Quotations from life of pi
"Time is an illusion that only makes us pant. I survived because I forgot even the very notion of time" (Martel 192).
Pi reflects on his remarkable journey across the Pacific and how he survived after 227 days at sea. He explains that in his diary, the only dates he wrote down were the day after the capsizing of the ship and the day he reached Tomatlan, Mexico. Pi's explanation is very similar to the saying that "nothing lasts forever". This quote shows the world that even against terrible odds and extreme circumstances, if one has the will to live, one can survive. Time should not be an obstacle that pushes people back. Martel's message preaches that one should persevere for however long for there's always the other side to the mountain.
"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life...[It forces] you [to] dismiss your last allies: hope and trust. There, you've defeated yourself. Fear, which is but an impression has triumphed over you" (161-162).
These inspiring lines tell the truth about the abstract demon called fear. Martel illustrates the doings of fear and almost reaches out and asks the reader to fight the black tide of fear for it is truly just an idea or a feeling that has no solid presence in the world. He encourages the reader to shine a light on the fear and make it concrete and only then will the fear dissipate. Martel explains that this characteristic is universal to all animals not solely humans and presents a solution to expose it and get rid of it. His wording in the quote is also significant. When he writes that, "Only fear can defeat life" he makes the quote much more inspirational and relates it to the real world.
"It was Richard Parker who calmed me down. It is the irony of this story that the one who scared me witless to start with was the very same who brought me peace, purpose, I dare say even wholeness" (162).
Out of context, this quote might sound crazy because Richard Parker is a huge Bengal tiger that seems to make Pi's journey all the more impossible. However, throughout the course of the novel, Martel writes about the interlacing relationship between man and tiger and how dependent Pi is on his ferocious friend. As he states later in the chapter, "Without Richard Parker, I would not be alive here today" (164). Richard Parker morphed from being Pi's biggest nightmare to being Pi's best friend who protects Pi from loneliness during the long journey. In a greater sense, Martel is essentially saying that everyone needs someone and that these people can come from many different and unexpected places. Also, Martel references the idea of savagery and animal instinct. Pi, originally a vegetarian, would never have survived without his animal instincts that allow him to eat meat and kill animals. Without instincts pushing him, Pi would never have survived.
Pi reflects on his remarkable journey across the Pacific and how he survived after 227 days at sea. He explains that in his diary, the only dates he wrote down were the day after the capsizing of the ship and the day he reached Tomatlan, Mexico. Pi's explanation is very similar to the saying that "nothing lasts forever". This quote shows the world that even against terrible odds and extreme circumstances, if one has the will to live, one can survive. Time should not be an obstacle that pushes people back. Martel's message preaches that one should persevere for however long for there's always the other side to the mountain.
"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life...[It forces] you [to] dismiss your last allies: hope and trust. There, you've defeated yourself. Fear, which is but an impression has triumphed over you" (161-162).
These inspiring lines tell the truth about the abstract demon called fear. Martel illustrates the doings of fear and almost reaches out and asks the reader to fight the black tide of fear for it is truly just an idea or a feeling that has no solid presence in the world. He encourages the reader to shine a light on the fear and make it concrete and only then will the fear dissipate. Martel explains that this characteristic is universal to all animals not solely humans and presents a solution to expose it and get rid of it. His wording in the quote is also significant. When he writes that, "Only fear can defeat life" he makes the quote much more inspirational and relates it to the real world.
"It was Richard Parker who calmed me down. It is the irony of this story that the one who scared me witless to start with was the very same who brought me peace, purpose, I dare say even wholeness" (162).
Out of context, this quote might sound crazy because Richard Parker is a huge Bengal tiger that seems to make Pi's journey all the more impossible. However, throughout the course of the novel, Martel writes about the interlacing relationship between man and tiger and how dependent Pi is on his ferocious friend. As he states later in the chapter, "Without Richard Parker, I would not be alive here today" (164). Richard Parker morphed from being Pi's biggest nightmare to being Pi's best friend who protects Pi from loneliness during the long journey. In a greater sense, Martel is essentially saying that everyone needs someone and that these people can come from many different and unexpected places. Also, Martel references the idea of savagery and animal instinct. Pi, originally a vegetarian, would never have survived without his animal instincts that allow him to eat meat and kill animals. Without instincts pushing him, Pi would never have survived.