Callie Hartsell Honors European Lit 3A 21 August 2011 Pi Explication
“You may be astonished that in such a short period of time I could go from weeping over the muffled killing of a flying fish to gleefully bludgeoning to death a dorado. I could explain it by arguing that profiting from a pitiful flying fish's navigational mistake made me shy and sorrowful, while the excitement of actively capturing a great dorado made me sanguinary and self-assured. But in point of fact the explanation lies elsewhere. It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even killing.”Chapter 61, page 185
In this key passage, Pi truly has united with his animalistic side. Pi went from being upset for days over the death of a small fish to “gleefully bludgeoning” a dorado to death. This episode shows that Pi is willing to do whatever it takes to keep himself, and Richard Parker, alive in spite of his moral beliefs. Pi states at the end of the passage that “a person can get used to anything, even killing.” He is saying that the savage side of humans is always there, waiting to be unleashed.
Honors European Lit 3A
21 August 2011
Pi Explication
“You may be astonished that in such a short period of time I could go from weeping over the muffled killing of a flying fish to gleefully bludgeoning to death a dorado. I could explain it by arguing that profiting from a pitiful flying fish's navigational mistake made me shy and sorrowful, while the excitement of actively capturing a great dorado made me sanguinary and self-assured. But in point of fact the explanation lies elsewhere. It is simple and brutal: a person can get used to anything, even killing.” Chapter 61, page 185
In this key passage, Pi truly has united with his animalistic side. Pi went from being upset for days over the death of a small fish to “gleefully bludgeoning” a dorado to death. This episode shows that Pi is willing to do whatever it takes to keep himself, and Richard Parker, alive in spite of his moral beliefs. Pi states at the end of the passage that “a person can get used to anything, even killing.” He is saying that the savage side of humans is always there, waiting to be unleashed.