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When you are extremely hungry, do you ever imagine what you're going to eat? Is the imagined meal so real to you that you actually begin to salivate? One time, when my daughter was extremely hungry after cross country practice, we stopped at Taco Bell. When she opened her mouth to take a bite of her taco, saliva shot out of her mouth like some kind of venomous snake or something. It was so cool! We laughed for about five minutes straight. End of story.
It's great that he found all of these rations, but two things creep into my mind when I think about his calculations for how long the supplies will last: 1) He's going to be eaten by either the hyena or the tiger, so it doesn't really matter, and 2) If he's not eaten by them, he should probably share his bounty with at least one of them in order to make an ally -- and by doing this, his calculations would change.
What is a solar still? Why are cigarettes in a survival kit?
Interesting that he ends his inventory of the boat with "1 God." He worships three different religions, so how can he say only "1 God" is on the boat? And which God is he referring to?
23 comments:
You, Earl, are responsible for the most intense thirst I have ever experienced. 1200s. Track.
Thirst, which Pi aptly described as the most pressing of survival instincts, is impossible to ignore - especially while running. I do not think I could physically drink fast enough when that workout was over. Pi's predicament, however, could not be solved by a leisurely jog to a water fountain, and before he found supplies I could sense the urgency in which he needed a source of water. Solar stills were a very convenient find, which provide him with water long after the rations run out. Distilling fresh water from salt water takes on a more sinister form later in the book (sorry, read ahead).
I also found the inventory of the boat containing "1 God" interesting. Reconciling three religions into one belief system must have led him to pick and choose the aspects from each he would adopt. Obviously, the polytheistic approach of Hinduism contradicts the monotheism of Islam and Christianity. One God, manifesting himself through many religions, must have seemed the most logical, or at least the easiest to believe to Pi. Thus, “1 God” in the inventory. Or, perhaps, the rations were equivalent to salvation, which is a theme explored in depth in Christianity and Islam, making Pi adopt the one God view of the world for the circumstance. At least, that was my thought process when evaluating the list.
8 2k's. Indian creek. 95 degree heat. No water. Enough said. That day was not only the thirstiest I have ever been but it was also the day I learned a valuable lesson: bring water to practice earls not bringing any anymore. Quenching that thirst was a challenge in itself. I was so out of breath that I had to take a break every few seconds.
I agree that he should share his rations with Richard Parker to make him his ally. Not feeding him would be scuicide. A hungry tiger would find a way to get food, even swim through shark infested waters to get pi.
I think cigarettes are part of the survival kit to keep people sane. Some people smoke cigarettes to calm down when they're stressed. Keeping calm is important when trying to survive, therefore cigarettes can be useful in a life or death situation.
i remember this one time when i didnt drink water for seven days and nights and at the end of that was when i was really thirsty. And yeah when im like down to mega munch on whatever is on my mind i feel like i can smell it or taste it; which is totally ludicrous unless im eating and smelling it but you get the point, but i wouldnt share anything with richard parker i would run up to him and bite his neck and show his striped as who is boss i would eat the rations in front of him then throw the wrappers in his face i would tell richard to eat the hyena and then that would solve that. Solar stills are a neccssity because rations are rations for a reason, they dont last forever! a solar still is a device that changes salt water into regular water like magic wow! ciggarettes are in there because you have a good likelyhood of dying and why not smoke before your shrivel up in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. When he says one god it makes wonder why because obviously islam and christianity only have one god but maybe he forgot about hinduism but thats kinda unlikely it was probably like this: well christianity has one god, and so does islam, hindu has like a thousand and since monotheistic beeats polytheistic 2 to 1 he had to be fair and just say one god.
The most I’ve ever been thirsty was when I went down this huge sand dune and had to climb back up with no water and it was really sunny and hot. That was the worst. I remember it felt really good to quench that thirst once I reached the top of the sand dune. When I get extremely hungry I try not to picture what I’m going to eat because if I do it just makes me hungrier. But when I do imagine what I’m going to eat I do start to salivate.
I don’t think that he should share any of his rations with any of the animals. Feeding them would just keep them alive longer which means that you would have to worry about them eating you longer. Just don’t get eaten and eventually they’ll get too weak to even attack and they’ll die of thirst or starvation. Also I don’t think feeding an animal would make it your ally. Animals don’t think like that. On ce you run out of food they might turn on you and eat you for food.
A solar still is a tool that turns salt water into fresh water by using the sun as energy. I think that the survival kit provides cigarettes because cigarettes are a way to relive stress and when you shipwrecked there will be a lot of stress. So the cigarettes just give a way to relax.
At the end when he says one God it confuses me. I know that Islam and Christianity only worship one God. He is also Hindu however and they worship multiple gods. So I don’t really understand why he says one god.
Cross Country plus Ramadan plus August heat….makes me thirsty just thinking about it. But when I drink water at the end of a day of fasting, I always feel sick for at least a little bit because I drink too much water way too fast, so I found it kind of unbelievable that Pi felt so amazing after drinking two liters of water that quickly.
Cigarettes are in the survival kits because tobacco can be used for many different wounds in an emergency. You can unwrap the cigarette and put it on a bleeding wound to stop the bleeding and guard against infection, or use the filter to stop the blood because it is absorbent. Putting tobacco on a burn will also relieve the pain. You can put it on a broken tooth because tobacco is a natural antiseptic and it will relieve the pain. If you are really in a bad situation and you end up getting a parasite-this is really gross-you can actually eat up to one and a half cigarettes and it will get rid of the parasite.
I liked that Pi ended his inventory with “1 God” because it is just another example that to Pi, religion is just a path to loving God. It doesn’t matter to him how he expresses his devotion to God, just as long as he expresses it to enough to fulfill him spiritually. Even though the multiple Gods of Hinduism contradicts the monotheistic beliefs of Christianity and Islam, I don’t think it matters which God Pi is referring to. He is hopeless, exhausted, and sharing a boat with a ferocious, man-eating beast; at that point he should be able to pray to whichever and as many Gods and he wants.
When I'm extremely hungry I imagine what I'm going to eat. If I'm super hungry usually only a few things sound good to me so I picture what I want to put together to eat. Sometimes during soccer season I don't drink enough so during practices and games I feel really fatigued. Being hygrated feels much better and gives you much more energy.
I think that Pi should keep all the rations to himself and feed the tiger the fish that he catches. That way Pi gets all the food meant for survivors and won't have to worry about skinning the fish and making sure they're okay to eat. Since tigers will eat pretty much anything, it won't matter to them if you feed them a fresh fish.
The heat, football practice and a general lack of concern for hydration is a situation i am much to familiar with. I know that first taste of water is always something wonderfully delicious. The end result is always the same though, too much water too fast, then cramps. I think cigarettes are in the survival kit to help keep the castaway sane, by reminding him/her of civilization and all of its cancer-causing wonders.
The time I remember being the most thirsty I thought I was going to pass out when my step dad decided it would be a nice surprise to the family to walk the sleeping bear dunes when it was almost 100 degrees out. My feet felt like they were on fire walking through hot sand for about 6 miles and I was extremely sun burnt. We only had one water bottle and it was quickly gone. When we were done walking the first sip of water I got to have gave me goose bumps.
A solar still is a simple way of distilling water, using the heat of the sun to drive evaporation from humid soil, and ambient air to cool a condenser film.Cigarrettes are in a survival kit because they can curve your appetite and keep you warm.
I was very confused on why Pi said there was only one God because he does have three different religions but he said, “They both claim Abraham as theirs. Muslims say the God of the Hebrews and Christians is the same as the God of the Muslims. They recognize David, Moses and Jesus as prophets” in chapter 26 so he might be talking about the god who he thinks is the God of all those religions. In my opinion though I think he is referring the Christian God because Muslims call their God ‘Allah’ and Hindus call their God ‘Brahman’ or ‘Shiva’.
The thirstiest I've ever been was when I was in the Philippines. From my cousin's house in the town/village to my lolo and lola's hut in the mountains is a lengthy trip. It was the usual 90-degree weather and we had to hitch rides with jeepneys along the way, and eventually walk through the jungled mountain. After hours without water in the heat, rain water and well water were the best things ever.
The water stills are included to distill the seawater, and the cigarettes are included to give the survivor(s) something to hang on to. The nicotine is a stimulant, and is addictive. That constant nagging itch to light up gives a castaway a reason to keep pushing through their situation.
Pi recognizes his god as the life force of the universe, the loving protector of the human soul, and the creator. He is not simply referring to one religion's god, because, in his view, all religions worship the same god. Even the Hindus, with their pantheon of deities, recognize one supreme being, Brahmin. Perhaps to Pi, the other gods are actual dieties, but universal elements of human personality. Like Ganesh may be the intelligence in us. Ganesh is also lord of obstacles. Our intelligence may create obstacles for us, but, with enough work, it removes those obstacles just the same (Higgs-Boson!).
**aren't actual deities. Oops
Personally, I think the smartest thing to do would be to share the food and water rations with the hyena and tiger. This way, they may not eat him. He could always fish if he runs out of rations.
Cigarettes aren't technically needed for survival, as they actually take away from our survival, but in this case they can help his mental survival. The reason I think they're in there is to keep the stranded calm. That's the only reason i could think of.
I think Pi says "1 God" because all three religions he worships have only one main God. Even hinduism, with its many gods, has one main god that is above all the others, Brahman, which followers worship. Christianity only has one God, and Islam only has Allah.
I think cigarettes are in the survival pack because back then a lot of people smoked, any movie from the 60's and 70's has evidence of that. It is a way of, yes staying sane, but also to prevent problems with going cold turkey to an addiction. Also it is a way to stay happy, if someone is addicted and they go without their cigarettes for awhile they are going to be cranky and no one wants to be on a cramped lifeboat with a cranky smoker.
A solar still is a mechanism that makes unclean water clean by mimicking the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, precipitation).
I don't think that "1 God" necessarily means one religious entity. I believe it is a creation of all of Pi's religions into one group to whom he can pray to because he needs help from any source he can. Also Pi always said he practiced all of those religions because he loved God; singular, not plural.
I remember going on a family vacation to Nevada a couple of years ago. With the 110 degree heat in the middle of August, my dad decided we should go on a walk. After walking a couple of miles in the desert, I don't think I have ever been as thirsty as I was and water has never tasted so good!
As for the rations that Pi has found, I am glad he has kept them all for himself. As greedy as that sounds, giving the food and water to one of the animals would only provide them with more energy to attack him with. Leaving them thirsty, hungry, and possibly seasick is Pi's best option to keep himself alive. The solar still is the best thing Pi could have found in the supplies. The still can provide fresh water after his canned water has run out. The cigarettes are included in the survival kit to keep the survivors on the lifeboat calm. With the possibility of 32 people on the boat, it could get hectic and the cigarettes would be need to calm everyone's nerves.
I don't understand why Pi would include "1 God" on his list of supplies since he practices Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. I think that Pi is acknowledging "1 God" because each of the three religions he follows have one main god.
I cant remember a particular time when I have been so parched that it tops the list, I just recall certain sports practices where it was unusually hot or that one time I participated in the cinnamon challenge- but, I dont really want to think about that right now... Anyway, when it comes to the survival food, I think I would have to go with making allies. But if I may, I would have to make a slight change. If I were to share my only food with a tiger that had probably more than once planned on eating me, I would only share small amounts. Enough to make friends, but not quite enough to fuel its killing muscles. Cigarettes. Although unorthodox, I could see their usefulness in such a situation. Easing the nerves of 32 shipwrecked survivors is very important, although it, ight not work on a 450 pound Bengal tiger. Pi knows that there is one God but he has found three ways to praise it. As for what happened with your daughter, make sure you catch it on film if it ever happens again. Put it on youtube, in the long run, you will probably end up making millions. You're welcome.
After reading the list and seeing "1 God" i also was confused. But I also remember when referring to god he perceives him as singular. This also got me questioning the times when he would practice the Hindu, Christian, and Islam religions. I think by using God as a single being, Pi shows that he believes in only one god who can take on all traits. I think Pi thinks of god a supreme being and takes all the beliefs in the different religions and puts it together.
I also though Pi's reference to dying of thirst was very interesting. Iv'e never been so thirty before that it actually hurt. When Pi risks himself to the tiger for water, I realized the sacrifices and decisions Pi has to make to stay alive the best he can.
This summer I experienced a time when I was so thirsty I thought I might pass out. It was one of the really hot days and I decided to go running in my neighborhood and I stupidly didn't bring a water bottle. By the time I got home I was light headed and I almost passed out. I drank a whole bottle of water within a minute. The water never tasted so good!
As for when I am extrememly hungry I definitely imagine what I could be eating. Usually when I am very hungry few foods sound good to me, but the ones that do I imagine eating.
A solar still is used as a way of distilling water. People use smoking as a way to calm them down so the cigarettes in the survival kit are most likely used to keep to survivors calm focused on what they need to do to survive.
When Pi refers to there being only 1 God on the lifeboat, he is referring to the only God he worships. He knows there is only 1 God, but he worships Him with his three different religions.
Last summer I decided to walk with one of my friends on a hot summer day from Montavello all the way to Scoops. It was about a four mile walk, and I was all sweat by the end. I just kept picturing a cup of water that would be worth it in the end.
When I am really hungry I picture a buffet. It is something about having so many different choices of food.
I think that is Pi plays it out wisely he will try to catch food for the other animals, and use the rations from the boat for himself. The solar still uses heat from the sun to change salt water to water that can be drank. I think the cigarettes are to make people feel less helpless.
Not to follow all the other runners that have already posted but we know how to accomplish thirst. Running endless amounts of miles in ridiculous heat makes you want to stop for a nice drink of water but there is something inside of all of us runners that keeps us from stopping for that drink. Its pure motivation. Its the accomplishment, the recognition and the self fulfillment that keeps us running to the very end. Thirst and hunger can be accomplished even in the worst of situations it just calls for a lot of self motivation.
It was actually a couple of weeks ago that I've experienced being unbelievable thirsty. I was in Colorado and sight seeing at the Royal Gorge in 110 degree weather. I almost cried when we finally got back to the car and got some water.
A solar still is a device that uses the suns rays as an energy source to help purify water. Cigarettes would be in the survival kit because it wasn't uncommon to smoke during this time period and it can be used to calm down the people on the life boat.
I think Pi says that there is "1God" on the boat because even though there are many different religions in the world, everyone maybe praying just to one god but worship a different facade or facades of that god.
Two summers ago I was involved in a barrel race with my horse. It was hot, dusty, and humid, and I had been riding for most of the morning. The first thing I did after the race and unstacking was chug down a few water bottles. Definitely the thirstiest I have ever been. I don't recall a time where I was ever very hungry though.
Solar still is a tool used to turn salt water into fresh water by using solar energy. I think cigarettes were included in the survival kit to be used as stress relievers. People are easier to handle when they are relaxed.
I remember one day after a super hard workout that I just wanted nothing but water, but by the time I got some I was dehydrated with cotton mouth. Due to that, it was just about the damn near best thing that ever graced my lips.
I get that "I'm so hungry I can taste it" thing going on.
I honestly feel like trying to make an ally with one of the animals would be pointless. It would probably just think "Well that was good, oh look, a person! Dessert!" But who knows. As far as eating them goes, it's all about luck. He just needs to spread it out as long as he can and hope for the best.
I feel like Pi decided that most religions, in no matter what form, all worship the same God. They just have different interpretations of who he is and what he does.
The end.
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