FRQ 3

FRQ 3 Essay 

Prompt 7

                                                      Essay #1

In the novel Life of Pi, Yann Martel employs the symbol of the tiger, Richard Parker, in order to convey the tiger’s eventual calmness and taming and the altered views he influences over Pi, ultimately illustrating in times of danger and survival, people need forms of coping and hope.

When first waking up on the boat, Pi realizes he is sharing the space with a tiger. He is deathly afraid of what's to come, but through time, Richard Parker becomes calm, sharing the same feelings of survival with Pi, rather than aggressiveness. By the end of the book when on the island, it is found that the two officers who found Pi have altering stories about what happened, one with and one without the Tiger. Because the tiger becomes calm, it acts as a sense of hope for Pi while on the lifeboat. Consequently, Pi can focus on surviving storms, finding food, and keeping the boat intact, rather than the fact that there is a deadly tiger with him. Therefore, Pi formed this fake sense of security through the taming of the tiger in order to save his mind from the full scope of the situation, showing that people experiencing pressure will do whatever it takes to find hope. Yann Martel also utilizes the tiger as a symbol to demonstrate a theme of survival through the taming of the tiger. When both Richard Parker and Pi have not eaten in days, they both share a common feeling of hunger and survival takes over. Instead of tension and pressure between the two, Parker calms down while Pi fishes for food. Richard even catches a fish of his own during this time. Because the two come together through time, their shared senses are displayed and less problems occur. Consequently, Martel’s decision to have the characters come together for once exemplifies the deep writing and themes used within the novel, like Pi improving his survival instincts and learning how to feel less fear and trauma. It is a major turning point in the novel, as Pi gains more and more hope for his survival. Therefore, Pi’s complete disillusion while on the lifeboat, to the extent of forming fictional stories, clearly displays how people do insane things when in times of survival for any sliver of hope.

Not only does Martel employ symbolism through the tiger by showing its transition from aggressive to relaxed, he also used it through the impact Richard Parker had on Pi’s decisions and thoughts. Furthermore, Yann Martel shows the changing in views of Pi as a result of Richard Parker being on the boat. Pi begins life on the boat terrified at the current predicament, but through time, Richard Parker helps keep his mind off a lot of things. For example, he worries less about his family and the dire circumstances they are in. Because Parker impacts Pi on a daily basis, Pi doesn’t see Parker as an enemy anymore, but as a necessity that keeps his mental state in check. Consequently, Pi directs more of his energy towards fishing, keeping the boat intact, and potentially finding land. Richard Parker is the symbol of hope for Pi that keeps him alive. Therefore, one source of inspiration and overall something to grab onto can drastically change how one deals with stress and danger. Also, Pi struggles early and seems lost at first before finally changing his mindset on the boat, displaying the symbolic importance of Richard Parker. Pi attempts to tame Richard Parker, but fails and falls off the boat. Using this initial failure, he develops a technique that tricks Richard Parker into thinking the noise of a whistle means danger, giving Pi control. Because Pi was able to use this tactic, he shifts his views over the tiger, even after falling off the boat because of him. Consequently, Pi would not have been able to overcome his mental hardships if he didn’t improvise and make this plan. Richard Parker also directly changes Pi’s mindset on the situation at hand, like themes of survival and hardship, meaning they can both function for the benefit of each other while on the boat. Therefore, Pi was able to distract himself from the danger of being in the middle of the ocean directly from the symbolic actions of Richard Parker, representing how everybody needs a beacon of hope and life in dangerous situations.

Ultimately, Martel reveals that the tiger within the novel, Life of Pi, is used as a symbol to demonstrate the eventual taming of the tiger and the implications he has on Pi’s views and feelings. Without Richard Parker, Pi would have to endure the intense loneliness of the vast sea and consequently have his mind primarily focused on his dire situation. Even if Richard Parker wasn’t real, as we see near the end of the book, it nonetheless helped Pi navigate through to safety. Finally, people can find high levels of hope through, real or fake, objects or people, especially in hard and dangerous times.

Essay #2

In the novel Beatrice and Virgil, Yann Martel employs Beatrice as a symbol of suffering and of victims as a whole in order to convey Beatrice’s innocence and her dependence on Virgil , ultimately illustrating some people experience pain that is hard to understand or grasp.

To begin, symbolism throughout the novel portrays Beatrice as an innocence, highlighting her true themes as a character. Beatrice is very physically vulnerable throughout the novel. She is constantly letting things happen to her without putting up any sort of fight. She is simply unable to defend herself. Because Beatrice is very physically weak, it makes her ability to fight back very low. Consequently, the innocent, like her, are the most likely groups of people to be used and abused. Martel uses her experiences to tie into Jewish people being subjected to cruelty in the holocaust because they also could not fight back against the pain pushed onto them. Therefore, weaker people go through pain and suffering that is indescribable to those more physically and mentally gifted. Martel also displayed symbolism through Beatrice because of her capabilities to be picked on easier than others. Beatrice is so weak and unable that it is easy for her to be the victim. Antagonists view her as an easy target because of her lack of defense and easy structure and mind to manipulate. Because she is an easy victim, her suffering is even more unjust. Consequently, her situation connects to all victims, as her suffering and pain is highlighted through her weakness as a person. Therefore, the common person would not understand the types of pain that innocent people go through, similar to the events Beatrice experiences.

Not only does Martel use Beatrice’s innocence to highlight the symbolic reference to suffering, he also uses Beatrice’s dependence on Virgil. Beatrice, depending on Virgil for many aspects of her life, can be tied into the symbolism of pain and suffering throughout the novel, deepening Martel’s complexity in his writing. When Beatrice is met with big words or sentences, she cannot understand them. She uses Virgil to help translate these higher level thoughts to her. Beatrice’s brain is not at a high enough level to process deep thinking situations. Because Beatrice is dependent on Virgil, it shows her weakness is a constant factor in her life. Consequently, inability to live a normal life is a massive burden placed on Beatrice on top of her physical suffering. In multiple ways is suffering through people portrayed through Beatrice. Therefore, unless people have experienced it first hand, they are unable to comprehend what people who are suffering are experiencing on a day to day basis. Also, suffering is symbolically incorporated in Beatrice’s character through her reliance on Virgil for defense, explaining how she can’t handle certain amounts of pain. In the play with Beatrice and Virgil, the taxidermist makes Beatrice depend on Virgil in harmful situations. Beatrice experiences many painful interpretations throughout this play, so she is constantly near Virgil. Because her character goes through many hardships, her only hope for relief is through Virgil. Consequently, her “suffering” can be eased through the help and reliance of others, but this is the only way for her to feel emotionally and physically better. Therefore, Virgil, or anybody in his shoes, can’t even begin to grasp the emotional tear put on the innocent and those who constantly suffer. 

Overall, symbolism functions in the novel Beatrice and Virgil through Beatrice’s innocence and her reliance on Virgil for help and decision making. In this novel, symbolism is multifaceted and complex because Beatrice’s character has multiple different symbolic meanings. Not only is her character symbolizing suffering through physical terror, but also through mental and emotional trauma, which can possibly be the worst factor. Her pain is explored through many different faces in the play that the taxidermist puts on. Such pain is so deep and rooted within people, that it becomes almost impossible to relate to other people and allow others to comprehend the pain being felt. All pain is different between people, and this theme is very present within the novel.