Do you believe in God? Is your faith strong enough that can withstand the test of time? What is faith? According to the bible, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. It gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (Hebrew 11: 1-2). It is in this belief that Pi clings to life when he is shipwrecked for 227 days and alone in the Pacific Ocean. The book, Life of Pi by Yann Martel tells a story of a young Indian boy, Piscine Molitor Patel, known as "Pi" who grows up in a zoo in Pondicherry, India. He is a pious and smart boy who at a young age, gains an interest in different religions in search for a deeper meaning and love of God. Pi grew up being a Hindu and his curiosity and love of God leads him to embrace two other religions and incorporate it into his life. His encounter with his atheist biology teacher, Mr. Kumar, who says that, "Religion is darkness" (Martel 34) makes him realize the incredible power of belief. This resolves him to learn other religions. At age 14, he meets Jesus Christ via a catholic priest named Father Martin. He asks to be baptized. Soon after, he meets another Mr. Kumar who devoutly practices Islam and he converts to Islam as well. Pi happily practices all three religions simultaneously despite the objections of his parents and religious leaders. When the three wise men confront and let him choose one religion, he quickly says, "Bapu Gandhi said, 'all religions are true', I just want to love God" (Martel 87). Pi is driven to learn these religions due to his love for God. Though the principles of each religion contradict each other, but for Pi, it is about faith and belief to the Almighty. He realizes that even if these religions have different rituals and prayers, still, they share the same common denominator and that is, to love God. To Pi, it does not matter how many religions a person worships as long as the person believes and have faith in the Creator. Such is his devotion and beliefs without holding any doubts in his heart. In this story, through the character of Pi, Yann Martel proves to us how hard and trying but ultimately rewarding it can be to have faith when face with difficulties.
Pi's faith is tested when the Tsimtsum- the ship he is in with his family capsized in the Pacific Ocean while on the way to Canada. He finds himself being orphaned and alone with everyone and everything he has ever known sink into the ocean. With only the hyena, orangutan, zebra and the Bengal tiger--Richard Parker for company in the lifeboat, the only thing that Pi is able to hold on to is his faith. Against all odds, Pi continues to honor God on the boat by making time each day to say some prayers. Even in the face of extreme adversity and fear, Pi not only makes room for himself in prayers but also for his parents, brother and the animals in the boat that has been killed by Richard Parker. He even prays for the first fish that he kills. He states that, "I never forget to include this fish in my prayers" (Martel 231). Being a vegetarian and religious, it pains him so much to squeeze the life out of the fish but he has to do it in order to survive.
Though Pi has a strong belief in God, he cannot help but doubt his faith after a few days while drifting in the ocean. He says that, "I was giving up. I would have given up-if a voice hadn’t made itself heard in my heart. The voice said, "I will not die. I refuse it" (Martel 186). He wants to give up living because of fear from the tiger and the predicament he is in, but upon hearing the voice, it resolves him and revives his will not to succumb to death. Instead of moping and cowering in fear, he starts planning for survival and thinks of ways how to tame Richard Parker. Pi is no match against a monstrous beast. Having limited food, water and knowledge of the sea, Pi feels powerless but having faith during tough times helps him stay in focus.
Pi's faith has inspired his will to live when he says,” so long as God is with me, I will not die" (Martel 186).His faith in God becomes his constant source of hope in a hopeless situation. His beliefs that God will not let him die in the vast seas, but instead, will deliver him to safety in due time uplifts his sagging spirit. Pi believes that God is with him and will carry him all the way throughout his ordeal. Even if he cannot see God in person but in his heart, he is alive and cheering him to go on.
Pi's belief goes with him throughout his journey. It becomes as important as food and water while on the lifeboat. One time he wakes up in the middle of the night and feels terrified looking at the wide expanse of the ocean, he "mumbled words of Muslim prayer and went back to sleep" (Martel 224). He is able to fall asleep comforted by his prayers. Prayers are a very important part of Pi’s day. He prays during sunrise, midmorning, late afternoon, sunset and night (Martel 240). He calls out to God and make sure to include Him on the list of what he has. He never forgets to thank God for the fishes and the turtles that he catches and for the tiger who provides him companionship and comfort. This only shows how Pi's unwavering faith stays with him and makes him calm despite his horrible situation.
At times, Pi often comes close of losing and giving up his faith after the constant suffering he faces on the boat, but as always he is able to restore and keep it burning in his heart. He states that,” the blackness would stir and eventually go away, and God would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving" (Martel 264). Pi's faith is dwindling at times and there is an element of despair in it but by clinging to his beliefs, it appeases and enables him to fight his loneliness and tribulations. Pi has strong faith in God that he is able to fend off his anxiety and fear. He realizes that God must have tested his faith and how far he can endure. He knows that God must have a reason for him to be spared from death. His beliefs that he has been given a miracle makes him more determined to survive and face the obstacles.
Throughout his ordeal, no matter how bad things got, Pi "turns to God" (Martel 358) and finds hope and comfort in it. Though no one can prove God's existence, yet his presence keeps Pi alive. He surrenders everything to God and let Him leads the way. When he lands in the beach in Mexico, he says, “It was like the cheek of God, and somewhere two eyes are glittering with pleasure and a mouth was smiling at having me there" (Martel 360). God is not gone and did not leave him throughout his trying times. Without that faith that deeply rooted in his heart, Pi would have given up dozen of times. Through all of his trials, he never surrenders and keeps on going.
Yann Martel tells us that no matter how brutal life is, having faith will give a person the strength to carry on. That a belief in God can be hard when times are difficult, but through strong faith as Pi shows to us, can persevere and rise up. His message to the reader is not about holding on to a particular religion but it is about having faith in something that you cannot see. Through the story of Pi and Richard Parker, Martel shows to us how sticking to one’s belief can be the most important thing in the world. At the end, the reader may choose to believe or not, that whatever beliefs you have about God, no matter how superficial or deep it is, you will have a better story in your life.
