Life of Pi Part 2, Chapter 47 Quotes
Life of Pi Part 2, Chapter 47 Quotes
How we cite the quotes:
Citations follow this format: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote 1
It has been left behind. The pet does not understand. It is as unprepared for this jungle as its human siblings are. It waits around for their return, trying to quell the panic rising in it. They do not return. (2.47.8)
Really, this is a heartbreaking moment in the novel. Ostensibly, Pi discusses (as he is prone to do) the stupidity of returning pets to the wild. How can the poor creature survive? But Pi also comments – and this is the heartbreaking part – on his own abandonment and the loss of his brother Ravi.
Quote 2
Orange Juice lay next to it, against the dead zebra. Her arms were spread wide open and her short legs were folded together and slightly turned to one side. She looked like a simian Christ on the Cross. Except for her head. She was beheaded. The neck wound was still bleeding. It was a horrible sight to the eyes and killing to the spirit. (2.47.16)
Pi returns to the mystery of Christ's suffering (see 1.17.27). Now Orange Juice figures into the Christ-as-sufferer equation. That means Pi compares Christ not only to human beings in his suffering but to animals. It's also possible Pi elevates Orange Juice's suffering to divine proportions. We don't have to choose one or the other.
Quote 3
Orange Juice hit the hyena on the head with her other arm, but the blow only made the beast snarl viciously. She made to bite, but the hyena moved faster. Alas, Orange Juice's defence lacked precision and coherence. Her fear was something useless that only hampered her. The hyena let go of her wrist and expertly got to her throat.
[...]. To the end she reminded me of us: her eyes expressed fear in such a humanlike way, as did her strained whimpers. (2.47.13-4)
Perhaps Pi learns a lesson from Orange Juice the orang-utan: fear is crippling. Even though he feels like taking the fetal position, crying, listing his troubles to a higher being, he needs to construct a defense of "precision and coherence." That means training Richard Parker, even though Richard Parker is scarier than the scariest thing you can think of.