Lastly, Pi’s ability to hunt and prepare food gave him the advantage over Richard Parker and allowed them to build an unspoken bond. Pi was deathly afraid of getting eaten by Richard Parker which was a drive for him to catch food. Pi believes that if Richard Parker wasn't on the lifeboat with him, he wouldn't have put such a large effort into collecting food and water: “[W]ithout Richard Parker, I wouldn’t be alive today to tell you my story”(Martel 182). Without Richard Parker's presence, Pi would have not put the effort into surviving as much as he did. The bond was less of a friendship and more of a companionship. This is understood when Pi states,”You may be astonished that in such a short period of time I could go from weeping over the muffled killing of a flying fish to gleefully bludgeoning to death a Dorado”(Martel 205). Richard Parker pulled Pi away from his religious beliefs by creating a sense of confinement and saying, “If you don't kill, I will”. This results in Pi being pushed to break his vegetarianism and brutally kill the Durado to please Richard Parker. Pi sees richard parker as a companion and in turn feels the need to provide for him. On one hand pi provides food to protect himself and on the other he has an underlying respect for richard parker and wants him to remain healthy and happy. ''I love you!'' The words burst out pure and unfettered, infinite. The feeling flooded my chest. ''Truly I do. I love you, Richard Parker...Don't …show more content…
Whether it be the training of richard parker, the lessons in pondicherry as a kid, or to have the knowledge and ability to supply food and nutrients to both himself and Richard parker. “I would like to say it formally: Richard Parker, thank you. Thank you for saving my life. And now go where you must.”(Martel 317). Therefor, Pi’s knowledge of science and zoology played the biggest role in his