Life of Pi: Final Essay

Morally ambiguous characters—characters whose behavior discourages readers from seeing them as purely good or purely evil—are the heart of many works of literature. Choose a character from Life of Pi to identify as morally ambiguous, and write an essay in which you explain how the character can be viewed as such and why his moral ambiguity is significant to the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

                Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi is steeped in spirituality and symbolism. With expertly researched detail and smooth transitions, the author crafts characters whose beliefs and actions can easily be categorized as either moral or immoral. The stark contrast between good and evil displayed by characters like Pi Patel, the hyena, the orangutan, and the zebra is juxtaposed with a less noticeable, but equally effective, theme: moral ambiguity. The author who records the menagerie of events that comprise Pi Patel’s life can be identified as a character uncategorized by standards of both virtue and vice. The evident spiritual yearning and unknown identity of the author contribute to his moral ambiguity and, on a larger scale, the spiritual significance of Life of Pi.

                Before Pi recounts his tale of both mental and physical survival, the unnamed narrator introduces himself with a few obscure facts. The reader soon finds that the author has achieved only paltry acclaim for his previous works and that he travels to India in search of inspiration. His (or her, for that matter) acknowledgement of members of the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa and the Canadian Council for the Arts could possibly suggest that he is Japanese-Canadian. Additionally, the fictional author notes that he can translate Japanese. The unknown nationality, family background, and religious beliefs of the author contribute to his moral ambiguity. The reader does not know how to idealize the figure responsible for telling Pi’s story because he exposes his own life in dim light. As a result of his murky self-characterization, the author’s morality is not easily determined. The spiritual impact of his piecemeal personal description lies in the unknown, which not only appears in the “Author’s Note” but throughout the novel as a prevalent reminder of all that has not and may not ever be discovered.

                Not only does the narrator minimalize concrete facts about himself, he also makes evident his lack of self-identity and purpose. The first sentence in Life of Pi is “This book was born as I was hungry.” The author’s lackluster literary success and his journey to India further depict the confusion he experiences as he yearns for a good story. He explains that when he introduced himself as a writer, people would tell him unsatisfactory stories in hopes of lending inspiration and perhaps gaining publicity. The author’s world is devoid of inspiration until Pi and his tale that promises to restore faith in God enters it. Since the author often seems to be chasing inspiration and living without amazement, his positive and negative qualities cannot be fully deciphered. His moral ambiguity and spiritual search contribute to the significance of Life of Pi by letting the reader know that human character is often blurred when it is not defined by some type of spirituality.

                The gray area between good and evil leaves ample room for interpretation, and interpretation is a major component of all literature. The morally ambiguous qualities of the author in Life of Pi, which are expressed in both his lack of background information and his looming skepticism towards spirituality, allow the reader to examine the role of uncertainty. The two main appearances of the author at the beginning and end of Life of Pi are thought-provoking expositions of a character that embodies the moral middle ground that all humans encounter as they strive to find purpose. 

Current Event Blog Four: Obama on Gay Marriage

Summary: At an event at the Rubin Museum of Art in downtown New York City, President Barack Obama spoke publicly for the first time since he announced his support of gay marriage. Obama stated that gay marriage and the expansion of rights in general "doesn't weaken families; it strengthens families." The event, which was co-hosted by Martin, the Democratic National Committee’s LGBT Leadership Council and the Futuro Fund, a Latino get-out-the-vote organization affiliated with the Obama campaign, was also a backdrop for the President to discuss his campaign platform.  

Response: The President's stance on gay marriage is certainly one he in entitled to. Although I do not theologically condone homosexual marriage, I can agree with Obama when he says that the country has, historically, only benefited from the expansion of rights to all groups. I do find two issues with his speech at the Martin Art Museum event. Firstly, Obama says that marriage equality will strengthen families. I find this statement unfounded in context because he offers no support to his claim. As the leader of our nation, Barack Obama's words are extremely influential to the American people. His assertions must be substantiated by fact. Secondly, Obama quickly shifted the focus of the event from marriage equality to his own campaign. Although he spent more time speaking of his own policies rather than those of Republican candidate Mitt Romney, Obama does directly attack Romney as a "rubber stamp" politician who will support any Republican legislation regardless of its effectiveness. As I observe our President, I become increasingly aware that most of his appearances and endorsements seem to be rooted in political image and gain. Overall, Barack Obama's marriage equality speaking engagement was relatively harmless and largely bereft of controversy; however, his stray claims and campaign ploys make me question the sincerity and support of the President. 

Ali Weinberg, . "Obama: Gay Marriage 'doesn't weaken 

     families; it strengthens families'." msnbc.com. MSNBC

      News, 2012. Web. 14 May 2012.

Life of Pi: Final Blog

   The last section of Life of Pi was certainly the most thought-provoking and emotional portion of the book. Pi's struggle with survival is deeper than I had previously imagined; he encounters not only physical but also mental obstacles, which he overcomes with fierce spirituality and storytelling. The theme of the novel becomes inreasingly prevalent as it progresses, as does Pi's character.
    I like to think that the central idea of Life of Pi and perhaps of life itself is that man seeks God, both consciously and subconsciously, in every aspect of his life. Religion is a manifestation of the human desire to make sense of his surroundings and love his Creator. As Pi continues his journey of survival on the Pacific, his dependence upon God and the notion of divine love becomes integral to his mental endurance. Pi cries out to God when he is distressed and hungry and praises Him when he finds food and temporary solace. Pi and all of his actions, especially his integrity-based will to live, point to God. In the same way, all that we as humans do indicates a spiritual quest for survival.
    Pi, whom I referred to as the epitome of reason in my previous blog, is further revealed in this last portion of the book. As he recounts his tale to two investigators at an infirmary in Mexico, we as readers see that he is not as sound as we thought he was. He is overtaken by grief and shock, and he has every right to let his emotions pervade his words. Pi's cutting wits, however, are as sharp as ever as he presents astute arguments about the validity of his stories.
     Life of Pi is now my favorite work of fiction. The premise of the novel is astounding and extensively supported. The prose is breathtaking and certainly not repetitive, and the notion that a boy can love God despite the horrors he has seen is ultimately comforting.
 

Current Event Blog 3: A New Kind of Couples Counseling

Summary: As opposed to traditional marriage counseling, in which couples deal with their problems with hopes of staying together, a new, more realistic method is gaining traction in the United States. Discernment counseling offers a couple two options for their marital future: resolution or divorce. Couples can see a discernment counselor, who also sets aside time during each session to see both spouses separately, up to five times. Bill Doherty, a professor in the family social science department at the University of Minnesota, summarizes this new relationship therapy by saying, "We basically only see people where divorce is on the table."

Response: Divorce rates are increasing steadily, so a new type of counseling that recognizes and attempts to handle this social trend is quite overdue; however, discernment counseling also gives couples yet another opportunity to think and talk about how awful their marriages are. While I myself I have never been married (had I been, I wouldn't have been able to participate in Junior Miss), I can see how talking about divorce and legitimately considering it would make divorce rates rise. While some couples can benefit from discernment therapy as a vehicle for the safe disassembling of a dilapidated relationship, others may find themselves bringing an unnecessary end to a salvageable marriage.

Diane Mapes, . "Should we call it quits? A new kind of 
     couples' counseling." msnbc.com. MSNBC News, 
     n.d. Web. 3 May 2012.

LIFE OF PI Part 3: Chapters 56-89

Pi's journey or, rather, predicament, transforms from a somewhat dry account of seafaring and zoo animals to a pithy description of both physical and spiritual survival. I saw in this section three main premises: fear is a most evil opponent, man can get used to anything, and that the seeming absence of God causes the greatest despair.
As Pi depicts the effects of fear in Chapter 86, the suffering that he is to recount as the book progresses is evident. The reader can tell that he is speaking from experience, yet his words can easily be related to those of us who haven't floated the Pacific with a Bengal tiger. The presence of fear in Life of Pi makes Pi a realistic character, one who tosses and turns in his sleep like the ocean on which he has found himself.
Pi, who is an animal-loving vegetarian, is initially scarred when he hunts and kills fish, turtles, and even birds. As the need for food intensifies, however, he becomes accustomed to killing and eating animals. As he describes this change in attitude, he justifies it by saying that man can get used to anything. This underlying theme is pervasive in our culture as well. I would even go so far as to say that events like the Holocaust and school shootings are in part caused by normalization of atrocity. Additionally, when Pi successfully attempts to assert his dominance over Richard Parker, he claims that animals can get used to anything as well. Here, the reader can see that perseverance and intellect prevail over brute strength. The power of acclamation is paramount to Life of Pi and indeed the continuation of Pi's life because adaptation is often the key to progress.
This section of the book is more spiritual than the last; however, the reader sees a different side of Pi's religious zeal. Pi prays everyday he is on the life raft and tries to remain optimistic, but he often falls into despair because of the seeming absence of God. No longer is "I just want to love God" enough for Pi: he wants God to love and save him. As humans, we can feel tricked by a seemingly silent God who does not answer our prayers on our terms. Sometimes the situation can feel as dire as Pi's. The depiction of spiritual doubt in this section of the novel is refreshing, though, because it makes Pi a realistic character with a full range of emotions, including anger.
Life of Pi is a book in which I can see myself, despite the outlandish story line and cultural difference. In some ways, we are all floating with our fears, whispering prayers into the sky, God's immense and occasionally seemingly deaf ear.