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The Transformative Nature Of Discovery In Margaret Atwood's The Moment

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Discoveries can be a permeation of necessity and planning, yet have transformative ramifications. Discovery can be instigated through various necessities; however, extrinsic forces can unravel even the most pragmatic approach, leading to unexpected outcomes. Ang Lee’s film, Life of Pi explores the transformative nature of discovery through the tale of an individual and his necessity to survive. Simultaneously, Margaret Atwood’s poem, The Moment, explores the ramifications of discovery through the exploration of human ownership or lack thereof. Both texts insightfully display the notion of discovery. The transformative nature of discovery is critically analysed through the evolution of Pi’ perceptivity of his environment. This is instigated throughout the plot by the metaphorical representation of Pi’s primal being, Richard Parker, the adult Bengal tiger. The …show more content…

The audience is first introduced to Richard Parker in a low angle shot of him killing the hyena to instil the tiger’s dominance and power. This symbolic characterisation allowed Pi to censor his reality, and adapt to the primitive necessities required for his survival. This is surprising to even Pi himself, and the taming scene exemplifies his will to supress the tiger and his metaphorical primal instincts. Lee again uses a high angle shot to depict Richard Parker’s supremacy over the weak, primordial Pi furthering the notion of Pi’s inability to tame the tiger. This incapability to tame Richard Parker epitomises his loss of conscious control due to extrinsic forces, which is scary and frightening for Pi. He longs for a pragmatic approach to his situation, however this is unknowingly personified in Richard Parker. As he proceeds on his journey, he comes to the discovery that Richard Parker is an imperative aspect of his survival, and they come to a symbiotic

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