Monday, September 1, 2008

Richard Parker

Discuss the character of Richard Parker. Pi says that he couldn't have survived without him. What did he mean by that? How is Pi able to train Richard Parker? What did he learn from his father and the Ponchiderry Zoo that enabled him to survive?

16 comments:

Mansell said...

the character of richard parker is noble and fierce, but not entirely malevolent. pi could not have lived without him because i think he would have gone insane. he needed a friend and someone to talk to while he was away from humans for so long. in the way that the guy in cast away was so attatched to wilson the volleyball i think something happened that pi began to anthropomorphosize richard parker in a benign sort of way. not in the way that his father warned him about in the beginning of the book, using the same animal i might add. pi is able to train richard parker in the same way a ring leader in a circus would with a lion. he uses territory, treats, and takes advantage of richard parkers seasickness to train him to stay away from him. he learned from his father at the pondicherry zoo that he should think that any animal is dangerous in its own way. just because it seems nice doesnt mean that it really is. he used this with richard parker as with the meerkats and the other animals he was with on the boat.

ashboulware said...

Richard Parker was the 400 pund tiger that Pi was stuck with on a life boat for days and days. He was strong, fearless, humble, and caring. Richard Parker was his wingman and survival partner. He killed animals for Pi to feed on, scared off pray that wanted to feed on them. They became close they helped each other out to survive and make it through the hard battle of being stranded in the vast ocean. without richard pi would not have survived the harsh journey they endevured. Pi was able to train the huge tiger from his experience working in the zoo back when he was a young boy, with his dad. they worked at the Ponchiderry Zoo, here Pi learned many odd things, how to take care and raise animals which ended up helping him out in this LONG adventure he took on.

ashboulware said...

i like taylors analoge of how Pi was a ringmaster and richard parker was the animal in training. it shows exactly what went down and how the two became so close in a time of need.

Taylor D. said...

Richard Parker is a controling, feirce and dominate character. However, he can be protective and caring toward Pi. Richard helped Pi survive by killing other animals on the baot for Pi to eat and by protecting himself and Pi form other preditors. Pi is able to train an somewhat control Richard because of his experience he gained form his father and from Ponchiderry Zoo.

fabi said...

Richard parker was his friend, his savior. He saved him when the blind man tried to kill him and kill the hyena, who would have probably tried to kill Pi too. Richard Parker has been in custody since he was a baby so training him with food seemed normal to both Pi and the tiger. Without Richard Parker to challenge and distract him, Pi might have given up on life. He learned about the dangers of a lion and how he can only survive if he trained Richard.

fabi said...

I agree when Taylor M. says "the character of Richard parker is noble and fierce, but not entirely malevolent." But disagree when Taylor says "he needed a friend and someone to talk to while he was away from humans for so long." I think the kind of friend Pi needed was one who challenged him and expired to face his fears/problems.

Tess said...

he is a very stern and loyal character. i agree with taylor about Pi not being able to survive with out him there. people need to have contact with something imaginary or not and Richard was that fo Pi. Pi took advantage of certan things like when Richard got sick and his space to train him.

Glen Kilgore said...

If it wasn’t for this huge tiger that was named Richard Parker Pi would not have even thought about surviving. He did so much for Pi, and not only was he protective and big and strong, he was loving. Since Pi had grown up watching and learning from his father he was able to train and take care of Richard. Richard not only was loving and protective, he also help feed Pi. Which was a essential I his adventure and to survive.

Glen Kilgore said...

I really agree with was Taylor D has to say. She shows the two sides of Richard Parker, she shows that not only can he protect against dangers and provide food. Richard can also be caring and loving, and that is what Pi needs.

Daniel said...

Richard Parker was the tiger on the boat that watched out for him over his journey. Without the tiger he wouldve been killed by the cannibal guy. But i started to think that the tiger was not a tiger at all. It seemed more like a mother or father figure that watched over him constantly and took care of him. Or in a religious aspect God.

Daniel said...

I dont feel that he learned a lot from his father on the training methods of the tiger, Yes he did learn that u must show u r the dominant person and have control over the tiger but i think he got most of his info on taming from the book he found on the boat.

Unknown said...

richard parker is a very extreme charater because it a character that doesnt talk back or really show any emotion so the author had to make you see those things in him. the character helped pi leave on through out the book by being there for pi and giving him someone to talk to as a very true friend at the time. he is able to train him because of the ideals he has the abilities of the religons of the things he believed. it enables him to interact with animal as more than an animal and more like a friend

ma7x said...

Richard Parker saved Pi in more ways than just protecting him. Had Pi been alone on the boat i'm pretty sure he would have gone insane. Once insanity occurs, Pi might have forgotton about saftey and went to primal surrvival instincts. Having Richard Parker protected Pi from the dangers of the Ocean and from losing himself.

ma7x said...

Daniel makes a good point. Richard Parker did seem as is to be a mother or a spirit of some sorts. Richard Parker never seemed to want to hurt Pi; even if Pi thought so. The tiger may have been there just to protect Pi to his journey back to civilization. thats why when they got back to land he disappeared in the jungle.

james_91 said...

Richard Parker was the huge tiger that Pi was on his adventure with. the two were stuck on a raft in the middle of the ocean. i dont think pi would have been able to make it without richard because in a situation like that, you need someone to talk to so that you dont go crazy, and thats where richard helped. they became such good friends because pi was able to catch food for richard and kind of train him, from his experience at the zoo.

Canavan said...

I believe Pi is sayng he would have gone insane and it help him cope with the fact that he is stranded at sea. His dad taught him that all animals are dangerous no matter how nice they seem. he tained richard parker by using richard parkers disadvantages like seasickness against him.