 |
| http://www.pxleyes.com/images/contests/hallucinations/fullsize/hallucinations_4c476e3c33551_hires.jpg |
"To be blind is to hear otherwise." Try to simulate it. Close your eyes and just listen when you're somewhere public. Do you hear things differently? How so?
Kind of a murky chapter...what do you make of it? He seems to hallucinate a conversation with Richard Parker, and Richard Parker tells him he's killed humans before -- out of necessity. Then he seems to have a real conversation with another castaway in another boat. When that castaway threatens to kill Pi, Richard Parker kills the castaway. Did this really happen, or is it a figment of Pi's imagination? What hints are there?
Pi resorts to cannibalism...I think. Was this necessary for survival? He seemed to be doing well in his fishing with the human bait...
26 comments:
I'm at a beach on the gulf of Mexico right now. When I close my eyes and try to listen all I can hear is the sound of waves crashing into each other and the shore. It's hard to make out what other people are saying. I'm about as close to Pi's situation as I could possibly get without getting on a boat. I imagine he only heard waves and the occasional tiger noises.
This chapter was very confusing. At first I thought he was hallucinating through both conversations. It seems like the second conversation happened, but the first did not. I re-read the conversation with Richard Parker, and it could be the same man Pi talked to in the second conversation. With the evidence of the dead carcass on the boat and the fact that Pi walked around on the dead guys boat, it seems like it did happen.
I think it was necessary for Pi to eat some of the human bait. He wrote he was "driven by extreme need (page 343)," so his reason for eating it is justifiable.
The going blind really threw me for a bit in the story. It was completely unexpected, and short lived, but proved almost crucial to his survival. When Pi says he is going to die the last thing he expects is a conversation with his Bengal tiger castaway. Richard Parker says he killed humans before out of need. Were they hurting him? Was it the circus? I am unsure, but it holds up to Pi's thoughts on how wild animals fear humans and they only attack as a last resort. I think it was all a figment of his imagination when he met the other castaway. The whole idea was hard to grasp, but I think the hints about the figs are funny. I don't think cannibalism is the right word for using the human remains, if they really were human remains.
Going blind is a hard thing to simulate because you know you can open your eyes and your vision will not be impaired in any way. Personally, I think going blind would be one if the more difficult senses to loose especially when you are stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean without any companions except a Bengal tiger. Surviving would be a very difficult task under such circumstances. When Pi realizes he is loosing his sight, it was very unbelievable only because it was so sudden. Pi, in a way, had to relearn how to catch food, avoid Richarrd Parker, and overall survive the ocean.
As I close my eyes and try to imagine being blind, I do not hear much differently than if my eyes were open. The only weird part to me is that I can still see the light breaking through my eyelids but I know I can not see anything. The noises around me are calm and in a way more intense.
Throughout the conversations Pi seems to be having with Richard Parker and the other survivor, I was very confused. Pi has gone blind so I'm guessing he is just hallucinating the conversation with Richard Parker, but then he seems to have another conversation with a random man. At that point I was thinking the first conversation could have also been with the other survivor. It all seems so real especially since Richard Parker was said to have eaten the other survivor and the remains of the man are left on the boat. Both conversations seem so real but at the same time what are the odds of there being another survivor on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean.
Although Pi was doing okay with just fishing, he was still becoming weaker as each day passed. Cannibalism is disgusting and savage-like, but I think it gave Pi the strength to stay alive and eventually find land.
My sight is pretty crucial to me. I don't really know how I'd adapt. I used to ask my parents all the time, when I was little, which sense is the most important? Sight or hearing was always the top two when I thought about it on my own. I tried closing my eyes and listening to my surroundings at a mall and there was really too much noise to hear anything that I wouldn't normally hear. I suppose that once you become used to only listening, you'd be able to pick up certain smaller sounds because all of your focus would by on your ears and not your eyes.
Losing your sight would be a traumatic situation. A necessity like having eye sight is needed for everyday life and would cause devastation and defeat. In Pi’s situation without eye sight it could make it harder to survive. Since Pi is not accustomed to relying on his hearing it could make everyday tasks pain staking.
It was extremely far-fetched to believe that Pi actually encountered another stranded person on a life boat. The chances of meeting another castaway on a vast ocean seemed slim to none. The castaway seemed almost too friendly, leading you to assume the worst. When the castaway and Pi embraced it immediately appeared like an act of trickery. The question is why did Richard Parker charge the castaway and not Pi?
Both the castaway and the voice of Richard Parker seemed like Pi was having hallucinations. It also could have been that Pi was interpreting Richard Parker’s voice as his own conscious.
The fact leading to cannibalism shows Pi’s desperation. At this point in the novel the reader now feels as though all hope is lost for Pi. Pi was once borderline on his beliefs, he then crossed the line when he ate another of his own kind.
If I woke up one-day blind, I really don’t know how I would adapt. I guess I would just use my other sense and rely on people much more. I think sight is one of the most crucial senses. When I was at work, I tried to simulate being blind just closing my eyes and listening to those around me and I would notice sounds much clearer. However, I had to hurry and open them again before my boss came back.
I think the conversation between Pi and Richard Parker was a hallucination probably from the dream rag or dehydration. I also think the castaway story seemed off ,that is the one thing I find hard to believe actually happened. Though there are hints that it’s just Pi imagining something must have happened or else he wouldn’t have the bait for fishing.
Finally, I think any sort of food would be necessary but I don’t think I would ever resort to cannibalism, I again don’t think that it was a human that Richard Parker killed. If it was, I think Pi’s religion and beliefs would get in his way of consuming it.
Do we know why he went blind for that short time or if Richard parker is still blind? Since he had human bait I think his conversation with someone was realy. Yet I do not believe cannibalism was necessary when he was catching fish good with human bait.
I was not expecting Pi to go blind. Going blind would definitely prove to be a very traumatic situation. I have no idea how Pi would deal with the loss of his vision. Considering Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with a full-grown Bengal tiger, I would consider sight to be a crucial sense. It would be extremely difficult to catch fish or turtles or avoid Richard Parker if necessary. If I were in Pi’s situation, it is hard to say how I would adapt. I would have to learn to live using my senses other than sight. I would rely on others more for help.
When I close my eyes, I hear things differently. The sounds around me become more distinct, but it is hard to comprehend what is going on because I cannot see where the sounds are coming from. Since I cannot see, I have to depend on my other senses.
The last thing I was expecting was for Pi to come across another castaway on a life boat. Personally, it seems extremely far-fetched. However, there are hints that this encounter did in fact occur. Pi hears Richard Parker attack the other castaway. When Pi’s vision returns, he sees the other man’s butchered and dismembered body in the lifeboat. Pi also uses the man’s remains for fishing bait. He even resorts to eating a few small strips of the man’s skin.
I believe Pi did not necessarily have to resort to cannibalism for survival. However, he was becoming weaker with each passing day. In my opinion, Pi’s desperation is what led him to resort to cannibalism. Pi most likely did not have much strength left and figured it was less effort for him to eat the human rather than use the human for fishing bait.
Going blind would suck a lot! My cousin Daniel went blind and I remember it being really hard on him! Although e eventually a adapted and is now one of the most talented people I know. I don't think I would adapt very well to being blind. Not being able to watch Ohio state football would suck! I closed my eyes and listened when I was in Kroger on break and I felt like I could hear a lot more! Moms yelling at kids, couples arguing and people trying to decide "snickers or kit Kat" became a lot clearer to me. I think the whole cannibalism thing was gross but just like bear grylls, pi did what was neccasary to survive (except bear grylls drinks pee). I think the conversations were confusing but after re reading them they are hallucinations.
I personally find it very difficult to keep my eyes closed for a very long period of time. I rely very heavily on my sight, and I would choose losing my hearing over my sight any day. So to answer the question, I'm not really sure if I could survive out in the ocean if I were to be blind.
Closing my eyes does, however, help me to listen more closely to the sounds around me. Each noise sounds as if it is louder and more easily heard.
This chapter was very confusing to me, I'm still unsure if the hallucination was real or just a figment of Pi's imagination. Also, I think that cannibalism was definitely necessary for Pi's survival.
I think this chapter was very confusing. I think the conversation with Richard Parker was his own consounce. I think it was his justification to the things he has done. I also think the run in with the other man happend. I think in desperation it is okay to do what he did, as long as he was not the one to kill the man. Taking advantage of what has already happend it just another raw truth to survival.
If you close your eyes, you can focus more clearly on sounds. I think it is easier to seperate things if you have your eyes closed.
As I close my eyes the sounds around me become crisper. The sound of my neighbors chopping wood isn't as muffled as it was before. I don't know how I would adapt to loosing my sight, especially on a life boat in the middle of the ocean.
The conversation with Richard Parker and the other survivor were confusing. However, I think they were hilusinations. I think Pi is slowly loosing his mind, and his brain is creating senarios in his head.
Well...I would only hope that I would never wake up on day blind! Talk about life changing.
I think with Pi's sisuation and how he has been living, it doesn't seem that crazy though that he went blind. To me, I think it's crazier that his sight came back! Pi has amazing instincts, good enough to survive for as long as his body can stand. I don't think at this point in the book Richard Parker was a huge problem to Pi. It seems like they have a bond strong enough to detour Richard Parker from eating Pi.
How would i adapt to being blind? Humm...well, at first it would be very hard emotionally for me. But with time I would learn to accept it. Life has to go on. I would obviously rely on people more than before but with no sight that's expected with no questions asked.
When I close my eyes in a public place, everything sounds more distinct. Every word, every noise...everything. You catch on to more when you rely on your hearing instead of sight.
Pi and cannibalism. Yeah, kinda weird. For me, i don't care who you are but eating another human is disgusting and not okay in an sisuation. I would rather die than eat another human if it was my last resort. Man wasn't created to eat man. Even though Pi is and has been in a desperate sisuation, cannibalism isn't the right option to me. Pi turned into an animal as the book went on, and by this point, it was clear.
I found this chapter to be confusing. Starting with the conversation with Richard Parker, and then running into an other man in the middle of the Pacific. I just find it very hard to believe, which is why I think Pi was just imagining these conversations because he was desperate for actual interaction with someone.
When Pi went blind it gave hints towards Pi going blind. I couldn't imagine how difficult it was on Pi. Sight is a major sense, it is what we use to judge the world. If I went blind like Pi did, I would probably lose all hope. You would find me curled up in a ball crying.
I still can't believe that Pi allowed himself to sink to cannibalism! Well, it's more like I don't want to believe it. It just didn't seem like something Pi would have let himself do.
Waking up blind would be absolutely awful. I have no idea how Pi managed to continue doing the things that he did like fishing. If that happened to me, I think I would have an extremely hard time with it. However, I do think that I would manage and learn how to live life and do things differently.
When I tried to stimulate being blind, there was company at my house. I was just more alert to there conversations, and from what direction they were coming from.
I do agree that this chapter was pretty strange. I was kind of confused with what conversation was real and what conversation was made up. I do think that talking to the other castaway really did happen. After Richard Parker killed him, Pi did get on the other boat and found things, and he also mentioned seeing the body and using it for fishing bait.
When Pi was stuck in this situation I can understand why he ate some of the things he tried to eat, but I did not find it necessary to resort for cannibalism. However, I have not ever been in that situation, and I have no idea what I would do.
The whole going blind situation seemed to me an unnecessary addition to the story. I didn't see the need of putting it in there, but that might just be because I didn't fully understand it. If I became blind in a boat with little food and a hungry tiger I would really just wait for me impending death.
With one of your senses impaired, it hightens your other senses. I find that if I close my eyes, my hearing is sharpened.
I have no clue what conversation was real and what one wasn't or if both were real or both were not. I know that Richard Parker wasn't actually talking bu it could have been the other castaway. I do find it hard to believe though thattwo stranded men could find eachother without being found to be rescued.
The part of the chapter involving the cannibalism disgusted me and I really couldn't ever imagine anything more repulsive.
I found this section of the book a little confusing. Occaisonally I couldn't figure out who was speaking. Then there was another castaway? Did he start to come in to the conversation?
When you close your eyes, your other senses are heighented. However, being stranded in the middle of the Pacific with a tiger would make me die for my sight back. You do hear things differently when your eyes are closed, it can help you tune in on certain sounds.
The conversation about food with Richard Parker was a hallucination in my opinion. Not even Raja in Aladdin talked...
I'm not sure how'd feel about eating another person. I think using scraps of the body for bait was clever though.
I think it would take me a very long time to adapt to becoming blind. I am so use to being able to see it would be very hard to adapt to not being able to see anything again.
I got confused with who was talking when he was hallucinated the conversations with Richard Parker. I think Pi did run into another castaway because in an earlier chapter Pi said he was traveling along a current and if by some chance someone else was stranded they might as well traveled along the same current. Also Pi found things on the other boat he used and used the man for bait. I think after that long being on sea you would do anything to survive even if it meant resorting to cannibalism.
Honestly if I was Pi, the minute I realized I was blind, I would feel a total loss of hope. That would be awful. But his other senses would kick in and become better, so if Richard Parker were to attack, he might be able to hear it coming.
I do think the conversations Pi was having were all figments of his imagination. I think he started going crazy, so desperate for human contact.
Something else I found interesting about this section was how Pi was feeling so much more upset and defeated for Richard Parker's sake than his own. The death of Richard Parker was much worse than his own death in his eyes. This made me think of the old Pi, the zookeeper who loved animals, not Pi the savage.
It was a shocker to me when Pi went blind because I dont understand why all of a sudden he lost his sight. Closing your eyes and just listening is really cool you hear a lot more stuff than if your eyes are open. I think Pi was hallucinating because after a while of just hearing i would have to believe that he would start hearing things and i think he just imagined those conversations. And i got to thinking on how Richard Parker killed the other castaway if Richard Parker is also blind? So if Richard Parker didnt kill a man because he couldnt how did Pi eat the flesh? And if Richard Parker didnt kill the castaway because of his blindness the castaway must still be alive or there wasnt one to begin with. The farther i read into this book the more it seems to be a huge lie that someone is telling on the top of their head because a lot of things arent matching up.
Being blind would be one if not the worst thing in the world. This chapter was confusing to me because I was trying to figure out if Pi was actually talking to the another person or if he was just going crazy. I know he wasn't really talking to Richard Parker but in the book it really makes it seem like he is. For a page or so I honestly believed that Pi was talking to Richard Parker and then I came to my senses. I think that Richard Parker didn't really kill the castaway because it is just so far fetched. The hints to show that Pi's imagination was taking him to crazy measures was when the man said he was also blind. What is the chances of two castaways meeting that are both blind? To me it seems very rare.
When I closed my eyes, the world is a totally different place. To be in a world without sight would be unimaginable and unwanted. I would be miserable not being able to see colors and people's faces. However, it does make you appreciate the sounds around you and what they truly mean.
Cannibalism was necessary, in any survival situation it is. If I was in Pi's situation I would do anything to survive even if that meant to eat other human beings.
I found this chapter really confusing to be honest. At some points I wasn't able to figure out who was speaking.
In my opinion the conversation about food with Richard Parker was all in his head and a hallucination.
I was very confused during this chapter, I don't understand why he closed his eyes and then lost his sight. I think that when Pi was talking it wasn't to a person or to Richard Parker, he was hallucinating. To be without sight would be a miserable thing to go through, but at the same time it's amazing the things you can hear when you close your eyes.
While reading most of this chapter I thought it was a hallucination that ends up with Pi communicating with a manifistation of his subconscious. I thought that having Richard Parker consume the "castaway", Pi was actually vanquishing his negative emotions.
After this chapter I really started to question if the animals were real or just his mind trying to protect itself. The only thing I'm pretty sure about is that Richard Parker talking to him is a hallucination.
The End
Post a Comment