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Yann Martel's Life Of Pi

Decent Essays

Human nature is an uncertain concept which humans themselves have been grappling with since the beginning of their existence. In its definition, human nature envelops and describes the traits of humans as an entire species. The book Life of Pi by Yann Martel challenges previous conceptions about human nature. Martel instead introduces a human nature which is centered around selfishness, faith, and the will to live through significant animalistic metaphors.
Selfishness is a trait which appears throughout the book. It is a cruel, destructive quality. Life of Pi gives insight to how selfishness has plagued human nature and constantly tears people apart. The best example of selfishness can be observed after the main character, Piscine “Pi” Patel, is stranded on a small lifeboat with a zebra, hyena, orangutan (named Oranje Juice), and …show more content…

There are several obstacles which Pi faces mentally concerning his will to live. However, he represents a very strong personality and an unchanging tendency. At one point in the story, Pi is questioning his life completely. This moment of question is only temporary, as he makes a promise to himself that he will survive. Pi himself describes this will to live as “something constitutional” and an “inability to let go” (Martel 186). His description unquestionably exemplifies Martel’s statement about this will in human nature: humans are relentless in the fight for life. This quality isn’t something most humans can be taught; rather, it is something they are born with. Martel uses the animal Richard Parker, a Bengal tiger, to represent Pi’s subconscious throughout the book. As Pi struggles with this will to survive, a parallel can be observed with Richard Parker’s struggles as well. However, Richard Parker remains strong in his health. It becomes evident throughout the book that neither Richard Parker nor Pi will allow himself to

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