Book Review: Life of Pi

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. (C.S Lewis)

Was this the feeling that created such a relationship between Pi Patel and Richard Parker? I can honestly tell you that the relationship between a tiger and a man cannot be friendship. So then, why could Pi live to tell his story? Who saved him from the claws of an adult Bengal tiger?  After reading the novel, Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, I came to know the hero, how the silence of the hero meant more than the power and how the presence of the hero changed Pi’s life forever.

          Richard Parker saved Pi’s life. He was the tiger at the Pondicherry zoo owned by Pi’s father and the same tiger that led Pi to abandon the lifeboat and survive on a raft. This might have seemed as a drastic living condition for Pi but looking closely, Richard Parker on the boat was the first step to Pi’s survival. If Pi was alone on the boat, he could have had all the biscuits and cans of water to himself then soon run out of supplies. Also, no human being can last that long without any form of companionship and still remain sane. Pi acknowledged this when he says, “It is the irony of this story that the one who scared me witless to start with was the very same who brought me peace, purpose, I dare even say wholeness.”(Page 179) Heroes must have the power to save their victims and this would require a lot of strength on their path. Repeatedly telling the victim to assure them that everything is going to be alright is also a requirement.

          To begin, Richard Parker and Pi did not having any form of actual communication and there was no mention of Richard Parker fending for Pi anywhere in the book. Like I said earlier, Richard Parker’s silence was more of an advantage to Pi than any power he could have had. Upon arrival of the lifeboat, Pi was overwhelmed with his situation and couldn’t think of anything he could do to better it. Richard Parker remained hidden under the tarpaulin unknown to Pi but as time went by, it was his lair and Pi respected that. Richard Parker did communicate occasionally with his actions, either by growling or purring. Pi indicated once saying,” Richard Parker did it again, this time with a rolling of the head. He looked exactly as if he were asking me a question.”(181) This was prusten – the quietest of all tiger calls, a puff through the nose to express friendliness or harmful intentions. Richard Parker remained calm and Pi acknowledged this when he said, “It was Richard Parker who calmed me down.”(179) Once Pi was calm, he could finally deal with his loss and adapt to the stress.

Did our hero help him go through this even with the lack of communication?

          Yes. Richard Parker made Pi emotionally resilient. Pi was able to continue to live his life as normal as possible even after everything he had been through alone in the Pacific. He had a wider perspective of the physical world thanks to Richard Parker. How did Richard Parker just being present help him then? It was the one thing he couldn’t have survived without- realizing that he’s number one threat was the tiger. In order for his survival, he needed to tame the tiger and after doing so he gained the confidence that made every other obstacle ahead seem surmountable.

          Richard Parker saved Pi Molitor Patel, calmed him, strengthened him and most importantly, left him with hope. On the beach in Mexico, Pi was heartbroken because he couldn’t say goodbye to Parker but he was thankful for his life. A life he wouldn’t have had any more if he hadn’t been stuck with a 450 pound Royal Bengal tiger. It’s not every day you get up and act like the person right across you didn’t just save your life.