4B
The emotions that Pi experiences in this passage describe the significance that Richard Parker played in the survival of Pi. Pi describes the gruesome deaths of Orange Juice and the zebra, and essentially accepts death and prepares himself to allow the hyena to kill him. But when he looks down and discovers that Richard Parker is still alive and well, his enormous size and the mere fact that he had been onboard all along overwhelms him, and he spends the rest of the night in a state of delirium. Richard Parker, unknowingly to Pi, was exactly what exactly what Pi needed to remain living. Richard Parker gave Pi motivation to continue. If the significance of this passage was applied to the non-animal story, Richard Parker would be expressing Pi’s ‘descent’ into an animalistic behavior that was essential for his survival. Had that side of him, unlikely though in his situation, not displayed itself, Pi would never had had the courage to do what was necessary to keep himself alive. In the end of the passage Pi says “I kept thinking I had slept and was awaking after dreaming of a tiger”, Pi’s dreams represent a metaphor for his animalistic side taking charge, and taking control of him. He fell asleep the boy from India, but arose the tiger fighting for his life.
Trevor Padoll
4B
The emotions that Pi experiences in this passage describe the significance that Richard Parker played in the survival of Pi. Pi describes the gruesome deaths of Orange Juice and the zebra, and essentially accepts death and prepares himself to allow the hyena to kill him. But when he looks down and discovers that Richard Parker is still alive and well, his enormous size and the mere fact that he had been onboard all along overwhelms him, and he spends the rest of the night in a state of delirium. Richard Parker, unknowingly to Pi, was exactly what exactly what Pi needed to remain living. Richard Parker gave Pi motivation to continue. If the significance of this passage was applied to the non-animal story, Richard Parker would be expressing Pi’s ‘descent’ into an animalistic behavior that was essential for his survival. Had that side of him, unlikely though in his situation, not displayed itself, Pi would never had had the courage to do what was necessary to keep himself alive. In the end of the passage Pi says “I kept thinking I had slept and was awaking after dreaming of a tiger”, Pi’s dreams represent a metaphor for his animalistic side taking charge, and taking control of him. He fell asleep the boy from India, but arose the tiger fighting for his life.