Leap of Faith

Leap of Faith: to believe or accept something unprovable, mostly associated with religious belief

     As we are reading in chapter 92, we see something really creepy-an carnivorous island.

     At first when Pi landed on the island, he was excited and surprised, just like a little kid who found his lost teddy bear. But as he spend more time on the island, he sees the island in another perspective. Often time when we are too close to something we wouldn't be able to see it thorougly, that's why we need to step out a little further to see it. Pi, as he found out how dangerous the island is, he ran away immediately, but the truth about the island is too unbelievable that the two Japanish men who heard it doubt about it. The "truth" they doubt was the truth that scared Pi away, but if I was them, I wouldn't believe in it too. I mean, an island that function by itself with algae that act like food trap and a fresh lake in the middle that connects to the salty ocean? Trees that eat meat and devour every piece of the animal beside its teeth? No living life on it except for...meerkats? Why meerkats? Why not cats or dogs who were more common? This is crazy, I mean I don't completely doubt that there might be an island like that somewhere on the Pacific Ocean floating around and it's not found by the satellite yet! Because this universe is so big and there's only a little thing we understand as human being when there are still so many thing unprovable, just like religion.

     For Pi, this is not a thing to be surprised by, he believe in it completely, is a fact to him because he experiened it. But for people like us who only see it through their stories, is hard to believe in it. Just like religion. There might be historical record on the events that were mentioned in the religious record and was proven true, it doesn't mean you will believe in it. For example when we talk about God's love for men and His mercy to forgive us, it is just stories that we heard. It happened and it may be true, but it's still very unbelievable for someone who just heard about it to believe in it. You need to experience it.

Why not take a brave leap of faith?

     It'll take a leap of faith, a small decision in believing in something may take a great jump for your faith. To say yes or no to a religion will take a great leap, and it's up to you whether to believe it or not. But why not be brave in taking a jump to experience something different and bigger, it might change your life and it might help you to see things in another perspective.

Boat & Island & God



Boat = w/God



Symbolism Alert!!



Boat = with God



Island = without God



Island = w/o God



?????????



     As we are reading through chapter 92 and 93, we realize a fact that after all that had happened, Pi went back to God again. In the very beginning of chapter 92, we see how Pi's boat was getting close to an island, and Pi was really excited about this discovery. He yelled out "My God! My God!" and then fell overboard. He thanks God a lot for bringing him to this island, although it wasn't at what he expected in the beginning. Later on the story went on talking about Pi and Richard Parker's interaction with the island. We learn a lot of creepy and amazing stuff as we read on and we see how each night Pi will go back to the life boat and pray. Then Pi starts to sleep on trees on the island and basically spending all of his time on the island after a few days. But it is the more you spend time with the more you understand about it, Pi realize the danger and the deceptive comfort of this island as he explore more each day. He was so afraid to the point that he sail his lifeboat away with Richard Parker without a hesitation. Then on chapter 93, we see Pi's emotion and his final decision in "turning to God".

     Chapter 93 contains a quote that I really like, "The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar." We can see how reluctant Pi is feeling now about surviving; he is weary and loss, it seems he is loosing all his hope. From the end of the previous chapter there is this sentence that say, "The sea was heavy, the sky grey," then at the start of chapter 93 we hear Pi describing his situation "as pointless as the weather." So Pi is like saying his situation is like the color "grey".

     Color has a significant meaning in literature (-by Mr.Webb), and when a color appears in the story, it is like an imply from the author to the reader. And the color grey means boring, decay/decline, and drains physical body. Pi, after describing the weather, connects it to his situation, it is like telling the reader that he's tired and his body is slowly decaying and draining away. But life would not leave him, although he is not expecting any hope to come alone, he still have to live on. And it is at this low point of his life, he turns to God again. His mind is desporate to leave his physical weariness that he turns to a spiritual support. The reality that he has to face in keeping alive is so heavy that he decide to reach for another source of salvation, on faith and on God.

     It is interesting how Pi comes up with this conclusion on the boat, he didn't put his whole focus on this source of life until he went through all these horrific tragedy, but I think it is common to human. It is not until we experienced and found out that "there is really nothing we can do to change", for we to turn to a supernatural power. It is interesting how after Pi turns to God, he landed on a beach in Mexico. Probably the author is trying to emphasis the fact that spiritual support can be surprisingly effective in self-preservation. And it is verly likely that this is the reason that human would want to soar higher in their low point.

     Religion can really play a great role in rescuing human from their misery. And in Pi's story, the boat is like a stable shelter where he experience the importance and true meaning of God and religion.

Do Bananas Float??

In Chapter 99, when Pi tells his story to Mr.Okamoto and Mr. Chiba, they don't believe it AT ALL! And the first "mistake" they pointed out in Pi's story is the fact that bananas don't float:

     Mr. Okamoto: "Mr.Patel, we don't believe your story."

     "Sorry--these cookies are good but they tend to crumble. I'm amazed. Why not?"

     "It doesn't hold up."

     "What do you mean?"

     "Bananas don't float."

     "I'm sorry?"

     "You said the orang-utan came floating on an island of bananas."
     "That's right."
     "Bananas don't float."
     "Yes, they do."
     "They're too heavy."

     "No, they're not. Here, try for yourself. I have two bananas right here."

Do Bananas float? I'm gonna test it myself:




I prepared bananas and

I fill the tub with water.



So this is the result of Bananas + tub fill with water

     "And?"

     Mr. Chiba: "Are they floating?"

     [Distantly] "They're floating."

     "So, are they floating?"

     [Distantly] "They're floating."

     "What did I tell you?"

Hahaha!

So they are floating, bananas do float!! How about an orang-utan floating on a bunch of bananas?

x a lot

Well, I think it will work, but it'll just take

a lot of bananas.

Result:  Orange Juice floating on Bananas