life of Pi, Pi goes on a long journey to find his answers, and reaches many roadblocks. Once we reach our answers, there are two things that happen. When we find the answer to Who am I? we announce it to the world, and when we find the answer to with whom might I connect?

is a question of identity, and with whom might I connect? is a question of intimacy. Each of us goes on a personal journey to answer these questions. People ask these questions at least once in their lifetimes. Everyone has a different answer. The reason we ask these questions may be different from person to person. One person may feel as if they don’t belong, and need to express themselves somehow, but they need to find an identity first. Another may feel lost in life because of a traumatic experience. In Life of Pi, Pi seems to ask who am I? at school. “It was my turn. Time to put down Satan. Medina, here I come. I got up from my desk and hurried to the blackboard. Before the teacher could say a word, I picked up a piece of chalk and said as I wrote: My name is Piscine Molitor Patel. Known to all as - I double underlined the first two letters of my given name – Pi Patel.” (Martel, 22-23) Why would we shrink our names to fit into society? If we are shrinking our names to fit into society, we are masking our identity. I think that this is where Pi asks who am I? because he shrinks his identity to fit in. Pi also wants to connect with others, especially God. “I just want to love God. {...} I fancy that he heard our conversation, but that he paid even greater attention to my heart.” (Martel, 69) If I open my heart to the universe, will someone hear me? This seems to be what Pi is asking here. He just wants to have someone to communicate with. He may not have an

As a result, he will announce his identity and find someone to communicate with. When we finish our journeys, we settle into our answers. When we ask these questions, we will always find the answer in time. When we answer the question of identity, we make an announcement to the world that we have found ourselves. Once we answer the intimacy question, we go through a process called reciprocation. We continue to have conversations with whomever we asked the question of intimacy. Pi finds his answer to who am I? when a second survivor shows up. “I had an idea. “MY NAME,” I roared into the elements with my last breath, “IS PISCINE MOLITOR PATEL,” How could an echo create a name?” (Martel, 249) He announces who he is, and how everyone should identify him. We state our identity and expect others to identify us as such. Pi also finds his answer to with whom can I connect? “This beach, so soft, firm and vast, was like the cheek of god, and somewhere two eyes were glittering with pleasure and a mouth was smiling at having me there.” (Martel, 285) God delivers Pi to the beach in Mexico, and Pi thinks that God is answering his question. He continues to believe in, and talk to, God to complete the process of reciprocity. After we find our answers our journey ends, and we announce our answers