The influence of the religions in the development of Pi`s caracter in Yann Martel`s Life of Pi.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PI’S
CHARACTER IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Maria Widya Wardhani
Student Number: 061214011
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PI’S
CHARACTER IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Maria Widya Wardhani
Student Number: 061214011
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
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STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work
or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 22 February 2012
The Writer
Maria Widya Wardhani
061214011
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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Maria Widya Wardhani
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 061214011
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PI’S
CHARACTER IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya
maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 3 April 2012
Yang menyatakan
Maria Widya Wardhani
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ABSTRACT
Maria Widya Wardhani, 2012. The Influence of the Religions in the
Development of Pi’s Character in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Yogyakarta: The
Faculty of Teachers Training and Education. The Department of Language and
Arts Education. The English Language Education Study Program. Sanata Dharma
University.
This study discusses one of Yann Martel’s works entitled Life of Pi. The
story of this novel is about a boy named Pi, who possesses three religions;
Hinduism, Catholicism, Islam. In Life of Pi, I can find out that religions can help
the main character, Pi to survive in the hardest days of his life. He survives from a
shipwreck; he stays in a lifeboat for almost seven months together with a 450pound Bengal tiger.
The aims of this study are to find out how Pi’s character is described before
the shipwreck and to reveal the influence of the three religions (Hinduism,
Catholicism, and Islam) on Pi’s character development. This study is a library
study. There are two kinds of sources that are used in analyzing this study; the
first is the novel itself the novel Life of Pi by Yan Martel. The second source is
books and articles which could support and help to answer the research questions.
Based on the analysis, the writer concludes that Pi is outgoing and curious,
immature and dependent on his family protection and guidance. A shipwreck
drowns all the passengers in the ship including his family. His life is torn apart.
He loses everything and he almost gives up. However, his religions bring back his
hope and strength. The presence of three religions is a powerful influence on how
Pi acts and reacts. At the end, he successfully passes the tragedy. He becomes a
mature and independent person.
Keywords: religions, character, development
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ABSTRAK
Maria Widya Wardhani, 2012. The Influence of the Religions in the
Development of Pi’s Character in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Yogyakarta:
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan. Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni.
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas salah satu karya Yann Martel yang berjudul Life of Pi.
Novel ini bercerita tentang seorang anak laki-laki bernama Pi yang menganut tiga
agama yaitu Hindu, Katolik dan Islam. Dalam Life of Pi penulis menemukan
bahwa agama dapat membantu karakter utama yaitu Pi, untuk bertahan dalam
masa-masa tersulit dalam hidupnya. Dia selamat dari sebuah kecelakaan kapal, dia
bertahan di dalam sebuah sekoci selama hampir tujuh bulan bersama seekor
harimau bengal,
Tujuan studi ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana karakter Pi
digambarkan sebelum terjadinya kecelakaan kapal. Tujuan yang kedua adalah
untuk mengungkap pengaruh tiga agama (Hindu, Katolik, Islam) dalam
perkembangan karakter Pi. Studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Ada dua sumber yang
digunakan untuk menganalisis studi ini. Yang pertama adalah novel itu sendiri,
Life of Pi yang ditulis oleh Yann Martel. Yang kedua adalah buku-buku dan
artikel-artikel yang dapat membantu menjawab permasalahan.
Berdasarkan analisis, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa Pi adalah anak yang
ramah dan sangat ingin tahu, belum dewasa dan masih bergantung pada
perlindungan dan bimbingan dari keluarga. Sebuah kecelakaan kapal
menenggelamkan seluruh penumpang termasuk keluarganya. Hidupnya hancur,
dia kehilangan segala-galanya dan hampir menyerah. Tetapi, agama-agamanya
membantu dia untuk meraih kembali pengharapan dan kekuatannya. Keberadaan
agama-agamanya memberikan pengaruh yang besar terhadap reaksi dan perbuatan
yang dilakukan Pi. Pada akhirnya, dia berhasil melalui tragedi tersebut. Dia
menjadi pria yang dewasa dan mandiri.
Kata kunci: agama, perkembangan, karakter
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to convey my greatest gratitude to my Lord, Jesus
Christ, that due His blessing and mercy, I could finally finish writing this thesis.
His gracious love has been the greatest power to cope with the hard times.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to people who have been
supporting and giving me great assistance. I would to sincerely thank my advisor,
Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum., who had helped, guided, and encouraged me by
giving suggestions, corrections, support, and beneficial advice for my thesis. My
gratitude would also go to my lecturers in Sanata Dharma University who shared
their precious knowledge and skills. I am fully aware of their support during my
study in this university. I would also like to thank the staff of Sanata Dharma
library who helped me a lot in finding the references for my thesis.
With lots of love, my great gratitude goes to my amazing family, my
beloved father Stephanus Budi Hartono, my patient mother Lydia Widayati, and
my brother Adrianus Adi Nugroho I thank them for their love, support, and of
course, financial support.
My gratitude goes to my beloved boyfriend, Louis Prastowo, for his love
and support. His companionship, caring, kindness and love helped me struggle
through the hard times and difficult days during the writing of this thesis.
My special thanks go to my best friends: Fanny, Anggi, Enji, Hanna, Hila,
Paula, Jati, Doni, Ruth, Bang Gondrong, Wiwit, Manda, and Dewati, who have
shared laughters, happiness, tears, and sadness with me.
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At last, I would like to thank anybody whom I cannot mention one by one,
who has given me many support in the process of writing this thesis. Thanks for
being so good to me. May His blessings pour on them always.
Maria Widya Wardhani
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE............................................................................................
i
APPROVAL PAGES...............................................................................
ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY........................................
iv
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI........................................
v
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................
vi
ABSTRAK.................................................................................................
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.........................................................................
x
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION.............................................................
1
A. Background of the Study....................................
1
B. Problem Formulation..........................................
2
C. Objectives of the Study.......................................
3
D. Benefits of the Study...........................................
3
E.
Definition of Terms.............................................
4
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE........................
6
A.
Theoretical Review.............................................
6
1.
Critical Approach..............................................
6
2.
Character and Characterization.........................
7
3.
Personality and Personality Changes.................
10
a. Biological Factor ........................................
10
1. Biological and Cultural Evolution........
10
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2. Genetic Influences................................
11
3. Physiological Influences.......................
12
b. Social Factor...............................................
12
1. Contemporaneous Social Influence.......
12
2. Developmental Social Influence...........
13
4.
Emotion.............................................................
13
B.
Theoretical Framework......................................
14
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY............................................................
16
A.
Object of the Study..............................................
16
B.
Approach of the Study.........................................
16
C.
Method of the Study............................................
17
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS.......................................................................
18
A.
Pi’s Characters Before the Shipwreck.................
18
1.
Outgoing and Curious........................................
21
2.
Dependent on His Family Protection and
Guidance..............................................................
22
3.
Immature..............................................................
24
B.
The Influence of Religions upon the
Development of Pi’s Characters........................... 25
1.
Calm and Mature.................................................
35
2.
Independent........................................................
36
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS.........................
A.
Conclusion...........................................................
xi
39
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B.
Suggestion...........................................................
42
1.
Suggestion for the Future Researchers...............
42
2.
Suggestion for Teaching English........................
42
References...............................................................................................
45
Appendices...............................................................................................
48
Appendix 1 Summary of Life of Pi.........................................................
49
Appendix 2 Biography and Works of Yann Martel................................
52
1. Biography of Yann Martel..........................................................
52
2. Works of Yann Martel................................................................
53
Appendix 3 Teaching Material................................................................
55
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the background of the study, the reasons why the
writer would like to discuss the topic. It also contains the problem formulation of
the study, the objectives of the study, the benefits of the study and the definition
of terms that is used in the writing.
A.
Background of the Study
Nowadays, religions play important roles in life of billions of people. Most
of the people in the world profess a religion. More people follow the act of
devotion at synagogues, mosques, temples and churches in East Europe. In many
places in the world, religionists work together to create a peaceful world.
Meanwhile, the religion diversity become the source of unsteadiness in many
countries such as in Yugoslavia, Middle-East countries, even in Indonesia.
Religions take parts in the most important moment in people life. They
celebrate the birth, state the maturity, and legalize the marriage and family life,
and clear space for the next life. Religions exist in happiest time and in the most
difficult time in people life. In the time of good, religions teach to always thank
and praise the One who gives goodness. In the time of bad, religions make people
feel save because the belief that something is on their side no matter what.
Something always guides them and helps them out of the hard situation.
Michael Keene (2006) states religions give the answer people need on the
questions that make them confused. How did the life start? What does it mean?
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What will happen to us after the death? (p.7). They explain the mysteries in this
universe which cannot be explained by our knowledge. There are many things in
this world people cannot understand. Many things are beyond our capacity as a
human. The only way to understand is by believing that there is a greater power
that controls everything in this universe. That power also inspires the greatest
masterpiece in this world such as in the artworks, music and literature.
I am interested in Yan Martel’s work because his work deals with religions.
In Life of Pi, I can find out that religions can help the main character, Pi, to
survive in the hardest days of his life. He survives from a shipwreck, he stays in a
lifeboat for almost 7 months together with a 450-pound Bengal tiger. When I read
the novel, I think that Pi has an interesting character because he is not professing
one religion, but three religions at the same time; Hinduism, Catholicism, Islam.
The most amazing part is when those religions help him to survive in the sea for
more than seven months. That is difficult time to pass for a man.
Martel is a very good story teller. By reading this novel we are trapped
between fact and fiction. Life of Pi is a fiction novel, but the way Martel tell the
story make it as it is real. The story runs smoothly and convincingly.
In 2002 Life of Pi won a Man Booker Prize and became an international
bestseller. This prize shows that this novel is of high quality. That is why this
novel is worth reading and analyzing.
B.
Problem Formulation
The problem of the discussion can be formulated as follow:
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1. How is Pi’s character described before the shipwreck?
2. What is the influence of the three religions (Hinduism, Catholicism and
Islam) upon Pi’s character development?
C.
Objectives of the Study
There are two objectives of the study, the first is to find out how Pi’s
character is described before the shipwreck and the second is to reveal the
influence of the three religions (Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam) upon Pi’s
character development.
D.
Benefits of the Study
There is an assumption that reading a novel is just for entertaining or
giving pleasure. Some people stated that reading a novel is just for killing the
time, or, we can say, there is nothing else to be seeking in reading novels other
than pleasure.
According to Moody (1981), literature primarily aims to give pleasure, to
entertain those who attend to it. He also says that the greatest pleasure and
satisfaction in literature occurs when it brings us back to the realities of human
situations, problems, feelings, and relationships (p. 2-3). From what Moody had
stated, we can see that novel not only gives pleasure but also makes the reader see
realities of human beings and learn something from that. From Life of Pi we are
not only able to enjoy the story, but also can find out many human values. We can
learn about human values and religion values that is not harm.
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By doing this study, the writer expects that we can broaden and deepen our
knowledge about human beings, especially in our relationship to others and to
God. Besides, it is also hoped that the understanding of religion will be developed
and it will help us to hold our faith and religion as good teaching, not something
to be debating.
E.
Definition of Terms
There are some terms in this thesis need to be clarified in order to make
readers understand better the content of the thesis.
The first is the word religion. According to Ajahn Brahm (2011) religion is
defined as, “A belief system, bestowed or realised, which gives meaning to life in
relation to that which transcends the mundane.” (p.57)
The second is the word character. According to M. H. Abrams (1981)in his
book, A Glossary of Literatury Term character is defined as, “Characters are the
person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the reader
a being endowed with moral and distortional qualities that are expressed in what
they say – dialogue, and by what they do the action” (p.20). In this study, the term
character refers to Piscine Molitor Patel or Pi.
Character development can be defined as the growth of the changing of a
figure’s thought feeling and behavior, the mental and moral qualities in literary
work through successive period or conflict. In another definition, character
development can be described as a result of a certain process that causes to change
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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in character through successive periods. In the study, the term character
development refers to the changes in Pi’s character.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter focuses on the theories, which are related to the study. There
are two main parts of this chapter. First is the theoretical review and the second
part is the theoretical framework.
A. Theoretical Review
The writer uses four theories to support this study. The first theory is the
theory of critical approach. Second, the theory of character and characterization.
The third is the theory of personality and personality changes. The last is theory of
emotion. Those theories are important in describing and analyzing the personality
changes of Pi on his life.
1.
Critical Approach
According to Guerin (1979), in order to evaluate, analyze, and interpret
literary works, we need to apply the critical approaches. The work of literature can
be appreciated by its readers in many ways. It also enables the readers to know
how to read and judge a literary work. This kind of perspective is what we call
critical approach (p. 7).
Rohrberger and Wood Jr. (1971) present five approaches as a mean of
observing the novel critically. These approaches provide the means to understand
and apprehend the positive aesthetic values of literary work. These approaches are
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Formalist approach, Biographical approach, Socio-cultural Historical approach,
mythopoeia approach, and Psychological approach.
Psychological approach uses theory of psychology in order to understand
literary works. It is believed that each character’s behavior refers to the
psychology of human being (p.13). The writer chose this approach because the
writer tries to get a better understanding of the novel through psychological
perspective.
2.
Character and Characterization
In literary works, such as novels and short stories, it is necessary for every
author in creating such characters to convey the message of the story for the
readers. It is important for the writers to understand the theory of character and
characterization
According to Perrine (1974), reading for character are more difficult than
reading for plot, for character is more complex, variable and ambiguous (p. 66).
Abrams (1981) also defines characters are the persons that presented in a dramatic
or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral,
dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say in the
dialogue and by what they do in their action (p.20).
Guth and Rico (1981) states that the theory of character dealing with
difference of character. The first is flat character. Flat character is described as a
character that has one-track personality. Such one-dimensional characters are
common in popular fiction and easy to be recognized. The second is round
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character. Round character has the combination of traits that make real people
complicated and at times infuriating. Round character is always dynamic,
complex in temperament, and hard to be guessed. The third is static character.
Static characters do not show any growth or development. During the story, they
keep static. The last is growing character. In serious fiction, characters may prove
capable of growth and development. A story may chronicle a stage in character’s
spiritual journey. It may focus on an important turn in the road of a character’s life
(p. 70).
Novels are written to reveal characters. They are described throughout
their physical and psychological appearances. However, not all characters in a
novel play an important role. According to Milligan (1983), they are at least two
types of characters based on their importance in the story, major characters and
minor characters. Major character is the centre of the story and the most important
character in the story. While minor characters appear only once or twice in the
story and they are less important than the major characters (p. 155).
Besides character, it is important to understand the way an author conveys
to the readers what sort of people he writes about and how he makes the readers
get to know and understand them. According to Murphy (1972), the
characterization is the way in which an author attempts to make his characters
understandable to, and come alive for, his readers (161). Therefore, the writer
should understand the kinds of characters and how the characters in the novel are
characterized.
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There are nine ways or methods in characterization proposed by Murphy
(1972). These nine ways or methods help the readers to understand the characters
in the novel. The first method is personal description. The author can describe a
person’s appearance and clothes, his hair, his eyes, his height and weight, his face,
etc. It is important to make the reader gets the clue of the characters. The second
method is character as seen by other. The author can describe the character
through the eyes and the opinions of another. The reader gets, as it were, a
reflected image. The third is speech. The author can give us an insight into the
character of one of the person in the book through what the person says.
Whenever the person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another,
whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clues to his character.
The next is past life. By letting the reader learns something about a
person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape
a person’s character. This can be done by a direct comment by the author, through
the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another
person. The fifth is conversation of others. The author can also give clues to a
person’s character through the conversation of other people and the things they
say about him. The sixth is reactions. The author can also give us a clue to a
person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations
and events. The seventh is direct comment. The author can describe or comment
on a person’s character directly. The eighth is thoughts. The author can give us
direct knowledge of what person is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do
what he cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking.
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The last is mannerism. The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits or
idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character (p. 161-172).
3.
Personality and Personality Changes
According to Lazarus and Monat (1979) personologists (psychologists
who study personality) think of personality as the underlying, relatively stable,
psychological structures and processes that organize human experience and shape
a person’s actions and reactions to the environment (p.1). While according to
Kalish (1973), personality is the dynamic organization of characteristics. It also
refers to the total individual and includes “needs, motives, and methods of
adjusting, temperament qualities, self-concepts, role behaviour, attitudes, values
and abilities”(p.52). Kalish (1973) also states that there is no element of
personality isolated from any other element and nothing operates independently.
In other words, each element of personality forms a unity. (p.52)
In the book, “Personality”, Lazarus and Monat (1979) propose two factors
of personality determinant, they are:
a.
Biological Factor
The factors, which determine the personality from the biological side, are:
1. Biological and Cultural Evolution
Biological evolution is a continuing process and is, presumably, still
taking place today. This continuing evolution depends on two factors: first, that
there be genetic variation among the different organisms within the species, so
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11
that some traits may be selected and passed on to subsequent generations and
other suppressed, and second, that these genetic traits be related to the fitness of
the species for adapting to changes in the available environments. Many
genetically influenced human traits, for example, intellectual capacity, vary from
person to person, and it is likely that they affect the chances of survival and
therefore the chance to reproduce before premature death. There is another
requirement for biological evolutionary change to take place. Human
environments must also change so that new adaptive demands can be made. In
other way, cultural evolution has been extremely dramatic, and the rate of change
in patterns of society during the past 5,000 years surely has accelerated. Not only
are there striking social changes, but there are physical changes too, many of
which pose serious adaptive problems.
2. Genetic Influences
Charles Darwin believed that mental as well as physical characteristics
were inherited and evolved from the struggle for survival. Without a hereditary
mechanism through which biological traits could be passed on to the next
generation, there could be no evolution. Hereditary and environmental
contributions to trait variation depend on a number of factors, for example, the
trait in question, the specific environmental context of that trait, the species
involved, and the context of other hereditary traits.
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3. Physiological Influences
Physiological factors (and as already noted, genetic ones too) can affect
behavior either directly or indirectly. In direct influence, normal behavior is
altered by damage to tissues or by structural or functional conditions in the
nervous system. Indirect influences occur when physiological states have social
consequences which in turn affect the individual’s behavior.
b. Social Factors
Social factors influence personality in immediate or transient interaction as
well as throughout life. The social factors are divided into two:
1) Contemporaneous Social Influence
The basic idea is that for all humans, every behaving situation is really a
social one, whether the person is alone or in the company with others. The
presence of other people is usually a powerful influence on how one acts and
reacts; but even when alone, we remember or imagine how others react to what
we do or think and this too has a great influence on us. Social situation can affect
what and how we learn, how we perceive and judge the environment and the
events in it, the language with which we describe and think of events, our
motives, the manner in which we cope with life demands, the feelings we have for
others, and the manner in which we experience and express emotional reactions.
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2) Developmental Social Influence
The basic idea is that over the course of development, from the very
earliest moments of postnatal (and possibly even prenatal) life, every person has a
host of experiences with other people which influence the developing personality
structure. The key idea is very simple-the person acquires through social
experience the norms or standards of the society in which he or she lives.
4.
Emotion
According to Campos and Saarni in Santrock (2007), emotion is feeling,
or affect, that occurs when a person is in a state or an interaction that is important
to him or her, especially to his or her well being (p.332). Thus, we can understand
the emotions from the behavior that shows the pleasantness or unpleasantness of
current situation or transaction given by others.
Santrock, (2007) states emotions can be positive or negative. Positive
emotions include enthusiasm, joy, and love. Negative emotions include anxiety,
anger, guilt, and sadness (p.333). Positive emotions are useful in building human
relationship. The ability to control emotions is a key dimension of development
(p.334). Everybody needs to know the right time to show negative or positive
emotions and how to control those emotions. Often children or adolescents with
problems are they who have difficulty managing their emotions.
The word emotion cannot be separated from human beings because all
human beings have it. Emotions give so many colours of life that make our life
become wonderful. According to Kalish (1973) “An emotion may be thought of
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as a feeling or state of arousal that stirs a person to observable action or to internal
change”. (p.128)
We as human being are accustomed to express our different feelings in
every different situation. Emotion can be altered quickly. It also encourages
someone to act or think in certain behaviour to express what he or she is feeling at
that time. All parts of the body will show the changes. At his time, they will do
anything to give the responses to the event unconsciously.
Lawlor (1963) expresses this idea in the book that emotion “mobilize” and
“organize” us rather than needs, drives or instincts. Sometimes we do not
recognize that we act in the certain pattern because our emotion moves us to
behave in that pattern. (p. 30)
Deutsch (1966) states that the study of emotion, therefore, consists in
investigation of various classes of events such as emotional experiences, the
environmental events which arouse emotion, behaviour during emotion states, and
so on. The environment/ society also have a role in person’s emotion changes.
The society can influence our behaviour. For example the society makes us angry
with ourselves because we make a foul (break the society rules). Meanwhile, it
also gives happiness, for example our friend getting married. These examples can
show us the environmental events deal with our emotions. (p. 177)
B. Theoretical Framework
In order to answer the formulated problems, the writer uses some theories
related to the topic. First, the writer uses the psychological approach proposed by
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15
Rohrberger and Woods Jr. to analyze the main characters in the novel from
psychological perspective. Since the characters are human being, the
psychological perspective is needed as the basis of analysis.
Second, the writer uses the theory of character proposed by Abrams, Guth
and Rico, and Milligan, and theory of characterization proposed by Murphy as the
basis to analyze the main character. The writer needs to apply theory of character
and characterization to determine the character’s condition. By understanding the
definition of the character and the characterization, the writer attains a better
understanding of the character’s personality, way of thinking, and also his
development in the story.
Other theories used for this study are theory of personality and personality
changes and theory of emotions. The writer uses the theory of Personality and
Personality Changes proposed by Kalish and Lazarus and Monat to analyze the
action and reaction of Pi toward his experience. This theory helps the writer to
analyze the factor, which determine the character’s personality. The presence of
three religions in this novel is a powerful influence on how the charater acts and
reacts. The writer also uses the theory of emotion proposed by Santrock, Kalish,
Lawlor and Deutsh to analyze the character’s emotion. The writer needs to apply
this theory to know the character’s ability in coping with stress and death.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, there are three main sections. The first section is the object
of the study which describes Yan Martel’s Life of Pi as the center of the study.
The second section is related to the approach used to analyze the novel. The third
section discusses the procedures which are taken to analyze the novel.
A. Object of the Study
This thesis discusses about a novel titled Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It is
originally published by Random House of Canada in 2001. The novel consists of
401 pages and is divided into 100 chapters. It was a religious novel. This is a
story about a boy named Pi. He was born as the son of a zoo owner, so animals
have become his friend since he was a child. Pi is very unique because he has
three faiths. One day, his family and all of the animals move to Canada using a
ship. On their way to Canada, there is an accident that drowns all the passengers
in the ship, except Pi and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. They survive in
their lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean for about seven months
B. Approach of the Study
The approach used in the study is the Psychological approach. This
approach is used to analyze the novel from the psychological point of view. By
using this approach, the writer will reveal the influence of the religion to Pi’s
personality development. The writer used the theory of personality changes to
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17
help her analysis toward Pi’s personality changes. Other theories, which are used
by the writer, are the theory of character and characterization and the theory of
critical approach. These theories were applied to analyze the personality of Pi
while he is in the sea.
C. Method of the Study
This study was a library study. There were two kinds of sources that were
used in analyzing this study; the first was the novel itself the novel Life of Pi by
Yan Martel. The second source was books and articles which could support and
help to answer the problem statement.
To analyze the novel the writer took some steps. The first step was
reading the novel several times to understand the story. Second, the writer
gathered as many information about the character. It could come from the
character’s feelings and thoughts, or from the dialogue. The third step was the
writer looked for the references in order to add the sources related to the theory of
the literature. This was very helpful to help the writer when the writer comes to
the discussion of the novel.
In the fourth step, the writer examined the character in the novel by
applying psychological approach. Then the writer tried to answer the problem
formulation. The last step was the writer made a conclusion and suggestion from
the answer of the problem formulation.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS
This chapter deals with the analysis of the novel. In this chapter, the writer
discusses and answers the questions presented in the first chapter. The analysis
deals with Pi’s characteristics before the shipwreck and also the influence of his
religions towards his character development.
A. Pi’s Characters Before the Shipwreck
Character and characterization are important parts in a story.
Characterization helps the reader to acknowledge the true self of the character,
characterization will reveal whether he/she is bad or good, or even the reasons
behind his/her action. Pi is a major character in this novel since he plays a big role
from the beginning of the story. Pi is also a growing character because his
character shows growth and development. This study uses seven of the nine
method of characterization proposed by Murphy. They are character as seen by
other, speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, thoughts and mannerism.
I describe Pi’s character before the shipwreck, the time when he has a
beautiful life with his full family member. The story of Pi’s childhood begins with
the history of his name. His full name is Piscine Molitor Patel. He was named
after a swimming pool, a-French-swimming-pool. Mamaji, the family friend, is a
swimmer. Mamaji always tells a story about a great swimming pool in Paris
named Piscine Molitor. Pi’s father is amazed of the story, and then names his
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19
youngest son after the pool. Though he, himself, even the whole family never took
to water. Pi is the only one in the family to learn how to swim from Mamaji.
Pi is described as an eager child. He has a strong willing to learn new
things. He becomes the first person in his family – if not the only one – who wants
to learn swimming from Mamaji. The other family members are afraid to be in the
water.
He tried to teach my parents to swim, but he never hot them to go beyond
wading up their knees at the beach and making ludicrous round motions
with their arms, which, if they were practicing the breaststroke, made them
look as if they were walking through the jungle. Ravi was just as
unenthusiastic. (p. 10)
Mamaji had to wait until I came into the picture to find a willing disciple.
The day I came of swimming age, which, to Mother’s distress, Mamaji
claimed was seven, he brought me down to the beach, spread his arms
seaward and said, “This is my gift to you.” (p. 10-p. 11)
Pi is different. He adores Mamaji and his swimming lessons. Pi even
practices regularly on certain days in a week with Mamaji. He becomes a good
swimmer and he loves doing it. One day, on Mamaji’s birthday, Pi gives two full
lengths of credible butterfly as a gift. “My gift to Mamaji one birthday, I must
have been thirteen or so, was two full lengths of credible butterfly. I finished so
spent I could hardly wave to him.” (p. 12)
What he has done for Mamaji shows that he wants very much to do
something that he like. If Pi does not have enough desire to learn and then love
what he does, he will not show his ability as a gift. He wants to show to his
teacher that he learns very well and he wants to make his teacher proud of him.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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Swimming is not the only passion that Pi has. There is something that also
tickles his heart and makes him feel curious. It is religion. Not only one religion
like common people usually posses, but three religions at once. The first is Hindu.
Hindu is the major religion in India. Pi was born in the middle of Hindu family.
His childhood life contains with rituals, Gods and Goddess, and the smell of
incenses.
First wonder goes deepest; wonder after that fits in the impression, Ade by
the first. I owe Hinduism the original landscape of my religious
imagination, those towns and rivers, battlefield and forest....
Pi obviously acts up to Hindu because his family does. The interesting
thing is that he is interested in another religion when he does his Hindu rituals.
Catholic is a new thing for Pi. He curious about the new thing he sees for the first
time and wants to know it deeper.
I was fourteen years old—and a well-content Hindu on holiday—when I
met Jesus Christ. (p.63)
I came upon the rectory. The door was open. I hid around a corner to look
upon the scene. I was moved. What I had before my eyes stole into my
heart and thrilled me. (p. 64)
He sat facing the door and the windows, a book in his hands, a Bible I
presumed. He read a little, looked up, read a little more, looked up again.
It was done in a way that was leisurely, yet alert and composed. After
some minutes, he closed his book and put it aside. He folded his hands
together on the table and sat there, his expression serene, showing neither
expectation nor resignation. (p.65)
Pi is amazed of what he sees before his eyes. What he feels is a sense of
peace. He feels love and comfort in a new thing that he never experiences before.
The next thing that happens to him is he starts going to the church regularly. He
even asks the priest to give baptism to him. He does all of those “Christian things”
without leaving his first believe, Hindu. He is not able to leave Hindu, and the fact
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
21
is, he loves it. He also falls in love with Christian and does not plan to stop
learning about it.
Two religions are not enough to fill Pi’s heart. He has eager desire for
another religion: Islam. He meets Islam for the first time when he was fifteen and
exploring his hometown. He comes to a street where Jamia Masjid, the Great
Mosque, is. He does not come in the mosque but he walks in the street around the
mosque. The he sees a man, a bread seller, prays to his God.
So it went the first time I saw a Muslim pray - quick, necessary, physical,
muttered, striking. Next time I was praying in church - on my knees,
immobile, silent before Christ on the Cross - the image of this callisthenic
communion with God in the middle of bags of flour kept coming to my
mind. (p. 76)
Pi thinks that Islam has a bad reputation. However after he sees the man
prays there is something inside his heart that moves him to come back. Pi comes
to that man the other days and learns Islam from him. He changes the way he
think. He thinks that Islam is full of love, brotherhood, and devotion.
1.
Outgoing and Curious
Pi is an outgoing and excitable kid. He is friendly to everyone even to
strangers. He can make new friends easily, that is why he learns new things
everyday from new people he meets. He makes a new friendship with his Islam
teacher, the bread seller, Mr. Kumar. He invites Mr. Kumar to the zoo to show
him many animals. He waits for his teacher in front of the zoo so that Mr. Kumar
does not get lost. He greets his teacher politely to show his respect and
friendliness.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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My hands froze over my eyes. That voice. Strange in a familiar way,
familiar in a strange way. I felt a smile welling up in me. “Salaam
alaykum, Mr. Kumar! How good to see you” “Wa alaykum as-salaam. Is
something wrong with your eyes?’ “No, nothing. Just a bit of dust.”
He also prevents Mr. Kumar from paying the ticket to enter the zoo. He feels so
proud because he can give something to his teacher.
“No, no. Not for you master.” It was with pride that I waved the ticket
collector’s hand away and showed Mr. Kumar into the zoo.
It shows that Pi is a polite student. He respects his teacher by giving him a
free ticket. He wants to build a good student-teacher relationship.
2.
Dependent on His Family Protection and Guidance
Pi is a dependent child. He does something without thinking what are the
consequences then gives the problem up to his parents. Pi does not tell his parents
about the religions he practices. Pi keeps it as a secret; he thinks that it is just an
ordinary-sixteen-year-old-boy-secret. He does not realize that it is an important
thing for her parents to know.
Yes, it was forcefully brought to the attention of my bemused parents. You
see, they didn’t know. They didn’t know that I was practicing Hindu,
Christian and Muslim. Teenagers always hide a few things from their
parents, isn’t that so? All sixteen-year-olds have secrets, don’t they? (p.
81)
One day when Pi and his parents are ambling along the beach, they
accidentally meet the wise man from each religion he possesses. The wise men are
angry when they know that Pi possesses three religions. Each of them thinks that
his religion is better than the others. They start to argue in front of Pi and his
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
23
parents. Pi is afraid and he starts to pray in his heart his parents will take him go
away from that place.
Townspeople were out for a stroll. Children screamed and laughed.
Colored balloons floated in the air. Ice cream sales were brisk. Why think
of business on such a day, I ask? Why couldn’t they have just walked by
with a nod and smile? (p. 81-82)
The controversy is getting fierce between the three wise men. Pi does not
know what to do and just keeps silent. Then his father tries to break up the fight
by saying that there is freedom of practice the religions. But what Mr. Santosh
saying makes the wise men angrier.
It was hard to tell whose face was more inflamed. It looked as if they
might come to blows.
Father raised his hands, “Gentlemen, gentlemen, please!” he interjected. “I
would like to remind you there is freedom of practice in this country.”
Three apoplectic faces turned to him.
“Yes! Practice---singular!” the wise men screamed in unison. Three index
fingers, like punctuation marks, jumped to attention in the air to emphasize
their point. (p.87)
The three wise men think that Pi has to choose on religion. Pi’s father
thinks that what Pi’s doing is not a crime but he agrees that Pi should choose one.
Pi’s mother asks Pi about that, Pi gives innocent answer which embarrassed the
wise men.
“Hmmm, Piscine?” Mother nudged me, “How do you feel about the
question?”
“Bapu Gandhi said, ‘all religions are true.’I just want to love God,” I
blurted out, and looked down, red in the face. (p. 87)
By saying so, Pi ends the fight between the wise men.
Pi is dependent on his mother. When his father calls him out with an
unpleasant tone, Pi knows that something is wrong. His father wants to give Pi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
24
and his brother some lessons. Pi does not like it. Yet he cannot do anything to
defend himself.
...“Gita, you’ve seen Piscine. He’s at that age when boys run around and
poke their noses everywhere.”
Me? A run-rounder? An everywhere-nose-poker? Not so, not so! Defend
me, Mother, defend me, I implored in my heart. But she only sighed and
nodded, a signal that the terrible business could proceed. (p.41)
Pi is afraid. He is afraid to his father and his punishment. He does not
know what he did wrong so his father calls him out. When things get worse, all he
can do is asking help from his mother. He thinks that his mother can help him to
fix any problem he has. His mother protects him with love and caring, and she
usually defends him from his father. That is why Pi feels save in that protection.
Every time Pi feels insecure he comes to his mother. When his father gives
him a lesson about how dangerous animals can be, he feels afraid then he comes
to his mother for protection. “My knees started quaking. I got close to mother.”
(p.42)
3.
Immature
Pi is an immature child at the beginning of the story. When his father calls
him and Ravi, his brother, for telling something, he says to his father that he does
not do anything wrong. The fact is he does not know exactly why his father calls
him and Ravi. Instead, he accuses Ravi.“I’m innocent!” I burst out. “It’s Ravi’s
fault, whatever it is. He did it!” (p. 40)
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
25
What Pi does is a typical of childish person. He blames other people
because he does not want get into trouble. He does not check what the problem is
actually, and he does not ask his father why he calls him and Ravi.
It is a common thing for a father to give his sons a lesson. By doing that,
he can prevent something bad happens to his sons. Pi’s father, Mr. Santosh, also
do the same thing. He gives his sons a lesson as guidance. When Mr. Santosh
gives Pi and Ravi a lesson about how dangerous animals are, they are mad and do
not talk to their father for days.“The lesson was over. Ravi and I sulked and gave
Father the cold shoulder for a week.” (p. 48)
This shows that Pi and Ravi are spoiled children. They do not like what
their father do and what they can do about it is only keep silent.
B. The Influence of Religions in the Development of Pi’s Characters
According to Lazarus and Monat (1979) personality is the underlying,
relatively stable
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PI’S
CHARACTER IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Maria Widya Wardhani
Student Number: 061214011
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PI’S
CHARACTER IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Maria Widya Wardhani
Student Number: 061214011
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work
or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 22 February 2012
The Writer
Maria Widya Wardhani
061214011
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Maria Widya Wardhani
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 061214011
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PI’S
CHARACTER IN YANN MARTEL’S LIFE OF PI
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya
maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 3 April 2012
Yang menyatakan
Maria Widya Wardhani
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
Maria Widya Wardhani, 2012. The Influence of the Religions in the
Development of Pi’s Character in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Yogyakarta: The
Faculty of Teachers Training and Education. The Department of Language and
Arts Education. The English Language Education Study Program. Sanata Dharma
University.
This study discusses one of Yann Martel’s works entitled Life of Pi. The
story of this novel is about a boy named Pi, who possesses three religions;
Hinduism, Catholicism, Islam. In Life of Pi, I can find out that religions can help
the main character, Pi to survive in the hardest days of his life. He survives from a
shipwreck; he stays in a lifeboat for almost seven months together with a 450pound Bengal tiger.
The aims of this study are to find out how Pi’s character is described before
the shipwreck and to reveal the influence of the three religions (Hinduism,
Catholicism, and Islam) on Pi’s character development. This study is a library
study. There are two kinds of sources that are used in analyzing this study; the
first is the novel itself the novel Life of Pi by Yan Martel. The second source is
books and articles which could support and help to answer the research questions.
Based on the analysis, the writer concludes that Pi is outgoing and curious,
immature and dependent on his family protection and guidance. A shipwreck
drowns all the passengers in the ship including his family. His life is torn apart.
He loses everything and he almost gives up. However, his religions bring back his
hope and strength. The presence of three religions is a powerful influence on how
Pi acts and reacts. At the end, he successfully passes the tragedy. He becomes a
mature and independent person.
Keywords: religions, character, development
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ABSTRAK
Maria Widya Wardhani, 2012. The Influence of the Religions in the
Development of Pi’s Character in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. Yogyakarta:
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan. Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni.
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas salah satu karya Yann Martel yang berjudul Life of Pi.
Novel ini bercerita tentang seorang anak laki-laki bernama Pi yang menganut tiga
agama yaitu Hindu, Katolik dan Islam. Dalam Life of Pi penulis menemukan
bahwa agama dapat membantu karakter utama yaitu Pi, untuk bertahan dalam
masa-masa tersulit dalam hidupnya. Dia selamat dari sebuah kecelakaan kapal, dia
bertahan di dalam sebuah sekoci selama hampir tujuh bulan bersama seekor
harimau bengal,
Tujuan studi ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana karakter Pi
digambarkan sebelum terjadinya kecelakaan kapal. Tujuan yang kedua adalah
untuk mengungkap pengaruh tiga agama (Hindu, Katolik, Islam) dalam
perkembangan karakter Pi. Studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Ada dua sumber yang
digunakan untuk menganalisis studi ini. Yang pertama adalah novel itu sendiri,
Life of Pi yang ditulis oleh Yann Martel. Yang kedua adalah buku-buku dan
artikel-artikel yang dapat membantu menjawab permasalahan.
Berdasarkan analisis, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa Pi adalah anak yang
ramah dan sangat ingin tahu, belum dewasa dan masih bergantung pada
perlindungan dan bimbingan dari keluarga. Sebuah kecelakaan kapal
menenggelamkan seluruh penumpang termasuk keluarganya. Hidupnya hancur,
dia kehilangan segala-galanya dan hampir menyerah. Tetapi, agama-agamanya
membantu dia untuk meraih kembali pengharapan dan kekuatannya. Keberadaan
agama-agamanya memberikan pengaruh yang besar terhadap reaksi dan perbuatan
yang dilakukan Pi. Pada akhirnya, dia berhasil melalui tragedi tersebut. Dia
menjadi pria yang dewasa dan mandiri.
Kata kunci: agama, perkembangan, karakter
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to convey my greatest gratitude to my Lord, Jesus
Christ, that due His blessing and mercy, I could finally finish writing this thesis.
His gracious love has been the greatest power to cope with the hard times.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to people who have been
supporting and giving me great assistance. I would to sincerely thank my advisor,
Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum., who had helped, guided, and encouraged me by
giving suggestions, corrections, support, and beneficial advice for my thesis. My
gratitude would also go to my lecturers in Sanata Dharma University who shared
their precious knowledge and skills. I am fully aware of their support during my
study in this university. I would also like to thank the staff of Sanata Dharma
library who helped me a lot in finding the references for my thesis.
With lots of love, my great gratitude goes to my amazing family, my
beloved father Stephanus Budi Hartono, my patient mother Lydia Widayati, and
my brother Adrianus Adi Nugroho I thank them for their love, support, and of
course, financial support.
My gratitude goes to my beloved boyfriend, Louis Prastowo, for his love
and support. His companionship, caring, kindness and love helped me struggle
through the hard times and difficult days during the writing of this thesis.
My special thanks go to my best friends: Fanny, Anggi, Enji, Hanna, Hila,
Paula, Jati, Doni, Ruth, Bang Gondrong, Wiwit, Manda, and Dewati, who have
shared laughters, happiness, tears, and sadness with me.
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At last, I would like to thank anybody whom I cannot mention one by one,
who has given me many support in the process of writing this thesis. Thanks for
being so good to me. May His blessings pour on them always.
Maria Widya Wardhani
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE............................................................................................
i
APPROVAL PAGES...............................................................................
ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY........................................
iv
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI........................................
v
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................
vi
ABSTRAK.................................................................................................
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................
viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.........................................................................
x
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION.............................................................
1
A. Background of the Study....................................
1
B. Problem Formulation..........................................
2
C. Objectives of the Study.......................................
3
D. Benefits of the Study...........................................
3
E.
Definition of Terms.............................................
4
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE........................
6
A.
Theoretical Review.............................................
6
1.
Critical Approach..............................................
6
2.
Character and Characterization.........................
7
3.
Personality and Personality Changes.................
10
a. Biological Factor ........................................
10
1. Biological and Cultural Evolution........
10
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2. Genetic Influences................................
11
3. Physiological Influences.......................
12
b. Social Factor...............................................
12
1. Contemporaneous Social Influence.......
12
2. Developmental Social Influence...........
13
4.
Emotion.............................................................
13
B.
Theoretical Framework......................................
14
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY............................................................
16
A.
Object of the Study..............................................
16
B.
Approach of the Study.........................................
16
C.
Method of the Study............................................
17
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS.......................................................................
18
A.
Pi’s Characters Before the Shipwreck.................
18
1.
Outgoing and Curious........................................
21
2.
Dependent on His Family Protection and
Guidance..............................................................
22
3.
Immature..............................................................
24
B.
The Influence of Religions upon the
Development of Pi’s Characters........................... 25
1.
Calm and Mature.................................................
35
2.
Independent........................................................
36
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS.........................
A.
Conclusion...........................................................
xi
39
39
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
B.
Suggestion...........................................................
42
1.
Suggestion for the Future Researchers...............
42
2.
Suggestion for Teaching English........................
42
References...............................................................................................
45
Appendices...............................................................................................
48
Appendix 1 Summary of Life of Pi.........................................................
49
Appendix 2 Biography and Works of Yann Martel................................
52
1. Biography of Yann Martel..........................................................
52
2. Works of Yann Martel................................................................
53
Appendix 3 Teaching Material................................................................
55
xii
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the background of the study, the reasons why the
writer would like to discuss the topic. It also contains the problem formulation of
the study, the objectives of the study, the benefits of the study and the definition
of terms that is used in the writing.
A.
Background of the Study
Nowadays, religions play important roles in life of billions of people. Most
of the people in the world profess a religion. More people follow the act of
devotion at synagogues, mosques, temples and churches in East Europe. In many
places in the world, religionists work together to create a peaceful world.
Meanwhile, the religion diversity become the source of unsteadiness in many
countries such as in Yugoslavia, Middle-East countries, even in Indonesia.
Religions take parts in the most important moment in people life. They
celebrate the birth, state the maturity, and legalize the marriage and family life,
and clear space for the next life. Religions exist in happiest time and in the most
difficult time in people life. In the time of good, religions teach to always thank
and praise the One who gives goodness. In the time of bad, religions make people
feel save because the belief that something is on their side no matter what.
Something always guides them and helps them out of the hard situation.
Michael Keene (2006) states religions give the answer people need on the
questions that make them confused. How did the life start? What does it mean?
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What will happen to us after the death? (p.7). They explain the mysteries in this
universe which cannot be explained by our knowledge. There are many things in
this world people cannot understand. Many things are beyond our capacity as a
human. The only way to understand is by believing that there is a greater power
that controls everything in this universe. That power also inspires the greatest
masterpiece in this world such as in the artworks, music and literature.
I am interested in Yan Martel’s work because his work deals with religions.
In Life of Pi, I can find out that religions can help the main character, Pi, to
survive in the hardest days of his life. He survives from a shipwreck, he stays in a
lifeboat for almost 7 months together with a 450-pound Bengal tiger. When I read
the novel, I think that Pi has an interesting character because he is not professing
one religion, but three religions at the same time; Hinduism, Catholicism, Islam.
The most amazing part is when those religions help him to survive in the sea for
more than seven months. That is difficult time to pass for a man.
Martel is a very good story teller. By reading this novel we are trapped
between fact and fiction. Life of Pi is a fiction novel, but the way Martel tell the
story make it as it is real. The story runs smoothly and convincingly.
In 2002 Life of Pi won a Man Booker Prize and became an international
bestseller. This prize shows that this novel is of high quality. That is why this
novel is worth reading and analyzing.
B.
Problem Formulation
The problem of the discussion can be formulated as follow:
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1. How is Pi’s character described before the shipwreck?
2. What is the influence of the three religions (Hinduism, Catholicism and
Islam) upon Pi’s character development?
C.
Objectives of the Study
There are two objectives of the study, the first is to find out how Pi’s
character is described before the shipwreck and the second is to reveal the
influence of the three religions (Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam) upon Pi’s
character development.
D.
Benefits of the Study
There is an assumption that reading a novel is just for entertaining or
giving pleasure. Some people stated that reading a novel is just for killing the
time, or, we can say, there is nothing else to be seeking in reading novels other
than pleasure.
According to Moody (1981), literature primarily aims to give pleasure, to
entertain those who attend to it. He also says that the greatest pleasure and
satisfaction in literature occurs when it brings us back to the realities of human
situations, problems, feelings, and relationships (p. 2-3). From what Moody had
stated, we can see that novel not only gives pleasure but also makes the reader see
realities of human beings and learn something from that. From Life of Pi we are
not only able to enjoy the story, but also can find out many human values. We can
learn about human values and religion values that is not harm.
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By doing this study, the writer expects that we can broaden and deepen our
knowledge about human beings, especially in our relationship to others and to
God. Besides, it is also hoped that the understanding of religion will be developed
and it will help us to hold our faith and religion as good teaching, not something
to be debating.
E.
Definition of Terms
There are some terms in this thesis need to be clarified in order to make
readers understand better the content of the thesis.
The first is the word religion. According to Ajahn Brahm (2011) religion is
defined as, “A belief system, bestowed or realised, which gives meaning to life in
relation to that which transcends the mundane.” (p.57)
The second is the word character. According to M. H. Abrams (1981)in his
book, A Glossary of Literatury Term character is defined as, “Characters are the
person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the reader
a being endowed with moral and distortional qualities that are expressed in what
they say – dialogue, and by what they do the action” (p.20). In this study, the term
character refers to Piscine Molitor Patel or Pi.
Character development can be defined as the growth of the changing of a
figure’s thought feeling and behavior, the mental and moral qualities in literary
work through successive period or conflict. In another definition, character
development can be described as a result of a certain process that causes to change
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5
in character through successive periods. In the study, the term character
development refers to the changes in Pi’s character.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter focuses on the theories, which are related to the study. There
are two main parts of this chapter. First is the theoretical review and the second
part is the theoretical framework.
A. Theoretical Review
The writer uses four theories to support this study. The first theory is the
theory of critical approach. Second, the theory of character and characterization.
The third is the theory of personality and personality changes. The last is theory of
emotion. Those theories are important in describing and analyzing the personality
changes of Pi on his life.
1.
Critical Approach
According to Guerin (1979), in order to evaluate, analyze, and interpret
literary works, we need to apply the critical approaches. The work of literature can
be appreciated by its readers in many ways. It also enables the readers to know
how to read and judge a literary work. This kind of perspective is what we call
critical approach (p. 7).
Rohrberger and Wood Jr. (1971) present five approaches as a mean of
observing the novel critically. These approaches provide the means to understand
and apprehend the positive aesthetic values of literary work. These approaches are
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Formalist approach, Biographical approach, Socio-cultural Historical approach,
mythopoeia approach, and Psychological approach.
Psychological approach uses theory of psychology in order to understand
literary works. It is believed that each character’s behavior refers to the
psychology of human being (p.13). The writer chose this approach because the
writer tries to get a better understanding of the novel through psychological
perspective.
2.
Character and Characterization
In literary works, such as novels and short stories, it is necessary for every
author in creating such characters to convey the message of the story for the
readers. It is important for the writers to understand the theory of character and
characterization
According to Perrine (1974), reading for character are more difficult than
reading for plot, for character is more complex, variable and ambiguous (p. 66).
Abrams (1981) also defines characters are the persons that presented in a dramatic
or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral,
dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say in the
dialogue and by what they do in their action (p.20).
Guth and Rico (1981) states that the theory of character dealing with
difference of character. The first is flat character. Flat character is described as a
character that has one-track personality. Such one-dimensional characters are
common in popular fiction and easy to be recognized. The second is round
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
8
character. Round character has the combination of traits that make real people
complicated and at times infuriating. Round character is always dynamic,
complex in temperament, and hard to be guessed. The third is static character.
Static characters do not show any growth or development. During the story, they
keep static. The last is growing character. In serious fiction, characters may prove
capable of growth and development. A story may chronicle a stage in character’s
spiritual journey. It may focus on an important turn in the road of a character’s life
(p. 70).
Novels are written to reveal characters. They are described throughout
their physical and psychological appearances. However, not all characters in a
novel play an important role. According to Milligan (1983), they are at least two
types of characters based on their importance in the story, major characters and
minor characters. Major character is the centre of the story and the most important
character in the story. While minor characters appear only once or twice in the
story and they are less important than the major characters (p. 155).
Besides character, it is important to understand the way an author conveys
to the readers what sort of people he writes about and how he makes the readers
get to know and understand them. According to Murphy (1972), the
characterization is the way in which an author attempts to make his characters
understandable to, and come alive for, his readers (161). Therefore, the writer
should understand the kinds of characters and how the characters in the novel are
characterized.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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There are nine ways or methods in characterization proposed by Murphy
(1972). These nine ways or methods help the readers to understand the characters
in the novel. The first method is personal description. The author can describe a
person’s appearance and clothes, his hair, his eyes, his height and weight, his face,
etc. It is important to make the reader gets the clue of the characters. The second
method is character as seen by other. The author can describe the character
through the eyes and the opinions of another. The reader gets, as it were, a
reflected image. The third is speech. The author can give us an insight into the
character of one of the person in the book through what the person says.
Whenever the person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another,
whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clues to his character.
The next is past life. By letting the reader learns something about a
person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape
a person’s character. This can be done by a direct comment by the author, through
the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another
person. The fifth is conversation of others. The author can also give clues to a
person’s character through the conversation of other people and the things they
say about him. The sixth is reactions. The author can also give us a clue to a
person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations
and events. The seventh is direct comment. The author can describe or comment
on a person’s character directly. The eighth is thoughts. The author can give us
direct knowledge of what person is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do
what he cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
10
The last is mannerism. The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits or
idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character (p. 161-172).
3.
Personality and Personality Changes
According to Lazarus and Monat (1979) personologists (psychologists
who study personality) think of personality as the underlying, relatively stable,
psychological structures and processes that organize human experience and shape
a person’s actions and reactions to the environment (p.1). While according to
Kalish (1973), personality is the dynamic organization of characteristics. It also
refers to the total individual and includes “needs, motives, and methods of
adjusting, temperament qualities, self-concepts, role behaviour, attitudes, values
and abilities”(p.52). Kalish (1973) also states that there is no element of
personality isolated from any other element and nothing operates independently.
In other words, each element of personality forms a unity. (p.52)
In the book, “Personality”, Lazarus and Monat (1979) propose two factors
of personality determinant, they are:
a.
Biological Factor
The factors, which determine the personality from the biological side, are:
1. Biological and Cultural Evolution
Biological evolution is a continuing process and is, presumably, still
taking place today. This continuing evolution depends on two factors: first, that
there be genetic variation among the different organisms within the species, so
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
11
that some traits may be selected and passed on to subsequent generations and
other suppressed, and second, that these genetic traits be related to the fitness of
the species for adapting to changes in the available environments. Many
genetically influenced human traits, for example, intellectual capacity, vary from
person to person, and it is likely that they affect the chances of survival and
therefore the chance to reproduce before premature death. There is another
requirement for biological evolutionary change to take place. Human
environments must also change so that new adaptive demands can be made. In
other way, cultural evolution has been extremely dramatic, and the rate of change
in patterns of society during the past 5,000 years surely has accelerated. Not only
are there striking social changes, but there are physical changes too, many of
which pose serious adaptive problems.
2. Genetic Influences
Charles Darwin believed that mental as well as physical characteristics
were inherited and evolved from the struggle for survival. Without a hereditary
mechanism through which biological traits could be passed on to the next
generation, there could be no evolution. Hereditary and environmental
contributions to trait variation depend on a number of factors, for example, the
trait in question, the specific environmental context of that trait, the species
involved, and the context of other hereditary traits.
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3. Physiological Influences
Physiological factors (and as already noted, genetic ones too) can affect
behavior either directly or indirectly. In direct influence, normal behavior is
altered by damage to tissues or by structural or functional conditions in the
nervous system. Indirect influences occur when physiological states have social
consequences which in turn affect the individual’s behavior.
b. Social Factors
Social factors influence personality in immediate or transient interaction as
well as throughout life. The social factors are divided into two:
1) Contemporaneous Social Influence
The basic idea is that for all humans, every behaving situation is really a
social one, whether the person is alone or in the company with others. The
presence of other people is usually a powerful influence on how one acts and
reacts; but even when alone, we remember or imagine how others react to what
we do or think and this too has a great influence on us. Social situation can affect
what and how we learn, how we perceive and judge the environment and the
events in it, the language with which we describe and think of events, our
motives, the manner in which we cope with life demands, the feelings we have for
others, and the manner in which we experience and express emotional reactions.
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2) Developmental Social Influence
The basic idea is that over the course of development, from the very
earliest moments of postnatal (and possibly even prenatal) life, every person has a
host of experiences with other people which influence the developing personality
structure. The key idea is very simple-the person acquires through social
experience the norms or standards of the society in which he or she lives.
4.
Emotion
According to Campos and Saarni in Santrock (2007), emotion is feeling,
or affect, that occurs when a person is in a state or an interaction that is important
to him or her, especially to his or her well being (p.332). Thus, we can understand
the emotions from the behavior that shows the pleasantness or unpleasantness of
current situation or transaction given by others.
Santrock, (2007) states emotions can be positive or negative. Positive
emotions include enthusiasm, joy, and love. Negative emotions include anxiety,
anger, guilt, and sadness (p.333). Positive emotions are useful in building human
relationship. The ability to control emotions is a key dimension of development
(p.334). Everybody needs to know the right time to show negative or positive
emotions and how to control those emotions. Often children or adolescents with
problems are they who have difficulty managing their emotions.
The word emotion cannot be separated from human beings because all
human beings have it. Emotions give so many colours of life that make our life
become wonderful. According to Kalish (1973) “An emotion may be thought of
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
14
as a feeling or state of arousal that stirs a person to observable action or to internal
change”. (p.128)
We as human being are accustomed to express our different feelings in
every different situation. Emotion can be altered quickly. It also encourages
someone to act or think in certain behaviour to express what he or she is feeling at
that time. All parts of the body will show the changes. At his time, they will do
anything to give the responses to the event unconsciously.
Lawlor (1963) expresses this idea in the book that emotion “mobilize” and
“organize” us rather than needs, drives or instincts. Sometimes we do not
recognize that we act in the certain pattern because our emotion moves us to
behave in that pattern. (p. 30)
Deutsch (1966) states that the study of emotion, therefore, consists in
investigation of various classes of events such as emotional experiences, the
environmental events which arouse emotion, behaviour during emotion states, and
so on. The environment/ society also have a role in person’s emotion changes.
The society can influence our behaviour. For example the society makes us angry
with ourselves because we make a foul (break the society rules). Meanwhile, it
also gives happiness, for example our friend getting married. These examples can
show us the environmental events deal with our emotions. (p. 177)
B. Theoretical Framework
In order to answer the formulated problems, the writer uses some theories
related to the topic. First, the writer uses the psychological approach proposed by
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15
Rohrberger and Woods Jr. to analyze the main characters in the novel from
psychological perspective. Since the characters are human being, the
psychological perspective is needed as the basis of analysis.
Second, the writer uses the theory of character proposed by Abrams, Guth
and Rico, and Milligan, and theory of characterization proposed by Murphy as the
basis to analyze the main character. The writer needs to apply theory of character
and characterization to determine the character’s condition. By understanding the
definition of the character and the characterization, the writer attains a better
understanding of the character’s personality, way of thinking, and also his
development in the story.
Other theories used for this study are theory of personality and personality
changes and theory of emotions. The writer uses the theory of Personality and
Personality Changes proposed by Kalish and Lazarus and Monat to analyze the
action and reaction of Pi toward his experience. This theory helps the writer to
analyze the factor, which determine the character’s personality. The presence of
three religions in this novel is a powerful influence on how the charater acts and
reacts. The writer also uses the theory of emotion proposed by Santrock, Kalish,
Lawlor and Deutsh to analyze the character’s emotion. The writer needs to apply
this theory to know the character’s ability in coping with stress and death.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, there are three main sections. The first section is the object
of the study which describes Yan Martel’s Life of Pi as the center of the study.
The second section is related to the approach used to analyze the novel. The third
section discusses the procedures which are taken to analyze the novel.
A. Object of the Study
This thesis discusses about a novel titled Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It is
originally published by Random House of Canada in 2001. The novel consists of
401 pages and is divided into 100 chapters. It was a religious novel. This is a
story about a boy named Pi. He was born as the son of a zoo owner, so animals
have become his friend since he was a child. Pi is very unique because he has
three faiths. One day, his family and all of the animals move to Canada using a
ship. On their way to Canada, there is an accident that drowns all the passengers
in the ship, except Pi and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. They survive in
their lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean for about seven months
B. Approach of the Study
The approach used in the study is the Psychological approach. This
approach is used to analyze the novel from the psychological point of view. By
using this approach, the writer will reveal the influence of the religion to Pi’s
personality development. The writer used the theory of personality changes to
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17
help her analysis toward Pi’s personality changes. Other theories, which are used
by the writer, are the theory of character and characterization and the theory of
critical approach. These theories were applied to analyze the personality of Pi
while he is in the sea.
C. Method of the Study
This study was a library study. There were two kinds of sources that were
used in analyzing this study; the first was the novel itself the novel Life of Pi by
Yan Martel. The second source was books and articles which could support and
help to answer the problem statement.
To analyze the novel the writer took some steps. The first step was
reading the novel several times to understand the story. Second, the writer
gathered as many information about the character. It could come from the
character’s feelings and thoughts, or from the dialogue. The third step was the
writer looked for the references in order to add the sources related to the theory of
the literature. This was very helpful to help the writer when the writer comes to
the discussion of the novel.
In the fourth step, the writer examined the character in the novel by
applying psychological approach. Then the writer tried to answer the problem
formulation. The last step was the writer made a conclusion and suggestion from
the answer of the problem formulation.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS
This chapter deals with the analysis of the novel. In this chapter, the writer
discusses and answers the questions presented in the first chapter. The analysis
deals with Pi’s characteristics before the shipwreck and also the influence of his
religions towards his character development.
A. Pi’s Characters Before the Shipwreck
Character and characterization are important parts in a story.
Characterization helps the reader to acknowledge the true self of the character,
characterization will reveal whether he/she is bad or good, or even the reasons
behind his/her action. Pi is a major character in this novel since he plays a big role
from the beginning of the story. Pi is also a growing character because his
character shows growth and development. This study uses seven of the nine
method of characterization proposed by Murphy. They are character as seen by
other, speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, thoughts and mannerism.
I describe Pi’s character before the shipwreck, the time when he has a
beautiful life with his full family member. The story of Pi’s childhood begins with
the history of his name. His full name is Piscine Molitor Patel. He was named
after a swimming pool, a-French-swimming-pool. Mamaji, the family friend, is a
swimmer. Mamaji always tells a story about a great swimming pool in Paris
named Piscine Molitor. Pi’s father is amazed of the story, and then names his
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19
youngest son after the pool. Though he, himself, even the whole family never took
to water. Pi is the only one in the family to learn how to swim from Mamaji.
Pi is described as an eager child. He has a strong willing to learn new
things. He becomes the first person in his family – if not the only one – who wants
to learn swimming from Mamaji. The other family members are afraid to be in the
water.
He tried to teach my parents to swim, but he never hot them to go beyond
wading up their knees at the beach and making ludicrous round motions
with their arms, which, if they were practicing the breaststroke, made them
look as if they were walking through the jungle. Ravi was just as
unenthusiastic. (p. 10)
Mamaji had to wait until I came into the picture to find a willing disciple.
The day I came of swimming age, which, to Mother’s distress, Mamaji
claimed was seven, he brought me down to the beach, spread his arms
seaward and said, “This is my gift to you.” (p. 10-p. 11)
Pi is different. He adores Mamaji and his swimming lessons. Pi even
practices regularly on certain days in a week with Mamaji. He becomes a good
swimmer and he loves doing it. One day, on Mamaji’s birthday, Pi gives two full
lengths of credible butterfly as a gift. “My gift to Mamaji one birthday, I must
have been thirteen or so, was two full lengths of credible butterfly. I finished so
spent I could hardly wave to him.” (p. 12)
What he has done for Mamaji shows that he wants very much to do
something that he like. If Pi does not have enough desire to learn and then love
what he does, he will not show his ability as a gift. He wants to show to his
teacher that he learns very well and he wants to make his teacher proud of him.
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Swimming is not the only passion that Pi has. There is something that also
tickles his heart and makes him feel curious. It is religion. Not only one religion
like common people usually posses, but three religions at once. The first is Hindu.
Hindu is the major religion in India. Pi was born in the middle of Hindu family.
His childhood life contains with rituals, Gods and Goddess, and the smell of
incenses.
First wonder goes deepest; wonder after that fits in the impression, Ade by
the first. I owe Hinduism the original landscape of my religious
imagination, those towns and rivers, battlefield and forest....
Pi obviously acts up to Hindu because his family does. The interesting
thing is that he is interested in another religion when he does his Hindu rituals.
Catholic is a new thing for Pi. He curious about the new thing he sees for the first
time and wants to know it deeper.
I was fourteen years old—and a well-content Hindu on holiday—when I
met Jesus Christ. (p.63)
I came upon the rectory. The door was open. I hid around a corner to look
upon the scene. I was moved. What I had before my eyes stole into my
heart and thrilled me. (p. 64)
He sat facing the door and the windows, a book in his hands, a Bible I
presumed. He read a little, looked up, read a little more, looked up again.
It was done in a way that was leisurely, yet alert and composed. After
some minutes, he closed his book and put it aside. He folded his hands
together on the table and sat there, his expression serene, showing neither
expectation nor resignation. (p.65)
Pi is amazed of what he sees before his eyes. What he feels is a sense of
peace. He feels love and comfort in a new thing that he never experiences before.
The next thing that happens to him is he starts going to the church regularly. He
even asks the priest to give baptism to him. He does all of those “Christian things”
without leaving his first believe, Hindu. He is not able to leave Hindu, and the fact
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
21
is, he loves it. He also falls in love with Christian and does not plan to stop
learning about it.
Two religions are not enough to fill Pi’s heart. He has eager desire for
another religion: Islam. He meets Islam for the first time when he was fifteen and
exploring his hometown. He comes to a street where Jamia Masjid, the Great
Mosque, is. He does not come in the mosque but he walks in the street around the
mosque. The he sees a man, a bread seller, prays to his God.
So it went the first time I saw a Muslim pray - quick, necessary, physical,
muttered, striking. Next time I was praying in church - on my knees,
immobile, silent before Christ on the Cross - the image of this callisthenic
communion with God in the middle of bags of flour kept coming to my
mind. (p. 76)
Pi thinks that Islam has a bad reputation. However after he sees the man
prays there is something inside his heart that moves him to come back. Pi comes
to that man the other days and learns Islam from him. He changes the way he
think. He thinks that Islam is full of love, brotherhood, and devotion.
1.
Outgoing and Curious
Pi is an outgoing and excitable kid. He is friendly to everyone even to
strangers. He can make new friends easily, that is why he learns new things
everyday from new people he meets. He makes a new friendship with his Islam
teacher, the bread seller, Mr. Kumar. He invites Mr. Kumar to the zoo to show
him many animals. He waits for his teacher in front of the zoo so that Mr. Kumar
does not get lost. He greets his teacher politely to show his respect and
friendliness.
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My hands froze over my eyes. That voice. Strange in a familiar way,
familiar in a strange way. I felt a smile welling up in me. “Salaam
alaykum, Mr. Kumar! How good to see you” “Wa alaykum as-salaam. Is
something wrong with your eyes?’ “No, nothing. Just a bit of dust.”
He also prevents Mr. Kumar from paying the ticket to enter the zoo. He feels so
proud because he can give something to his teacher.
“No, no. Not for you master.” It was with pride that I waved the ticket
collector’s hand away and showed Mr. Kumar into the zoo.
It shows that Pi is a polite student. He respects his teacher by giving him a
free ticket. He wants to build a good student-teacher relationship.
2.
Dependent on His Family Protection and Guidance
Pi is a dependent child. He does something without thinking what are the
consequences then gives the problem up to his parents. Pi does not tell his parents
about the religions he practices. Pi keeps it as a secret; he thinks that it is just an
ordinary-sixteen-year-old-boy-secret. He does not realize that it is an important
thing for her parents to know.
Yes, it was forcefully brought to the attention of my bemused parents. You
see, they didn’t know. They didn’t know that I was practicing Hindu,
Christian and Muslim. Teenagers always hide a few things from their
parents, isn’t that so? All sixteen-year-olds have secrets, don’t they? (p.
81)
One day when Pi and his parents are ambling along the beach, they
accidentally meet the wise man from each religion he possesses. The wise men are
angry when they know that Pi possesses three religions. Each of them thinks that
his religion is better than the others. They start to argue in front of Pi and his
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parents. Pi is afraid and he starts to pray in his heart his parents will take him go
away from that place.
Townspeople were out for a stroll. Children screamed and laughed.
Colored balloons floated in the air. Ice cream sales were brisk. Why think
of business on such a day, I ask? Why couldn’t they have just walked by
with a nod and smile? (p. 81-82)
The controversy is getting fierce between the three wise men. Pi does not
know what to do and just keeps silent. Then his father tries to break up the fight
by saying that there is freedom of practice the religions. But what Mr. Santosh
saying makes the wise men angrier.
It was hard to tell whose face was more inflamed. It looked as if they
might come to blows.
Father raised his hands, “Gentlemen, gentlemen, please!” he interjected. “I
would like to remind you there is freedom of practice in this country.”
Three apoplectic faces turned to him.
“Yes! Practice---singular!” the wise men screamed in unison. Three index
fingers, like punctuation marks, jumped to attention in the air to emphasize
their point. (p.87)
The three wise men think that Pi has to choose on religion. Pi’s father
thinks that what Pi’s doing is not a crime but he agrees that Pi should choose one.
Pi’s mother asks Pi about that, Pi gives innocent answer which embarrassed the
wise men.
“Hmmm, Piscine?” Mother nudged me, “How do you feel about the
question?”
“Bapu Gandhi said, ‘all religions are true.’I just want to love God,” I
blurted out, and looked down, red in the face. (p. 87)
By saying so, Pi ends the fight between the wise men.
Pi is dependent on his mother. When his father calls him out with an
unpleasant tone, Pi knows that something is wrong. His father wants to give Pi
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and his brother some lessons. Pi does not like it. Yet he cannot do anything to
defend himself.
...“Gita, you’ve seen Piscine. He’s at that age when boys run around and
poke their noses everywhere.”
Me? A run-rounder? An everywhere-nose-poker? Not so, not so! Defend
me, Mother, defend me, I implored in my heart. But she only sighed and
nodded, a signal that the terrible business could proceed. (p.41)
Pi is afraid. He is afraid to his father and his punishment. He does not
know what he did wrong so his father calls him out. When things get worse, all he
can do is asking help from his mother. He thinks that his mother can help him to
fix any problem he has. His mother protects him with love and caring, and she
usually defends him from his father. That is why Pi feels save in that protection.
Every time Pi feels insecure he comes to his mother. When his father gives
him a lesson about how dangerous animals can be, he feels afraid then he comes
to his mother for protection. “My knees started quaking. I got close to mother.”
(p.42)
3.
Immature
Pi is an immature child at the beginning of the story. When his father calls
him and Ravi, his brother, for telling something, he says to his father that he does
not do anything wrong. The fact is he does not know exactly why his father calls
him and Ravi. Instead, he accuses Ravi.“I’m innocent!” I burst out. “It’s Ravi’s
fault, whatever it is. He did it!” (p. 40)
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What Pi does is a typical of childish person. He blames other people
because he does not want get into trouble. He does not check what the problem is
actually, and he does not ask his father why he calls him and Ravi.
It is a common thing for a father to give his sons a lesson. By doing that,
he can prevent something bad happens to his sons. Pi’s father, Mr. Santosh, also
do the same thing. He gives his sons a lesson as guidance. When Mr. Santosh
gives Pi and Ravi a lesson about how dangerous animals are, they are mad and do
not talk to their father for days.“The lesson was over. Ravi and I sulked and gave
Father the cold shoulder for a week.” (p. 48)
This shows that Pi and Ravi are spoiled children. They do not like what
their father do and what they can do about it is only keep silent.
B. The Influence of Religions in the Development of Pi’s Characters
According to Lazarus and Monat (1979) personality is the underlying,
relatively stable