Final version of Re-write

Due to the length and complexity of “The Good Earth” by Pearl, Buck, I reconsider the rewrite during the break and shift my original text to “Life of Pi”, which both the lecture and I are familiar with. I choose to write a short scene before the 21^st chapter, which pi and his family are making preparation to move to Canada. In fact, the rewrite is more like an overview of Pi’s religious life and I’ve changed some contents of the original story.

Pi’s religious life

Having been brought up by strict Indian parents, the life of Pi was full of mystery. However, he was lucky to have few friends and teachers who helped him during his dark days. His involvement in mindful practices of religion and academic studies slowly brought Pi back into life. After entering high school, he was able to study different religions and not many students preferred studying religion at the time since science was believed to conquer the world. However, as for him, the light of science doesn’t cancel out the light of religion. Pi was an observant shy boy who liked interpreting things according to religion. He believed in the several major religions of the world including Christianity, Buddha and Islam. Religious studies always reminded him the existence of God, who is capable of performing miracles.

Pi never believed in the theories formulated by scientists whom according to him were “atheistic, friendly, beer-drinkers and hardworking”. According to him, scientists were always preoccupied by with chess, sex, and baseball whenever they were not thinking about science. This made him hate science with a passion, and he performed better in religious studies. He noted that religious studies were not taken seriously in the school by the department and the students as it was regarded as a subject of “fools”. For instance, there were no awards in religious studies, but in other disciplines, there were various awards for those who performed well. This made him fall in love with religious studies and disapprove those who despised religious studies. Pi had a strong belief in the existence of God, and he was unable to explain some things such as death from his belief in religion.

In his study, there were both male and female students, though the number of male students was high compared to females. Most male students preferred taking science related courses such as engineering, electronics and astronomical studies. On the other hand, the few female students preferred taking arts related courses such as linguistics, literature and religious studies. During that period, there were several women rights movements that were empowering girls to get educated. This was probably one of the reasons as to why female students were increasing every year in most schools including the school where Pi was studying. Men believed that women should not get educated simply because they will get married afterwards. The life of female students at the school was not simple either. Male students believed that they were sex objects, an idea that did not impress Pi. According to one of the religions that Pi believed in, both men and women are equal hence he never saw a reason as to why women should be despised. He once listened to a conversation between a male and female student at the school where he got shocked.

Boy: Why do you need to study?

Girl: All my friends enter the high schools and my parents suggest me to study.

Boy: You girls shouldn’t have the legal rights to enter the high school. Just marry a man quickly and give birth to children!

Girl: what? Nonsense!

   This conversation annoyed Pi who was forced to interrupt the conversation and defend the girl. Having been brought by a poor and humble family, Pi believed that there should be equality. However, this was not the case due to class. Different people in his society belonged to various classes and interaction with a different class of people was prohibited by law. Pi could only communicate with members of his class. He never found answers from the different religions which he believed in. in one of the religions, it was clear that humans are divided into classes while in another religion, all humans are equal regardless of their physical appearances, color or race. Pi was not able to answer the question why some people are extremely rich while others are extremely poor, yet they live in the same locale or society. He always wondered why power is only given to the rich and not the poor like his family. At school, most student leaders came from rich and wealthy families, and this shuttered his dreams of becoming a student leader at the high school. The other reason that barred Pi from becoming a student leader is his religious beliefs. Most students who were elected as leaders were not religious hence as a religious person, he stood no chance of being elected. At times, he was torn between religion and science. Some of the things that science was able to explain could not be comprehensively explained by religion.

One incident happened that made Pi to believe that there is God, and that miracles do happen. He once saw a lion trying to get out of a zoo but it never attacked him. Back at his home, Pi’s father was a zoo-keeper hence he was brought up with animals. Pi indicated that he had heard much nonsense about zoos just like God and religion. People always thought that animals are always happy since they are free. However, he believed that that was not the way it should be as animals in the wild had compulsion as well as necessity within unforgiving social hierarchy where there is a lot of fear and little food. Even animals bred in zoos do not realize they are wild as they are adapted to their environment and feel no tension when humans are around. He thought that the reason as to why animals try to escape from zoos is to escape from something and not somewhere. He also thought that animals feel insecure in the zoos since when they escape, they always hide in a place where they think is secure, and they become dangerous when one happens to get between them and their safe spot. His encounter with a lion also made him think that lions tear people into pieces not because they are hungry or blood thirsty, but because its territory has been invaded. When he met the lion, Pi thought that it would tear him into pieces, but it never even looked at him. He was so scared, and was whispering to his heart that God will eventually save him from the animal. This was the first time he believed that miracles are real and God really exist. He would give a testimony everywhere he went.

Pi’s believe in different religions caused him trouble in his hometown. One day, he wanted to visit a church, but was afraid that he may be prosecuted by the staunch Christians. He decided to dress like a Christian and visit the early very early. As he entered the church, he felt a deep fear inside as he thought he would meet a Christian who would shout at him “what are you pagan doing here? Get out before I inform the authorities”. However, this did not happen, and Pi advanced to the inner sanctum of the church and there was a painting that was treated like God. He was amused by the fact that the idol was being worship as it symbolized God. From his religious experience, Pi said that humanity sins, but it is the son of God, who pays for the price. His experience and research on different religions indicated that people will always fight over religion since every religion believes it is superior than the others. Every religion had its own shortcomings in terms of practices. Pi strongly believed that religions are not bad, it is humans who make them bad. In the high school, he worked on a thesis that sought to answer whether there is a superior religion on earth. He spent most of his time researching on the practices of different religions of the world. His faith was strengthened by religion, but not in the human practices of religion. Pi believed that a religious person is the one who preserves morality and not the practices of religion such as going to worship places. He developed a dream of becoming a priest of all religions. 

Commentary of the novel “Life of Pi”

In the story of ‘life of Pi’, the author explores animal behavior, a boy’s maturity and survival .It reflects mystical interaction with animals and the flexibility of storytelling, as well as, the author’s imaginative power. The story is imaginative because it shows a beast and man working out a truce. Interestingly, Pi and the tiger continue to coexist harmoniously, contrary to the reader’s anticipation of conflict between them. This is not the case in the contemporary world where man and beast are in constant strife, primarily for resources such as land and water. Thus, the reader can derive the moral lesson of peaceful living with other beings on the universe. It is also unusual that the tiger saves Pi from an attack by his fellow man. In a way, the story reflects the selfishness that has ravaged the human society today. Instead of helping his fellow man, the blind castaway demonstrates his selfish interest when he attacks Pi. He strives to survive by making a meal out of his fellow man. The story also reflects the protagonist’s personal growth in the face of adversity. During his childhood, Pi watches a tiger devouring a live goat. From this experience, he learns that wild animals are dangerous. However, when he finds himself alone with a tiger on the lifeboat, he has to overcome his fear and fight to survive. The shipwreck triggers Pi’s maturity because he succeeds in fending for himself in the absence of his family. He accomplishes his goal by achieving harmony with his environment. He does so through physical and spiritual survival, in which case, he confirms his faith and maintains his belief in miracles. Ultimately, strength, wisdom and wit replace his fear of interacting with the tiger. Thus, Pi’s story is one of courage and maturity through his adverse experience as a shipwreck survivor. One thing inspired me in the story is that the book has an open ending. I could say it is not clear which side the author advocates. Is he advocating for belief in religion? Or is he advocating for empiricism and atheism? I think the author displays clever storytelling skills which make the novel more readable.