Life of Pi: Coping Alone On A Boat
In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, A young boy named Piscine Patel, who goes by Pi,
lives an ordinary childhood in Pondicherry India until he was forced to sail across the ocean in
hope of a new life. After being ripped apart from his family, Pi experienced what no person ever
should. Surviving a drastic adventure on the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, limited to resources,
deprived from food and being forced to face the elements God had to offer was extremely
challenging to cope with. With an open mind and an outstanding imagination Pi created his own
story. The animals illustrated in Pi's imagination represent coping mechanisms that provide Pi with
the ability to grasp the concept…show more content… The hyena is used as a great coping mechanism. Using the hyena as a symbol allows Pi to easily
grasp the concept of reality and what has to be done to survive. In comparison with the actual story,
the hyena aggressively butchers the zebra in order to stay alive. “The hyena feels no disgust at this
mistake. Its delights are too many to admit to discuss anything.” (Martel 121) This morbid action is much easier to picture as a vulgar hyena rather than a human being,. It is beyond difficult to
observe such horrific scenes and to not have many options around. In Pi's mind, hyenas are
equivalent to violent murderers, with so much aggression and power. He knows them as “hardy
attackers” who will “never giving up for simple lack of will.” (128) Even though the hyena was the
main reason why Pi's fear began, the hyena acted as his mentor who taught him how to survive the
ocean. The foul hyena pushed him to build a raft in order to protect his own safety, as well as
forcing him to find his own source of food. It showed him how to kill and how to take matters into
his own hands. “He was in the middle of the boat. He was eating the hyena by great chunks.