Life of Pi by Yann Martel tells the story of a young man named Pi Patel, whose family owns a zoo in India. They decide to move to Canada and transport their zoo, but the ship they were sailing across the Atlantic encounters a storm and sinks. Pi is the only survivor, as he finds himself on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and Bengal tiger he names Richard Parker.
Visitors to the zoo are responsible for performing a great deal of horrible things with the animals, declaring humans as the worst of all animals. He again mentions Richard Parker and the folly of anthropomorphizing animals and humans.
Pi’s father at one point decided to display the danger of animals to Pi and Ravi. He shows the boys a tiger that has not been fed for three days, a standard condition in the wild. Watching what occurs when a goat is introduced to the cage scares “the living vegetarian daylights” out of him. Hisfather goes on to describe the strength of every animal in the zoo against human beings, that is of course except guinea pigs.
Already have an account? Log In Now