Life of Pi and Castaway Comparative Essay 
Debbie Truong
ENG3U1-08
Mr. Ramos
29 May 2014
Life of Pi & Cast Away Comparative Essay:
Belief and Survival
In order for human kind to survive the painfully realistic days of existence, a sort of belief system is direly needed. As shown through Pi Patel from Life of Pi and Chuck Noland from Cast Away, holding onto a belief of something provides one with the determination to survive the worst conditions. Both the novel and the book share the story of two castaways who depend on their belief in something to survive and conquer their respective challenges – Pi Patel who depends on his faith in religion, and Chuck Noland with his faith in returning to civilization back to his loved one. At one point, they both lose this faith that keeps them alive for so long, which leads to the diminishing of their will to live. However as the stories progress, they both rediscover their faith with increased intensity, which allows them to survive their long journey back to humanity.
In the beginning of the novel Life of Pi, Pi Patel took on three, contradicting religions: Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. When Pi is forced to choose one religion to follow, he blurts out that he “just wants to love God” (Martel 87). Throughout the novel, it is his love and faith in God which keeps his inner fire, his will to live, burning bright. For an example, When Pi begins his 227 day journey in a lifeboat with a tiger; he loses all hope of living. Suddenly, a voice in his head states: “I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen” (Martel 186). This quote shows how God is a significant figure in his life and that his faith in God motivates him to keep on fighting to survive even if the odds are not the slightest in his
ENG3U1-08
Mr. Ramos
29 May 2014
Life of Pi & Cast Away Comparative Essay:
Belief and Survival
In order for human kind to survive the painfully realistic days of existence, a sort of belief system is direly needed. As shown through Pi Patel from Life of Pi and Chuck Noland from Cast Away, holding onto a belief of something provides one with the determination to survive the worst conditions. Both the novel and the book share the story of two castaways who depend on their belief in something to survive and conquer their respective challenges – Pi Patel who depends on his faith in religion, and Chuck Noland with his faith in returning to civilization back to his loved one. At one point, they both lose this faith that keeps them alive for so long, which leads to the diminishing of their will to live. However as the stories progress, they both rediscover their faith with increased intensity, which allows them to survive their long journey back to humanity.
In the beginning of the novel Life of Pi, Pi Patel took on three, contradicting religions: Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam. When Pi is forced to choose one religion to follow, he blurts out that he “just wants to love God” (Martel 87). Throughout the novel, it is his love and faith in God which keeps his inner fire, his will to live, burning bright. For an example, When Pi begins his 227 day journey in a lifeboat with a tiger; he loses all hope of living. Suddenly, a voice in his head states: “I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen” (Martel 186). This quote shows how God is a significant figure in his life and that his faith in God motivates him to keep on fighting to survive even if the odds are not the slightest in his
Cited: Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. n.a: Random House of Canada, 2001. Print. Zemeckis, Robert, dir. Cast Away. By William Broyles. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 2000. DVD.