Life of Pi: Life of Pi: Part Two (The Pacific Part Two (The Pacific

Ocean) ~ Chapters 37–42Ocean) ~ Chapters 37–42

HKASL ~ Literature in EnglishHKASL ~ Literature in English

SummarySummary The ship sinksThe ship sinks Pi finds himself in a lifeboat in the utter chaosPi finds himself in a lifeboat in the utter chaos A Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker: A Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker:

In the water, near drowningIn the water, near drowning Urges Pi to save himselfUrges Pi to save himself Boards the lifeboat Boards the lifeboat

Pi: Pi: Realizes the danger in sharing a tiny space with a Realizes the danger in sharing a tiny space with a

vicious animalvicious animal Throws himself into the roiling water Throws himself into the roiling water

SummarySummary Back a few moments: just before the sinking of the Back a few moments: just before the sinking of the TsimtTsimt

sumsum A loud noise, perhaps an explosion, wakes Pi A loud noise, perhaps an explosion, wakes Pi Tries to wake Ravi so they can go exploring togetherTries to wake Ravi so they can go exploring together Ravi stays asleepRavi stays asleep Pi passes his parents’ cabin door and climbs up to the main decPi passes his parents’ cabin door and climbs up to the main dec

kk RainingRaining

The boat: The boat: Listing considerably to one side Listing considerably to one side Making awful groaning noises Making awful groaning noises

Pi: Pi: Begins to feel afraidBegins to feel afraid Trying to run back down to where his family isTrying to run back down to where his family is The stairwell is full of water The stairwell is full of water

SummarySummary Going back up to the main deck… Going back up to the main deck…

Pi hears animals shriekingPi hears animals shrieking Three Chinese crewmen put a life jacket on him Three Chinese crewmen put a life jacket on him Throw him over the side of the shipThrow him over the side of the ship He falls forty feet before landing on a tarpaulin partiallHe falls forty feet before landing on a tarpaulin partiall

y covering a lifeboat hanging from the ship’s sidey covering a lifeboat hanging from the ship’s side A Grant’s zebra jumps into the lifeboat after him, smaA Grant’s zebra jumps into the lifeboat after him, sma

shing down onto a benchshing down onto a bench The lifeboat falls into the water The lifeboat falls into the water

SummarySummary Just after Pi jumps from the lifeboat into the wateJust after Pi jumps from the lifeboat into the wate

rr To escape Richard ParkerTo escape Richard Parker A shark cuts through the water nearbyA shark cuts through the water nearby Pi: Pi:

• Terrified Terrified • Sees only the zebra, not the tiger in the boatSees only the zebra, not the tiger in the boat• Slips back into the water but sees another shark Slips back into the water but sees another shark • Quickly hoists himself up onto an oar hanging off the edge of Quickly hoists himself up onto an oar hanging off the edge of

the shipthe ship• Dangles a few feet above the water, holding on for dear life Dangles a few feet above the water, holding on for dear life

SummarySummary The ship continues to sink…The ship continues to sink…

It disappearsIt disappears No other survivors (as Pi can tell) No other survivors (as Pi can tell) Pi’s making decision that he needs to change positionPi’s making decision that he needs to change position

…… • To prevent further soreness To prevent further soreness • To help him spot other lifeboatsTo help him spot other lifeboats

Pi:Pi:• Climbs up onto the lifeboat’s tarpaulin cover (he believes RicClimbs up onto the lifeboat’s tarpaulin cover (he believes Ric

hard Parker is hiding under)hard Parker is hiding under)• Frightened Frightened • Expects the tiger to appear and attack him at any momentExpects the tiger to appear and attack him at any moment• The tiger stays hiddenThe tiger stays hidden• The zebra is still alive, but with a severely broken back leg The zebra is still alive, but with a severely broken back leg

SummarySummary A hyena appears… A hyena appears…

Pi’s conclusion: Pi’s conclusion: • Richard Parker must have drownedRichard Parker must have drowned• A tiger and hyena could not both be on the lifeboat A tiger and hyena could not both be on the lifeboat

at the same time at the same time • He himself as bait for the hyena by the crew membHe himself as bait for the hyena by the crew memb

ersers• Hoping to clear the lifeboat for themselvesHoping to clear the lifeboat for themselves• Fearful of the hyena…Fearful of the hyena…

The upfront aggression of a dog: preferable to the slynesThe upfront aggression of a dog: preferable to the slyness and stealth of a jungle cat (Richard Parker) s and stealth of a jungle cat (Richard Parker)

SummarySummary

An orangutan came…An orangutan came… Named Orange JuiceNamed Orange Juice A star animal at the Pondicherry Zoo A star animal at the Pondicherry Zoo Mother of two male orangutansMother of two male orangutans Floats up to the lifeboat on a raft of bananas tFloats up to the lifeboat on a raft of bananas t

angled up in a netangled up in a net Boards the lifeboat in shockBoards the lifeboat in shock Pi saves the net but the bananas sink Pi saves the net but the bananas sink

AnalysisAnalysis The strongest message: The fierce, unrelenting The strongest message: The fierce, unrelenting

power with which life will fight to stave off deathpower with which life will fight to stave off death Close calls and near-fatal incidentsClose calls and near-fatal incidents Life continually surprises us with its might and will Life continually surprises us with its might and will

power:power:• Pi: survives his forty-foot fall through the air and lands Pi: survives his forty-foot fall through the air and lands

unharmed on the lifeboat’s spongy tarpaulin coverunharmed on the lifeboat’s spongy tarpaulin cover• Zebra: survives a much less graceful fall and a broken leg Zebra: survives a much less graceful fall and a broken leg • Richard Parker:, swims through turbulent ocean waters to Richard Parker:, swims through turbulent ocean waters to

clamber aboard a lifeboat in a state of shock and panic clamber aboard a lifeboat in a state of shock and panic • Orange Juice: magically appears out of nowhere to join this Orange Juice: magically appears out of nowhere to join this

group of survivorsgroup of survivors

AnalysisAnalysis ““Had I considered my prospects in light of reasoHad I considered my prospects in light of reaso

n, I surely would have given up and let go of the n, I surely would have given up and let go of the oar, hoping that I might drown before being eateoar, hoping that I might drown before being eaten.” : n.” : The sheer will to live outweighs logical thoughtThe sheer will to live outweighs logical thought Pi clings to the oar, and to lifePi clings to the oar, and to life

Stark contrast to the loss of lives — both human Stark contrast to the loss of lives — both human and animal — that the and animal — that the Tsimtsum’s Tsimtsum’s sinking causesinking causedd

AnalysisAnalysis

Appearance of Orange JuiceAppearance of Orange Juice The most humanlike of all the creatures that The most humanlike of all the creatures that

manage to board the lifeboatmanage to board the lifeboat Emphasizing the loss of human lifeEmphasizing the loss of human life A maternal figure: having given birth to two boA maternal figure: having given birth to two bo

ys at the Pondicherry Zooys at the Pondicherry Zoo The striking parallel between Orange Juice anThe striking parallel between Orange Juice an

d Mrs. Patel (Both have two sons) d Mrs. Patel (Both have two sons)

AnalysisAnalysis Pi’s untenable position: the turning point in an adPi’s untenable position: the turning point in an ad

olescent boy’s lifeolescent boy’s life Having to navigate the rough waters: the security of faHaving to navigate the rough waters: the security of fa

mily life Vs. the independence of adulthoodmily life Vs. the independence of adulthood Difficulty of growing upDifficulty of growing up Teasing from childhood friendsTeasing from childhood friends existential questioning of early adolescenceexistential questioning of early adolescence Pi’s hesitation and walking past his parents’ cabin dooPi’s hesitation and walking past his parents’ cabin doo

r just before the sinking of the r just before the sinking of the Tsimtsum:Tsimtsum: his desire to his desire to become independentbecome independent

The loss of his family: A inconsolable and uncertain PiThe loss of his family: A inconsolable and uncertain Pi Muscle aches Vs. Emotional pain: Pi must figure out hMuscle aches Vs. Emotional pain: Pi must figure out h

ow to fend for himself in a lonely, confusing, and even ow to fend for himself in a lonely, confusing, and even violent worldviolent world