Zoo = Religion ?!?!

"I know zoos are no longer in people’s good graces. Religion faces the same problem. Certain illusions about freedom plague them both."

        To understand why is Pi comparing zoo to religion we have to know what he had to say about each thing. As a boy, Pi spend most of his time in the Pondicherry Zoo where Mr. Patel owns, he considern this as a paradise. But he heard many people saying negative things about zoo-how human trap these poor creatures in a cage and limit their freedom when they want to be free, but he disagrees.

        Before we go on, you should think for yourself, is it better for animal to live in zoo, or set free? Let's anaylsis some biological facts about animals-they need food and water to strenghten themselves and they need good shelter to live and protect themselves. So in a zoo, an animal is provided with food and water, and they don't need to worry about protecting themselves because they have a shelter of their own, basically like a hotel. They even have room service, which help clean their place and it also provide medical care, the best of all, you don't need to tip them! On the other hand, an animal in the wild need to find food for themselves and they need to protect and find a safe place to live. Is this the freedom they want?

        If they have "freedom", they will automatically need to hunt for their own food and find a safe and comfortable shelter to live and protect themselves. Food, water shelter...these are not factors the animal want, these are things that they NEED, these are natural law they have to follow or else they will die. But if all these things were already provided in the zoo, why would they even want to go out and search for them?

        Looking at all these cartoon movies about how animals want to escape zoo to see what's out there and gain freedom, it is just ridiculous! How do we know that? Are we them? Or are we just attributing our thoughts and personality unto an animal? You need to realize how dangerous is to anthropomorphize an animal, this will lead us into a misunderstanding of what is true and we will just be trap in our "opinions" of what we believe is true! This is really foolish!

Religion = Freedom ?

        Zoo is providing the freedom, but people misinterprete it because of the large fence that surrounded them, but in the same way, people may be misinterpreting about freedom in religion. Often times people only see all these kinds of "do's" and "don't" within a religion and they will just think, "Man, they have no freedom...they are so trapped in what they think will save them." Really? Religion...trapped? People think that freedom is when they get to believe or disbelieve in anything they want, like the agnostic. They do not contribute any faith to the existence of god, and they think this is freedom because they get to believe in whatever they want, but in reality, they are just restricting themselves from believing in a greater and divine being. Just like the animals in the zoo, you see all these long and metal bar that trap them inside a small area and you immediately suppose that they have no freedom, but if you look deeper and wider beyond the bars, you will see all these food, water, and shelter that were provided. The animals have "freedom" to choose whether to accept the things that were provided or not because it's just there, it will not run away. On the other hand, an animal in the wild doesn't get to choose what to eat for dinner today or where to sleep today, they just have to do it because they need it! Not that they want it or anything, they don't have a choice! So is this the freedom many people are talking about?

        The "do's" and "don't" in a religion is like the metal bar cage that surround the animals. Many people see it as a trap, but it's actually an asylum that bring peace and secure to all who is inside. Those who are outside wondering around like they are "free" are actually in danger, because they don't know who or what is around waiting to hunt them down. They think they are free but actually they don't have a choice, they are living in their opinions that they believe were true...how pathetic it is? But in order for them to realize that they were actually trapped, they need to experience freedom first. They need to first be in an enclosure to see freedom from the true side, but how is it possible for someone to see if they believe they are free already?

        Connect to this theme, Pi also states that, "Irrational number with which scientists try to understand the universe, I found refuge."

Irrational: unreasonable, illegtimate, and ridiculous

        So in the unreasonable and ridiculous truth that everyone else try to explain, he found refuge. Pi found his refuge in what others don't believe, like religion. You can't explain it and you can't reason it, and it requires great amount of faith.

Faith: confidence and hope in believing what is cannot be seen

        You cannot see the true freedom of an animal from the outside when all you see in your eyes are the great metal bars that enclose them, in the same way, you cannot see and understand the true freedom that religion provide if all you see are the "do's" and "don't".

So who's really the one without freedom and liberty?

    

A "REAL" story

Although I announced stupidly in class that, “My life is boring!”, but actually, I think my life, so far, was quite interesting. You may throw out a question like, “How is it interesting?” or, “What make it interesting?” To be honestly with you, I may need a few minute to think of “why”. There are many things that happened in my life, whether it is good or bad. I am sure that there are more good things that happened in my life, but it is only the bad things that I can remember clearly. So to write an UNBELIEVABLE REAL STORY, all I could think of was all these bad and sad things. And I don’t want to be pessimistic and make everything sounds sad, so I decide not to write all these things down, because these memories are what I prefer to forget, but it is difficult because it vanquish 2 GB of my brain memory already. So I decided to leave it there because it brings no harm to my present life any way. And now, I want to wash these pessimistic thoughts with a happy story! Since I said happy memories aren’t as clearly kept in my mind, of course what I will say in the next few lines must happened recently, but before I tell this story, I have to say one that insure the “litigant’s” rights, so except the two person’s name that will occur soon, EVERYTHING WAS REAL! And also, if the dialogue is in blue, then it was spoken in Chinese, if it remains the color black, then it was spoken in English. So here’s the story!

         Today is a normal afternoon. Although it’s almost fall, the weather is still humid and warm. My two friends and I were waiting inline for the MRT to come. There are not a lot of people, but it is enough to fill the carriage of the MRT. As we were waiting, we were chatting loudly in Chinese about different things that happened in TAPA.



I forgot we are in public.....



        “Hay Bob! Tell you something really funny that happened when I talked to one of the freshman call Larry. He’s face is kind of chubby and white so I ask him is he Korean, then his eyes turn as big as a ping-pong ball!” I laughed as I said.

        “Hahaha! Why?? Is it because his eyes were small?” Bob laughed and replied.

        “I guess so, WAITED A MINUTE!” I yelled, “Hadassah is a Korean too!”

        Bob turns his head and look at Hadassah, “You are a Korean?”

        “Yes! A Korean that can speak many languages!” I said loudly as Hadassah nodded her head.

        Then I laughed and giggle for no reason. *as usual*

        “WHAT?!” Hadassah lean backward and put her hand out as she yelled out, “I DON’T WANT TO BE A TAIWANESE!”

        We paused and look at her. We know she didn’t mean anything, and it is normal for us to criticize each other and joke around like this. And usually, we will say something stupid back in response just to continue the joke. But we paused. Why? Because we realized where we are today is different. Today is not a typical day in TAPA when we just joke around stupidly with each other IN ENGLISH. We are in the MRT station, but moreover, we are in Taiwan.

We realized it and we paused. We looked around to see other people’s reaction, and obviously their face are full of disgust and degrade…but moreover they are mad.

I knew we have to say something; something to make the joke continues so we can just laugh and everything go back to a “typical day in TAPA”, but we paused. Hadassah knew it and she response quickly, but not as the way I thought. She reflectively looked at the old couple around 65-70 years old who stood in front of us and she said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean it. I am just joking.”

        I smiled and said, “Yea, we are just joking.”

        Hadassah bow 45 degree and apologize sincerely. But the old man turns around and said, “Is fine. That’s ok if you don’t want to be a Taiwanese. You can go be…the…African, or Japanese, or Chinese, or…the…people in the sky/heaven if you want.” The old man said it seriously in a really strong Taiwanese accent’s Chinese.

        Hadassah felt bad and embarrassed, she give him another 45 degree bow and said, “No, no. I was just joking, I am really sorry!”

        But the old man just said, “That’s ok, that’s ok. Is fine, but next time don’t say something so stupid. Think before you say anything so you won’t be like a fool,” and he turned back.

        The MRT came and make the sound of machine and wind. We looked at each other and I laughed awkwardly. Then I said to them, “That’s really stupid. Well I mean, if we just laughed and continue on with SOMETHING, then it will be fine. If we speak in English and laughed and joke, or if you just add something to the sentence you said, then it will be fine.”

        “I know,” Hadassah look to the side awkwardly, “but I feel really bad, I didn’t mean it. I said that because I am a Korean, I don’t want to be known as a Taiwanese.” She looked at us as she lower her voice. I can tell from her expression she felt really bad. But we know she was joking and we were fine with it. So I tell her, “That’s ok, you don’t have to feel bad because we know you were joking. This won’t happen again so don’t worry.”

        “Yes,” Bob said, “You don’t have to take it that serious.”

        We continue our talk as we walked into the carriage. We stood next to the seat with the old man in front of us, so I lower my voice and tell Hadassah, “He stand next to us.”

        Hadassah looked really bad and said, “I really didn’t mean it. I am so stupid.”

        I laughed loudly and we tried to comfort her, but then I tell her, “You are always so interesting! You always make my day!”

        Hadassah laughed awkwardly and said, “Shut up Betty~”, and I laughed.

        We were not ready for what is going to happened next because that’s one reason we spoke in English for the rest of our conversation. The old man looked at us again and asked, “Are you guys from USA?”

        We paused and looked at him. I laughed even more (but quietly) as I looked back at them awkwardly and Hadassah’s eyes just widen. Then Bob looked at us and said calmly, “Now we can’t even speak in English.”

        To be honest with you, that’s exactly what I want to say when I looked back at them, but I just signal Bob to be quiet. And Hadassah replied nervously in English, “No, we are just…students that know how to speak English…so…I”

        I laughed inside because I know she’s trying to say we know how to speak English because we study in American school, but she’s just too nervous to express her thoughts.

        Then the old man smile as in “everything makes sense”, and he said, “Oh! Ok! It took me a while to understand what you guys said afterward. So you are not American, and not a Taiwanese? So where are you from?”

        We answer quickly with her saying, “She’s from Korea.”

        Hadassah continue to explain, “Because I am from Korea so that’s why I don’t want to be known as…a…Taiwanese…I was just joking…I didn’t mean it…really!” She makes all these kind of weird movement in the air with her hand as she explains.

        I laughed and I just looked at them because I don’t know what to say and I know this is not the time for me to say anything. I looked around to see other people’s face, and I know someone out there must understand us too. The old man just looked at us and said, “That’s ok. It’s fine.”

        The MRT continue to make noise as it slows down to its next stop. When the door opens, the old man went off with his wife, he kind of look back at us when he said good bye to us. We smile and said good bye to them quietly, and Hadassah seems to be released from all her pressure and nervousness. We, too, were released. We looked at each other and smile. Then the first thing we all said was, “He can speak English?” Because this is really amazing to us, a man around 65-70 can understand us even though we speak really fast. Then we lowered our volume and said, “I thought guys like his age can’t speak English…I mean…”

        “Yea, I know…He is so….amazing…well educated…” Hadassah said with concern.

        “Haha, I understand,” Bob replied.

        “He’s just amazing…and cool…,” I said.

        We look at each other and smile awkwardly. We speak in Chinese because we feel stupid to speak in English after all that happened. And this is the story. Although it is not so UNBELIEVEABLE, but it is really dramatic. If this really happen to you, you make think, “No way! That’s stupid…and that’s really UNBELIEVABLE.”

        LOL~that’s what I mean.
        But it is often small things like this that make up our life. It is short, funny, sweet, and interesting. Although this may be one of the small things I will never forgets, but there are still other good things that happened in my life. If by any chance you get to know Hadassah and Bob too, just smile and don't criticize their stupidness, espeically Hadassah, she didn't mean it. After reading the story, if you know who they are, you can keep it as a secret or confirm with me, but don't laugh at them, because only I can. This is my 100% real UNBELIEVEABLE story.

Waiter misadd the bill for his customer

Waiter: "You did ate cheesecake!"
Customer: "No I DIDN'T!!"

Customer: I am ready to leave now, may I have the bill?
Waiter: Of course sir, one moment please. (walks away but quickly returns) Ah, here is the bill, $22.50.
Customer: Excuse me, I believe you have miscalculated, my calculations say that my bill should be $17.50 not $22.50.
Waiter: No sir, if I am not mistaken you had the dinner special, a coffee, and a desert.
Customer: I didn't have desert... Are you questioning my integrity?
Waiter: No sir, I am simply stating that our computer is never wrong. And I specifically recall you ordering a cheesecake.
Customer: I did not have desert!!
Waiter: Yes you did!
Customer: What happened to "the customer is always right"?
Waiter: I am new here and do not believe in that statement.
Customer: I can talk to your superior and get you out of here as quickly as you came!
Waiter: (sweetly) Perhaps we WERE mistaken in our original calculations. I'll go run the numbers through again and see what I can do.
Customer: Yeah, you do that!
Waiter: (returns) I'm sorry sir, but the bill is still $22.50, and we have a few people who are willing to state that you ate the cheesecake.
Customer: You horrid, horrid man! I demand to speak to the manager! I did no such thing! I don't even like cheese!
Waiter: My manager is busy and cannot come.
Customer: Then I request both your name and his name.
Waiter: My name is on my name tag, but you might want to rethink complaining to the owner about the manager.
Customer: Why is that?
Waiter: Because the manager is also the owner.
Customer: Fine.  I have your name and that's good enough.
Waiter: Good for you sir. (pauses) Are you ready to pay $22.50 now?
Customer: No! I will never be ready! I am only supposed to pay $17.50 and I will not be cheated!
Waiter: If you want I have the receipt right here.
Customer: Yes! I will show you that you are wrong, and that I am correct.
Waiter: One moment. (pulls the receipt out of his pocket) Look, one dinner special, one coffee, and one cheesecake.
Customer: I DIDN'T GET A CHEESECAKE!!!
Waiter: That's not what it says here, and its not what anyone else says either.
Customer: I will take you to court! This is an injustice!
Waiter: Seriously? Over five dollars? How immature...
Customer: Yes, but since its only five dollars, why are you so hung up on it?
Waiter: 'Cause I get paid minimum wage!
Customer: (laughs) Well that's not MY problem, now is it?
Waiter: You are more hung up on it than I am.
Customer: Are not!
Waiter: Are too!
Customer: Are not!
Waiter: Are too!
Customer: Its five dollars!
Waiter: Five dollars is still money!
Customer: Fine! (slaps the money down on table and walks away)
Waiter: Yeah that's right! Keep walking mister! (waits until he is safely out the door.) Yay! I got a five dollar tip! (customer runs in the door and takes away the five dollars)
Customer: $17.50 SIR!

Diary Day 5

The "lucky" curse I recieve...

Do you know how it feels like to fall from the very top to the bottom? I mean not physically, but emotionally. You suddenly have everything you ever wanted-riches, love, family and friends, but everything just disappear instantly. It vanish so fast that you can't even catch the last sight of it. Do you know how it feels like? I do.
     That guy, from the other hand of the phone, slowly spits out this sentence, "I've kidnapped your younger brother, if you want him alive, then prepare one hundred million for ransom." I don't know what to do, so I called my parents again, but no one answer. Can life get any worse? The answer is, "Yes."
    The doctor came out of the operation room, he take down his mask and shook his head and said, "We've tried, but she loose too much blood, sorry." A large cry burst out from her parents, and me, I was too shock that I can't say a word.
    I don't know what happen next, I can't hear anything. I slowly walk home, when I was back in my room, someone called. I pick up the phone, it was my parents. We talked about the kidnapping thing and they want me to send all the money to their bank account, but I didn't draw the money yet. So I depart to the bank, good that I took the lottery paper from my wallet and put it in my pocket, or else it will be gone with my wallet. Suddenly, my cellphone ring, I pick up the phone carefully, and the guy from the other side say, "Hello. This is the police officer from....," I grasp for the air, good that it is not that guy again, "You've been accused of murdering your best friend, so...," wait a minute. What is going on? The next thing I heard was people screaming, "WATCH OUT!" I turn around and that same texi ran towards me, and when I woke up, I was in the hospital.
     I hope the tragedy could end here, because I can bear it anymore. I was in a car accident, and it take away my left leg; the lottery paper was gone when I woke up, I think someone took it; my younger brother was kidnapped, and I have no money to pay for the ransom; and now, I am accused of killing my best friend! They said that someone witness me pushing her towards the texi, and they are going to sue me and put me in jail. Can't life get any worse? Now I am physically handicap, and I may have to spend the rest of my life in jail and paying out the debts that I owe from murdering.
     I knew from the beginning that I am not a lucky person, but I didn't know that I am to be "curse" at the age of twenty. It's all the lottery's fault! Why did I even play with lottery since I knew from the beginning I am not lucky? If only I didn't play with it, then these tragedy won't happen! It hurts to see my loves one to be put in jeopardy. I am willing to give my life for my best friend to be alive again, and for my younger brother to be back...if only I didn't win the lottery.
     I don't know what do to right now. I do't know how to tell my parents about this. I just want everything to end. I hope everything is just a dream, an imagination. If there is a God, can you please listen to my prayer? If life can start over again, I promise I will be thankful to everything; I promise I will never complain that I don't have enough, and I promise, I will never play with lottery again. But I know, nothing will change. Everything is real, it's not a dream, and it will not end...I guess....if this is the only solution...then...I will make everything a dream to me...and I will end it...sorry everyone...at the every last, please let me be selfish again

Diary Day 4



This is the hospital we were in...

        I thought today is going to be another good day because I am going on a date with him, but everything starts to go wrong. Ever since this morning, I feel like someone is staring at me, this feeling is really uncomfortable, because this is not normal "staring", I feel like I was actually spied on, like a prey of an eagle. I feel like I will be hunted anytime, I was so afraid that I try to avoid being alone. Later this afternoon, we met in front of McDonald before we depart to the Broadway, but suddenly, someone attack me from the back and I don't remember what happened next.
       The next thing I realize was myself laying in the hospital. The doctor told me that I have a little cerebral concussion, but "luckily", it didn't cause any major damage to my brain. He also told me that a guy around 6 foot tall with a brown hair mixed with the color yellow carried me to the hospital, I assume it was him. When I was about to leave the hospital, I took all my stuff and I look for my cellphone inside my bag, but I can't find it. Then how am I suppose to call him? I look around and I saw a public telephone, I reach in my bag to get some spare coins so I can give a call, but I can't find my wallet. Just when I was wondering where did I put my wallet and cellphone, my best friend ran to me. She was sweating and panting like she just ran around the whole city. She look worried and nervous, so I asked her what happened, just when she's about to explain what happen, he came. Behind him was 6 other people from our school, three boys and three girls. He ask me am I alright, I told him I am fine. Then he ask us out for dinner (I guess I've been laying the the hospital for quite long because is dinner time already), of course I agreed. I look at my best friend, but in her eyes were doubt. She didn't answer, she just pull me away from the crowd. I dont' know what happened beside the fact that she's trying to pull me away from them and they are walking fast after us, trying to persuade us to go.
       We start running into different street and we were moving so fast that they loose track of us. I really don't like it in the street because it's narrow, dark, and stinky. So I pull her hand and walk towards the big road. Suddenly, a texi ran towards us, I was so afraid that my leg stop moving. I can't hear anything, and the next thing I know is my best friend lying beside me. I was so shock that I faint and fall down beside her.
       This is the story so far. There are too many things that happen today that my head is not yet ready to accept all these things. Here I am, sitting in the hospital, outside the operation room, waiting for a good news. My best friend's parents were outside too, crying. I don't know what to do, so I called my parents. I dial my homephone on my cellphone's keyboard, hoping that my parents would pick up. I waited...but no one pick up the phone, so I hung up. Suddenly, an unknown number called me, I hesitated for a second, but I pick up the phone. On the other side of the phone, I heard a guy with a really deep voice. He's trying to make sure did he call the right person, so he ask me, "Are you....?" Apparently I am the one who is's looking for.

That time, I didn't know, that the next thing he's about to say is going to push me down from the top of the mountan to the deepest valley on the earth.

Diary Day 3

You all have to check this news! They
are reporting about me-the lucky girl!
It actually feel quite nice to be the
lucky girl and the center of attension!

     It's so weird...is the world going insane? I am not ready for EVERYTHING that happened today...why? Because the lottery I bought yesterday got the grand prize, which mean I WON THE ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR!! I can't really go to class today because there are all these gossiping newsman surrounding me and asking me all these kind of weird questions. It seems like I am the "lucky" one! Haha, how ironic? I never thought of myself as "lucky". I really don't know what should I do with these money, pay for my tuition? Buy new stuff? Donate it? Give it to my parents? Or...use it for my dream?

     I was so confused when I knew I won. But later on I talked with my parents and we figure out a way to use these money. We are using it to buy new houses, cars, and paying for my tuition, and the rest, we are going to save it. Sounds good, sounds nice, sounds reasonable. My heart is a little more peaceful after I recieve an answer, but there comes something greater after this. He ask me if I can go to Broadway and watch the newest musical with him! This is incredible! Of course I say yes! I really don't know how to explain all these things beside using the word luck. Am I really being lucky right now? I don't know, but I do know my family was happy for me, my best friend was happy for me, and I am happy for myself. Maybe I am born lucky, but I just didn't realize it.

     I am just so happy that I want to dance, it seems like everything in the world is perfect! I never really want anything in my life, but after recieving this great amount of money, list of things that I want to get line up in my head. I am going to get a new car for sure, and i am also getting new cloths and the latest apple product! Can life gets any better? I don't know, because right now, I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the whole universe!

The Pearl-ch.6

At night, when everyone else was asleep, Kino, Juana, and Coyotito left the town. While they were traveling, Kino use branches to wipe out their footprints. After a long journey, they rested on the side. Juana was restless while Kino went to sleep, suddenly, they saw trackers following them and tracking down their trail. They remained silent until they left, but Kino knew the trackers will soon find them, so they collect their belonging and continue their journey. When they sit down and take a rest, Kino tell Juana to hide with Coyotito as he moves ahead, but Juana insist the family should not seprate, so they move on together. As their day begin to end, they reach a cleft with pool and stream and they hid in the cave, unfortunately, the trackers arrived at their place and they were planing to spend their nights there too. Kino realizes that they will find them when the sun rise again, and their only way to escape is to attack them from the back, so Kino take out his cloth and sneak behind the awaked tracker (because he has the riffle). Suddenly, Coyotito crys and it wakes one of the sleeping trackers, they wonder is it a human's cry or just a coyote. So the tracker decide to stop the cry by shooting towards the direction of the cry, when the bullet was shoot, Kino jump out and grab the riffle, then, he killed the three men. But the bullet shot Coyotito and it killed him. The next day, Kino and Juana went back to their town, everyone else gather around them excitingly, but there was no joy on their face, instead, there was great sorrow upon it. Juana hold the body of Coyotito as Kino raise his hand and throw the pearl back to the ocean.

Like what Juana had worried, that pearl did bring tragedy to their family, but it is not the pearl itself, is the jealous and covetousness of others that create all these saddness. Not just Kino's family who exprience these things, but also those who are seeking for this pearl, such as the three trackers and the one guy who attack Kino in their town, they all die. I will just say, they deserve it, but how about Coyotito? He is innocent, he didn't seek anything good from the pearl. But he still dies as a sacrifice for others' covetousness and Kino's foolishness. Maybe it is only until this time that Kino understood how rich he actually was, but there is nothing he can do, for the riches of the pearl can't buy Coyotito's life back. Connect this to our life right now, maybe we have riches beyond our own imagination, but our covetousness blinded our eyes so we can only see things that we want. For a human's wants can never be satisfy, and often time, the searching for greater riches will only lead us to destruction.