Fundamental aspects of life

Personal value and belief is an extremely important facet in one’s life. It is in existence everyday and without it, one would not achieve goals and would lack motivation. Personal value and belief is an act of emotion as it is what makes you believe in certain things, using your logic and mind as the outcome. Yan Martel’s Life of Pi analyzes the theme of personal value and belief in a substantial quantity of detail. In the novel Life of Pi, Pi, the protagonist, was left abandoned at sea for an extended amount of time. Pi’s only companion was his tiger friend; Richard Parker. Although he had nothing left, Pi had a submissive attitude. After each problem that set his way, he found a solution to it in the end. It was said he lived to tell a great tale. It is agreed upon when Pi tells Mr. Okamoto such powerful words that “Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer”. How is one capable of believing in love when the feeling has been experienced by a few? How can researchers institute hypothetical explanations of how life on Earth was formed? How can an individual believe in God when no one has seen the supernatural being?

     Throughout an individual’s life, they seek a good deal of warmth and love from the people surrounding them. Love is something undefined, yet so meaningful. Although there is no accurate explanation of love, it can merely be defined as a strong internal emotion or observation. Love is one of the most complex questions in all of mankind. “This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet” (Jalalud’din Rumi). This quote explains the feeling of love, how it will take you to another world making you realize that everything impossible is possible. In a person’s life, their imagination and thoughts have an immense impact on their emotion of love. Reading Rumi’s quote above, one can simply be familiar with how inspired and incredible this part of life is, without even being in love. In Life of Pi, Pi had confessed his love for Richard Parker, “Truly I do. I love you, Richard Parker. If I didn’t have you now, I don’t know what I would do. I don’t think I would make it. No I wouldn’t. I would die of hopelessness” (Martel, page 298). This quote presents an example of how love can be portrayed or observed in different ways. When one discovers true love, and everything feels ideal and perfect, it is too hard to believe; just ask any lover.

     One of the numerous questions in life is how humans physically came to life on Earth. Overtime, scientists performed research on the survival of humans, and how resources on the Earth provided them to live. No matter the amount of research conducted, scientists were still unable to outline where everything evolved from. The only evidence they had were humans existing. People believe that everything around us was created by evolution, creationism, or intelligent design. With countless numbers of questions lacking answers, nothing can be debated for until there is an explanation or proof. “The Big Bang Theory” and “Darwins Theory of Evolution” are examples of theories that have been studied, however after given facts, how can this be possible? On this Earth, humans are provided with basic necessities so they could live, however not many people appreciate what is given to them. Every individual in their life is nurtured with oxygen they get from trees and plants, food to eat, and water to drink. After all the research performed, life on Earth is still hard to believe; just ask any scientist.

     Religion, “a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects” (Dictionary.com). In Life of Pi, faith is affirmed in the example of three religions that Pi believed in; Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. Today in society, the faith and religions of others have caused serious troubles. Over the years, each religion has adapted and developed more intricately with new practices and principles. “And with their one God Muslims are always causing troubles and provoking riots. The proof of how bad Islam is, is how uncivilized Muslims are” (Martel, page 86). This quote was said by a Pandit from the Hindu religion, when the three wise leaders of each religion met with Pi and his parents to discuss about his decision in practicing all religions. “Bapu Gandhi said, ‘All religions are true’, I just want to love God” (Martel, page 87). This quote was said by Pi and this was his reasoning in preferences of religion, following the argument with the wise men: Imam, Pandit and Priest. In Islamic religion, the Holy Qur’an says, “Anyone who believes in God, and believes in the last day, and leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve” (Holy Qur’an). This quote evidently signifies that sometimes we are deceived and all religions are accurate in their own ways, however, people are directed to considering the perceptions of others and might not know where to belong. After discussions and quotes from the novel and holy pieces of literature, many might ponder that God is hard to believe in; just ask any believer.

     It is in agreement when Pi tells Mr. Okamoto influential words that, love, life and God are all difficult to believe in. Love is a strong feeling and emotion felt for another person, place or object, yet so hard to believe. The life humans live is made of natural resources such as oxygen, water and food, it is so complete yet hard to believe, one can believe by asking any scientist. The power and authority of religion is physically powerful and faint to atheists, even though God is hard to believe, one can believe by asking any believer. Life of Pi had a heavy content and deep meaning which contained events that made you think. The writings and thoughts of the book can change an individual’s point of view on many aspects and about many topics.

Works Cited

“Jalal ad-Din Rumi quotes.” Find the famous quotes you need, ThinkExist.com Quotations.. ThinkExist, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. <http://thinkexist.com/quotation/this_is_love-to_fly_toward_a_secret_sky-to_cause/224025.html>.

Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. New York: Harvest Books, 2003. Print.

“Quran Distribution.com – The one with God is a majority….” Quran Distribution.com – The one with God is a majority…. Transnational Quran Distribution Trust, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. <http://www.qurandistribution.com/>.

“Religion Definition | Definition of Religion at Dictionary.com.” Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2009. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion>.