Asti's AP Lit & Comp 2019-2020 discussion

It has often been said that what we value can be determined only by what we sacrifice. Consider how this statement applies to a character from Yann Martel's "Life of Pi". Select a character that has deliberately sacrificed, surrendered, or forfeited something in a way that highlights that character’s values. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the particular sacrifice illuminates the character’s values and provides a deeper understanding of the meaning of the work as a whole.

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Lizannette Gonzalez

Many characters in "Life of Pi" have sacrificed for what they value above all else, but the character who embodies this trait the most is the cook. From his first introduction, the cook has been a character who always put his hunger first above anyone and anything. As the lifeboat's food rations begin to plunder, the cook begins to use more extreme and violent methods to feed himself as seen when the cook cuts off the Chines sailor's leg to use as bait. The cook's complete disregard for the other survivors just to keep himself satisfied highlights how desperate and willing the cook was to appease his stomach. From the surface, the cook's sin would be his gluttony, how he simply consumes and consumes with no thought of anyone else, but the cook also sinned through greed. The cook's greed led him to hoard and to eradicate anyone who might have tried to take his food and it is only until the cooks murders Pi's mother that he realizes the error of his ways and is why he does not struggle when Pi murders him.
It is easy to cope with trauma by imagining something that is similar to the truth, but the absolute barbarity of the cook illustrates that while human beings are evolved, they are not too far away from their basic, animalistic instincts that will drive them to survive through any means possible.

Luis Gutierrez

In the life of Pi, Pi's father made a sort of sacrifice, both physically and emotionally. When Pi's father takes Ravi and Pi's mother to the tiger to demonstrate the dangers of the wild, Pi's father feeds the tiger a live goat, which stays in the memory of the two brothers. What sacrifices were made?
Pi and his brother were completely innocent and enjoyed living in a zoo their entire childhood, but Pi's father not only sacrificed a goat, but this idea that the brothers had the animals were fun and loveable. Although Pi and Ravi surely knew what animals were dangerous already, their dad decided to display to them something that most kids don't see, especially in person. Pi's and Ravi's childhoods were sacrificed that day, in order to ensure that they stayed out of danger growing up. This goes to show that Pi's dad was a man who wanted to keep his family safe at any cost, and the sacrifice he made was for that cause.

In the novel The Life of Pi, many characters display a form of sacrifice and giving, however, a character I believe is worthy of being noted for much of his or her sacrifice to achieve something or give someone else something has to be Pi. Pi Sacrifices his own safety and his own life in allowing for Richard Parker to live but not in the tigers favor or well being , but rather his own. This creates a short of black and white narrative between Pi’s decision because he allows the animal to live for his own well being. As a young boy Pi was taught by his family namely his father that this animal will kill for food he has been aware of the animals ferocious nature and strength since the beginning, yet when he is put in a dire situation forcing him under the circumstance of being in a small tight space with such a beast rather than allow Richard Parker to die Pi lets him stay, but Pi’s sacrifice is not for Richard Parker but rather for himself. As Pi keeps the tiger around not because he needs to but because he wants to for the sake of companionship. Pi relinquishes his own safety and life just to have a form of company, and even goes as far as purposely keeping the tiger alive when given the chance just so he won’t be alone. Pi took a sort of morbid solace in knowing that he wasn’t suffering all alone and that he had someone else with him, even if that someone wanted to kill him it made him feel less small. By doing this Pi gave himself something to do, something to keep him moving and motivated to get up and keeping going. Richard Parker kept Pi on edge on alert and gave probably gave Pi much trauma but without Richard Parker Pi knew he would’ve died, as he himself noted this in the novel where if he were all alone by himself he would’ve died and given up but by having the tiger at his side it gave him that hope and that sense of comfort he needed to press on, and by doing so by Pi sacrificing himself and his safety It allowed him to be mentally fortified and pressed onward.

In "Life of Pi" a character that sacrifices something which in effect showcases their values is the zebra. When we meet the zebra in the second half of the story, it breaks a leg in going for the lifeboat but continues to carry on. This shows that the zebra has a high regard for its life as it is willing to break a bone to ensure his life for a longer period. This value that the zebra carries with it is also shown when it is mortally injured to the point that organs are about to spill out, the zebra continues to live and fend off the hyena to failing efforts. In doing this , the zebra shows the fact that pain will not stop it from trying to survive. The zebra would even hide the fact that it was in pain, it would soldier out the pain, Pi even wrote that the only instance the zebra showed pain was when it would grind its teeth. Even if the zebra was at a disadvantage , it would not let the hyena have a quick and easy win. The zebra did end up passing away but it did not go without a fight, showcasing the qualities of a soldier.

Nohely Diaz Ontiveros

In the novel, a character that sacrifices something which showcases their values is Pi’s father. He is first said to be the manager of a hotel, working hard to provide for his family and all the necessities. However, we then learn that he sacrifices his job to run a zoo due to his interest in animals. We learn that he is a man that values passion and going after what fulfills him as a person. Though he truly cared for his animals, he always made certain that when it came to his family he would teach his children not only to care for and control wild animals, but to fear them for their instinctive character. He sacrifices the image his children hold for animals (being beautiful and captivating) and punches them with the reality of their danger. Also demonstrating how he’s a worrier by nature and how much he values family. The type of father that makes sure his family is aware of everything that could exist within their surroundings and how they can prevent/overcome any setbacks.

In Life of Pi, sacrifice is a recurring theme with many of the characters. While this is obvious in characters like Pi (where he sacrifices his safety and purity) and the cook (where he sacrifices his humanity), this is less obvious in the character of Orange Juice, or rather, Pi’s mother, due to her not being around for long. In the book, her entire character revolves around protecting Pi and being a mother. In her animal depiction it’s fitting that she was chosen as an orangutan, as Pi describes them as human like and loving- traits that follow her in the scenes where she is simply his mom. In the beginning of the book it’s her who Pi hides behind upon seeing the tiger devour the goat, and it’s her who covers his eyes in an attempt to shield him from the world’s cruelty because in her eyes, Pi was too young to be seeing the horrors of the world. It’s her who criticizes the cook for killing and eating sailor- something she views as vile and inhuman. And ultimately, it’s her who sacrifices her life for Pi and urges him to flee in a last attempt to save him, because that is who her character is- a mother who loves her son.

Many characters in "Life Of Pi" have had to sacrifice something of great importance in their lives. An example of sacrifice in "Life Of Pi" is the great sacrificial decision that Pi's father has decided upon, he is leaving his home for a better opportunity at life in a foreign land. He has decided to leave a life which he and his family love behind, he will be making a long journey in order to provide a better situation for his kin. The hard decision that PI's father has had to make showcases how much he values a government that shares his ideas, so much that he is willing to leave his home and history behind to seek one that does. Pi describes his fathers thoughts as " "The New India split into pieces and collapsed in Father's mind..."(Chapter 29, pg 79) When Pi mentions "New India" he is referring to his fathers idea that India government was evolving and on the path to becoming what he has always wished it were. But, Pi also mentions how "...New India split into pieces and collapsed...", which goes to show how Pi's father's dream of a new and improved Indian government was shattered, so much so that he had decided to uproot his entire life, go through the trouble of selling the animals he loved and maintained with such care only to escape this new government. Pi's father is shown to care about his family and his zoo deeply, but the fact that he had decided to leave the animals behind and move his family away from home truly emphasizes that idea that he values the state of the government just as much, or even more than, both his zoo and his home.

In the Life of Pi multiple characters had to make big sacrifices, but I believe the the protagonist had to make the biggest sacrifices. Pi had to sacrifice his whole life when he was told that they had to move to Canada. His first sacrifice though was giving up his actual name for his nickname of Pi because he was bullied when he was younger about his name. Then one of the most important sacrifices I believe was sinning. Pi was a religious person and most importantly a vegetarian all his life, so when h had to fish, kill, and eat fish or any other pray he was in a way ignoring and sacrificing all of his morals and ideas he was raised with. Pi also sacrificed his life and insanity where he stayed onboard the life boat and eventually even decided to jump right back on from the island since he had no way of knowing where exactly he was. Pi also sacrificed his immaturity when he was punter when his father forced to see Richard Parker(a tiger at the zoo) kill a goat in front of him.To conclude Pi sacrificed his innocence,religion, home and, sanity throughout the characters life and journey.