Life of Pi and Self-Isolation

   Another day of self-isolation. Another day of infinite possibilities but few achievements. I thought I'd use the gift of time by reading a book recommended by a friend, Life of Pi. Most people will have seen the famous movie poster: a young Indian boy stood in a boat next to a tiger, but, having never seen the film, I hadn't thought too much into the actual implications of such a situation. Despite what you will have seen in Tiger King on Netflix, an adult tiger probably isn't the best companion. Beyond this obvious fact. The story is an incredible (fictional) account of a young boy using knowledge of animals, picked up from time in his father's zoo, and ingenious improvisation to allow him to survive living on a lifeboat for months.
     This being the plot, it was a surprising place to be confronted with a discussion on religion and, in particular, a multi-faith system of belief. The book begins with the protagonist, Pi, becoming engrossed in Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, one by one, but in a cumulative way, rather than changing religions. This results in Pi and his parents being confronted by his three religious teachers. As one would expect, no one was particularly pleased about Pi's actions, but no one could articulate a reasonable answer to why this practice was wrong. Pi left these adults speechless. A young boy singlehandedly makes religious conflict completely irrational (if conflict based on whose imaginary friend is more likely to be real can ever be rational). The theme of reconciling natural enemies into harmony foreshadows Pi's arrangement with the tiger. Surely a boy and a tiger cannot coexist for months on a small boat floating around the Atlantic ocean? Surely one cannot pray to Allah, God and the Hindu gods and goddesses simultaneously? Pi begs to differ.
     The obvious comparison to draw at the moment is that good guy Pi was definitely following social distancing protocol. He avoided other people, rationed his food and managed to pass the time by giving himself small projects. While I'm not suggesting my uni assignments are as difficult as tiger taming, or that my dog (despite the orange fur) is a wild animal, or that my house is basically just a big, well-stocked, comfortable lifeboat, the comparison is important to make. The sheer ridiculousness of the comparison should provide some comfort. This lockdown is not the struggle of a generation. It is an inconvenience. Will this stop my incessant complaining about not being at the pub? Probably not. Will I stop calling my dog Richard Parker? Definitely not. Onto the next book.

Luke Sawney

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