Questions Answers

1. Answer the following questions in a sentence or two each, based on your understanding of the story.

a)        Describe the pathetic condition of Pi in the middle of the ocean.

Pi was alone and orphaned. He was hanging on to an oar in the middle of the Pacific. There were an adult tiger in front of him, sharks beneath him and a storm raging about him.

b)       Who was Richard Parker?

Richard parker was an adult Bengal tiger.

c)        Richard Parker's survival seemed incredible to Pi. Why?

A 450-pound Bengal tiger in a twenty-six feet long lifeboat was a mystery. From tip of nose to tip of tail, the tiger took up over a third of the length of the ship, it was on. So, Richard Parker’s survival seemed incredible to Pi.

d)       Why was the great beast not behaving naturally?

The great beast was not behaving naturally because of its sedation and seasickness.

e)        Why was Pi not afraid of the hyena?

Pi was not afraid of the hyena, because the presence of a tiger had saved him from the hyena.

f)         Describe Pi’s struggle to find drinking water.

Pi wanted to know what if the supplies were at the bow, beneath the tarpaulin. He turned and crawled back. He unrolled the tarpaulin. He undid the hasp and pulled on the lid. It opened onto a locker. He found water cans there.

g)        What was Pi's reaction when he discovered drinking water?

With a shaking hand, Pi picked one can up. It was cool to the touch and heavy. He shook it. The bubble of air inside made a dull glub glub glub sound. He opened the can with the tarpaulin hooks and drank the water.

h)       Why did Pi want to tame Parker?

Pi thought that if he tamed Parker, he could possibly trick Parker into dying first. So he w anted to tame Parker.

i)          What saved Pi’s life?

Parker pushed Pi to go on living. So Pi thought that without Richard Parker, he wouldn’t be alive.

j)          How did Pi reunite with this family?

Pi left Richard Parker in a jungle and waited for a ship. It pained him to see the animal without even turning his head to have a last glimpse. A ship did found him and he was now reunited with his family.

2. Answer the following questions in about 50 words.

a)        How did the presence of Richard Parker help Pi?

Pi did not want Richard Parker to die at all, because if Parker died Pi would be left alone with despair. Parker kept Pi from thinking too much about his family and his tragic circumstances. Parker pushed Pi to go on living.

b)       Describe the lifeboat.

The lifeboat was three-and-a half feet deep, eight feet wide and twenty-six feet long, exactly. It was designed to accommodate a maximum of thirty-two people. Most of the things in the life boat were orange. The words Tsimtsum and Panama were printed on each side of the bow in stark, black, roman capitals.

c)        How did Pi feel after drinking water?

Pi felt that the pure, delicious, beautiful, and crystalline water flowed into his system to the gurgling beat of his greedy throat. His mouth became moist and soft. His forehead was wet with fresh, clean, refreshing perspiration. Everything in him, right down to the pores of his skin, was expressing joy.

d)       Did Pi want Richard Parker to die? Answer, giving reasons.

No, Pi did not want Richard Parker to die. They were, literally and figuratively, in the same boat. They would live - or they would die - together. If Parker died Pi would be left alone with despair. Parker kept Pi from thinking too much about his family and his tragic circumstances. Parker pushed Pi to go on living.

3. Answer in a paragraph.

a)        How did the presence of Richard Parker influence the attitude of Pi during his

Pi was stranded in the Pacific on a lifeboat. As he looked around, he was shocked to find Richard Parker on board. He was pinned by weakness having had no food, water or even sleep for nearly three days. Strangely his thirst overpowered his fear of Richard Parker and he went about exploring for fresh water. His search for water took him dangerously close to Richard Parker but nothing could stop him - neither Richard Parker nor the hyena. A little later, he succeeded in his search, when he found stacks of cans of drinking water. Pi came back to life and his senses after drinking the elixir of life. He understood that it was Richard Parker who helped him survive for 227 days. Then, he realized that Parker who scared him earlier brought him peace, purpose and wholeness. Pi left Richard Parker in a jungle and reunited with his family.

b)       Water is the elixir of life. Substantiate the statement with reference to the story of 'Life Of Pi'.

Pi was stranded in the Pacific on a lifeboat. As he looked around, he was shocked to find Richard Parker on board. He was pinned by weakness having had no food, water or even sleep for nearly three days. His search for water took him, dangerously close to the tiger, Richard Parker but nothing could stop him - neither Richard Parker nor the hyena. Pi wanted to know what if the supplies were at the bow, beneath the tarpaulin of the life boat. He unrolled the tarpaulin. He undid the hasp and pulled on the lid. It opened onto a locker. He found water cans there. With a shaking hand, Pi picked one can up. He shook it. He opened the can with the tarpaulin hooks and drank the water. Pi felt that the pure, delicious, beautiful, and crystalline water flowed into his system. His forehead was wet with fresh, clean, refreshing perspiration. Everything in him, right down to the pores of his skin, was expressing joy. To get this water, he took the risk of his life, though the two dangerous animals stood in front of him. To survive we need water. Water is the elixir of life evidently.

c)        If you were lost at sea for as long as Pi was, what is the one item you would want with you? Write a diary entry in which you identify the item and explain why it is the one thing you would want with you.

If I were lost at sea for as long as Pi was, the one item I would want with me is drinking water. I want it to keep with me to survive. At sea there is water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. The saint poet, Thiruvalluvar has rightly remarked “the world could not be formed without water”. Even without food one can manage for a certain period. But without water, one could not live. A person needs water to be energetic to shout for help at the time of struggle. This is the reason, cans of drinking water are kept in the life boat.

ESSAY

Introduction

Pathetic condition of‘Pi’

Richard Parker’s appearance

The life boat

Search for drinking water

Water-Elixir of life

Conclusion

Introduction:

The protagonist of this story ‘Life of Pi’ is Piscine Molitor ‘pi’ Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck. He was stranded on a life boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker 

Pathetic condition of‘Pi’:

Pi was alone and orphaned. He was hanging on to an oar in the middle of the Pacific. There were an adult tiger and a hyena in front of him, sharks beneath him and a storm raging about him.

Richard Parker’s appearance:

Richard parker was an adult Bengal tiger. A 450-pound Bengal tiger in a twenty-six feet long lifeboat was a mystery. If Parker died Pi would be left alone with despair. Parker pushed Pi to go on living.

The life boat:

The lifeboat was three-and-a half feet deep, eight feet wide and twenty-six feet long, exactly. It was designed to accommodate a maximum of thirty-two people. Most of the things in the life boat were orange.

Search for drinking water:

His search for water took him, dangerously close to the tiger, Richard Parker but nothing could stop him - neither Richard Parker nor the hyena. Pi wanted to know what if the supplies were at the bow, beneath the tarpaulin. He unrolled the tarpaulin. He undid the hasp and pulled on the lid. It opened onto a locker. He found water cans there.

Water-Elixir of life:

Pi felt that the pure, delicious, beautiful, and crystalline water flowed into his system.His mouth became moist and soft. His forehead was wet with fresh, clean, refreshing perspiration. Everything in him, right down to the pores of his skin, was expressing joy.

Conclusion:

Pi left Richard Parker in a jungle and waited for a ship. It pained him to see the animal without even turning his head to have a last glimpse. A ship did found him and he was now reunited with his family.

TO LIVE IS TO SUFFER,

TO SURVIVE IS TO FIND SOME MEANING IN THE SUFFERING.

4. Sequence the following incidents logically to write the summary of the story ‘Life of Pi’.

·           As he looked around, he was shocked to find Richard Parker on board.

·           His search for water took him dangerously close to Richard Parker but nothing could stop him – neither Richard Parker nor the hyena.

·           Pi left Richard Parker in a jungle and reunited with his family.

·           Pi came back to life and his senses after drinking the elixir of life.

·           He understood that it was Richard Parker who helped him survive for 227 days.

·           He was pinned by weakness having had no food, water or even sleep for nearly three days.

·           Strangely his thirst over powered his fear of Richard Parker and he went about exploring for fresh water.

·           A little later, he succeeded in his search, when he found stacks of cans of drinking water.

·           Pi was stranded in the Pacific on a lifeboat.

·           Then, he realized that Parker who scared him earlier brought him peace, purpose and wholeness.

Answer

• Pi was stranded in the Pacific on a lifeboat.

• As he looked around, he was shocked to find Richard Parker on board.

• He was pinned by weakness having had no food, water or even sleep for nearly three days.

• Strangely his thirst overpowered his fear of Richard Parker and he went about exploring for fresh water.

• His search for water took him dangerously close to Richard Parker but nothing could stop him - neither Richard Parker nor the hyena.

• A little later, he succeeded in his search, when he found stacks of cans of drinking water.

• Pi came back to life and his senses after drinking the elixir of life.

• He understood that it was Richard Parker who helped him survive for 227 days.

• Then, he realized that Parker who scared him earlier brought him peace, purpose and wholeness.

• Pi left Richard Parker in a jungle and reunited with his family.