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Student Mrs. Verenkoff English 2H, Period 3 12 September 2010 The Vigor Of Faith: Cogitations on Life of Pi, by Yann Martel QUOTATION: Pi, the lone survivor from a sunken ship, recollects when he thought he saw the Virgin Mary and describes the bravery that it gives him: “I felt I saw her, a vision beyond a vision…She looked beautiful and supremely regal. She was smiling with…kindness…. My heart beat with fear and joy. The presence of God is the finest of rewards” (63).
ANALYSIS: Throughout Life of Pi, Yann Martel exhibits the strength religious faith bestows on Pi and on all the other people. Pi, being alone at sea with a tiger, had nothing tangible to give him mental valiance. Instead, his fortitude derives from his faith that convinces him to persevere for survival. It calls for the will to live on, stay optimistic, and preserve hope. On numerous occasions, Pi faces hardships no hopeless human could bear. He describes how religion is a necessity to keep optimism flowing with confidence, the “heart [beating] with…joy”(63), and dreams alive with promise. Without belief in this hope, a human lives without a soul, empty and just a shell, and lives to die without anything to look forward to after one’s demise. After all, “the presence of God is the finest of rewards” (63). The life of Pi is not a barrier to reality, but an identical copy of it. My grandfather, Antonino Morreale, died recently in peace despite his incredible pain. How could a man endure such misery with a smile? That smile was painted with hope and faith, which defeated the cunning of fear, despair, and anxiety. God took away the burden of uneasiness and replaced it with the utmost comfort and, most importantly, strength to leave this world. The strength radiated to his grieving family and empowered them to stay bathed in hope rather than drown in sorrow. He uses this method to all who believe, not just Pi or Antonino. Religion lifts anyone from hopelessness, gloom, melancholy, and darkness and transforms them into light. The light is hope and hope is liberating.
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