Zoos In Life Of Pi

Register to read the introduction… Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.” (21). This quote can have many different meanings. Pi has heard many people say negative things about zoos, mostly that they take away noble, wild animals of their freedom and trap them in boring, domesticated lives, but he disagrees. He believes that wild animals in their natural surroundings come to deal with fear, fighting, lack of food, and parasites on a regular basis. Animals in the wild are not free at all; they must follow the harsh laws of nature or die. Religion with its many orders and rules may also be seen as intrusions on personal freedom. But Pi defends religion the same way he defends zoos. In his point of view, the cages and restrictions of religion provide a cozy and comfortable life and people prefer not to leave because life outside is miserable by comparison. Religion is a method humans have developed of making their lives more pleasurable, more meaningful, and more …show more content…
The most obvious symbol of Hinduism in the novel is the colour orange. It symbolizes hope and survival. The first time that the colour orange is mentioned, it is when the author is visiting Pi's house and sees that Pi has children and there is an orange cat, this foreshadows that Pi will survive and be able to father his children and live to tell the tale. The little orange cat recalls Richard Parker and it is Richard Parker who helps Pi survive. When in the sea, the boat, tarpaulin, life jackets and even the whistle were all orange and all of these things worked in their own way and helped Pi live. Orange relates to Hinduism because most temples are orange and usually marigolds are used to decorate them. The boat is like a temple because it is like a shelter and safe haven where people find peace. Priests wear orange robes and survive off of donations; Richard Parker is also orange and is dependent on Pi for food. Priests also stay inside the temple most of the time and rarely interact with humans, this resembles Richard …show more content…
These prayers helped him to survive. He was able to somewhat maintain his religious lifestyle he had prior to the sinking of the Tsimtsum. He also makes many religious connections throughout his journey. As Yann Martel has said, “The theme of this novel can be summarized in three lines. Life is a story. You can choose your story. And a story with an imaginative overlay is the better story.” In the novel the greatest imaginative overlay is religion. Religion is like a pattern that occurs countless times in the novel, it makes the story interesting and believable. Pi’s religious faith remained strong throughout his journey on the Pacific Ocean and it was religion that helped him complete the journey and symbols of this are present throughout the