The recurring struggles to stop hunger and thirst shows the severe distinction between Pi's previous life as well as his present life on the lifeboat.
In the city of Pondicherry, where people are given food similar to zoo animals, the people did not have to exert any energy or effort just to get their nourishment; however Pi was forced to provide for himself when he was stranded on the open sea. Pi's change from modern civilization to the more primitive survival on the open sea is evident by his manner regarding fish -- before Pi was a vegetarian and was unwilling to take the life of an animal and then eat it, only when the fish was lifeless, seeing it like it was from the market, made Pi to feel better. As time passes by, Pi showed that his acceptance of his new found life because he showed an increasing ease when he eats meat.
As mentioned earlier, what the author wrote was beautiful and amusing because the metaphors of the tiniest thing can make one wonder why he/she did not see it that way before, as well as one's observations towards people and religions are motivating, frequently reflective; especially when Pi portrays scientists as: "I never had problems with my fellow scientists. Scientists are a friendly, atheistic, hard-working, beer drinking lot whose minds are preoccupied with sex, chess and baseball when they are not preoccupied with science."
However, one of my favorite quotes dealt with the author's...
My life is like a memento mori painting from European art: there is always a grinning skull at my side to remind me of the folly of human ambition. I mock this skull. I look at it and I say, "You've got the wrong fellow. You may not believe in life, but I don't believe in death. Move on!" The skull snickers and moves ever closer, but that doesn't surprise me. The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity-its envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs what it can. But life leaps over oblivion lightly; losing only a thing or two of no importance, and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud."
The Life of Pi offered a component of the extraordinary to the story, whereas at the same time, emerge as if the story might have be happening in reality because the distinctive combination of zoological, philosophical, as well as religious ideas pulls one in, in addition to letting one's mind absorb a profound feast despite the fact that one will hunger for more of Pi's story in the sea. I feel that it is an inspiring tale by a great storyteller, and be good for anyone who desires to look into a more profound meaning to the human condition.
Reference
Martel, Yann. "The Life of Pi." Canada: Seal books, 2001.
