Life of Id
2013. A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
Explanation:
Text: Yann Martel’s Life Of Pi
Essence: Finding balance within yourself and actions.
Brief Summary of Text:
Prompt- 2013-A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
Brief Summary of Text: Life of Pi is a novel that encompasses the journey to self individuation through a physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging and extreme situation (being stranded in the ocean on a small boat with a tiger for several months.) The narrator switches from the author’s point of view when he is observing older Pi to younger Pi’s point of view throughout the text, showing the result of how Pi essentially mastered both his savage and rational being, as well as his multiple religions. At the beginning of the book, Pi struggles with typical teenage problems, such as bullies, how to talk to girls, and being rebellious towards his parents. Throughout the remainder of the book--after Pi loses his family during a shipwreck--Pi battles physically exhausting battles against hunger, thirst, and a tiger (or his imagination) and battles his inner demons, mainly conflicting moral issues. At the end, he does achieve self-knowledge, and continues his life as older Pi with a balanced moral and psyche.
Thesis: In Life of Pi, Yann Martel uses Pi and Richard Parker as contrasting psychological symbols throughout Pi’s journey to individuation; at the end of the book, the pivotal moment when Richard Parker does not look back at Pi shows he has reached complete individuation by acknowledging the animalistic side within, but he will not let it ruin his faith.
Creative Project and Explanation: A board game called “Life of Id” which has players play against each other to test their knowledge in the psychological elements of the Id versus the Superego whilst utilizing fun challenges that pin players in a race to the top of the board.
Cards:
“Life will defend itself no matter how small it is.” -ID
“All living things contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, sometimes inexplicable ways.” -ID
“I began to wait. My thoughts swung wildly. I was either fixed on practical details of immediate survival or transfixed by pain, weeping silently, my mouth open and my hands at my head” -SUPEREGO
"Animals in the wild lead lives of compulsion and necessity within an unforgiving social hierarchy in an environment where the supply of fear is high and the supply of food low and where territory must constantly be defended and parasites forever endured.” -ID
“We commonly say in the trade that the most dangerous animal in a zoo is Man.” -ID
“I was not wounded in any part of my body, but I had never experienced such intense pain, such a ripping of the nerves, such an ache of the heart “ -SUPEREGO
Card Challenges!
“Sing at least 15 words about either Pi or Richard Parker in your best foreign accent.”
“Through interpretive dance, express your feelings about Pi, then pi, and finally pie.”
“Go to the water fountain and splash water on your face. Re-enter the room with your face still
wet and exclaim, “Well, Richard Parker, I’m glad we made it through that entire week of rain!”
“You are Pi. After several days without food, you are a bit delusional. Drop down on one knee and sing a verse of a love song to Richard Parker, using his name at least once.”
“Richard Parker is irritable today and lunges at you! Hide under a desk and say, “Away beast! Back off!” Remain under the desk in terror for a few seconds, then return to the game.”
