After watching the movie "The Life of Pi", I needed to clear some things on my mind. So, I decided to write and post this article about its very core idea. But first, I have to state the obvious: after this sentence, there will be huge spoilers, so you have been warned. Now, let's dive into it.
There are two roads to take after watching this movie. Which story should we believe? The one we watched or the one that was narrated in the end? If we are going to stick with the first one, then there aren't many things to say or to discuss. What happened was all real and we should consider it done and move on. The other story, though, is packed with symbolisms, which I will try to analyze.
The obvious part, the one already explained, is that the four animals present in the boat were actually the four human passengers. The symbolism is right there. The only interaction with the animals, besides being sorry to the zebra-sailor, was when Pi asked the orangutan about her child. "Where is your child?" We could assume that Pi is asking about himself at that moment, when he examines his own existence. This question can be interpreted as a mere thought, of course, rather than a real question.
Now, of all the four animals, the one with the most significance is the tiger. The one tethered with the protagonist. If we believe the second story, then the tiger never actually existed. It's a symbol. What does it symbolise? I believe the very core of Pi's existence. His thoughts, his feelings and his insanity. That's why the first time it appears inside the boat is when he takes the decision to kill the hyena-cook.
At first, we see the boy and the tiger being at an all-out conflict about the leadership. Who wins? the tiger, or rather the instincts. Who loses? Sanity. After the trauma experienced, Pi was left with his misery and his mere instincts to fight the harsh reality. That's why his mind cracked and the story began to unfold differently in his head. But even before he exiles himself (his human, sane side) in the raft, he tries to overcome the tiger and takeover the whole boat. At this point, I have to state that the boat represents Pi's whole existence. So the fight was between the traumatised, unstable sanity versus the primal instincts of survival and self preservation. After the tiger won, we can see that Pi is trying to survive, without being stuck in the past.
After that, we see his tries to look the tiger in the eye and tame it. This reminds me of his first thoughts when he saw the tiger and had the conversation with his dad. He gazed in its eyes and tried to find some feelings inside. It was the desperate tries to take back his sanity. What he expected was to tame it. What he got was a reflection of his own feelings, as mentioned by his father.
As time passes, he comes in terms with his new self, represented by the tiger. He faces the dangers along with it and tries to feed it in order to survive. I believe that a specific thought of his clarifies everything. "If the tiger starves, it will eventually consume me". In other words, "If I let the feral anger inside me die, my fragile, human side will be unable to control the harsh everyday life in the boat and I will be consumed by grief and eventually even take my own life".
A very touching moment, the moment when he realises he is going to die, is when he hugs the tiger and becomes one with it. This is the moment when death touches both the human side and the instincts. At that time, after all hope is left, Pi's inner self is united. The tiger has taken over completely, for the time being.
His next stop is the strange island, where his feral side is let loose and his human side finds rest and comfort. This island can represent the field of the second great fight between Pi's two sides. At daytime, everything is peaceful, but at nights, his mind tries to takeover his unstable inner self. At that time, he finds the mysterious human tooth, which is the proof of the human who has "died" long ago inside him. We could say it's a glimpse at his own self and the scattered sane parts within. This is the moment when the human side tries to takeover and he decides to leave. The strong moment when he calls for the tiger and it behaves, is the moment when his humanity gains the upper hand.
After that, he finally finds a real shore. The moment he touches the ground, his sanity is restored totally. What he sees is the tiger being ahead of him and eventually returning to the jungle, without looking back. What really happens is that his feral anger and the primal instincts needed for survival are gone forever when he returns to civilisation. At that moment, his agony is real. A part of himself is gone and his terryfying past is back.
Overall, Pi's journey is not only about his survival. It is about his fight with himself, in order to survive mentally. In the end, he prevails. His future self gives the credits to God, but this is another story.
