Tsim Tsim (Symbolism In Life Of Pi)

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Erol Ali Symbolism in Life of Pi ENG4U Mr Terecik 05/01/2011 Symbol: The unleavened bread. (Page 74) Explanation: The unleavened bread is a symbol of simplicity. This kind of bread is of the most simple types of bread to make. Also called 'flat bread', this bread has been being made in the Middle East for hundreds and hundreds of years. The origin of this bread is the Middle East and Pi finds this bread in a Mosque court yard. Mosques are the worshipping venues of Islam and as Islam was founded in the Middle East, this bread has far reaching implications upon itself. It shows that Islam is a rather simple religion, as it is. As Pi ate the bread, he mentions “It was tough and rubbery, real work for the teeth, but filling.” (Page 75). This aforementioned phrase shows that Islam, while to outsiders seems rather awkward and weird, someone who would work to learn and understand it, feels filled. Symbol: The Sloth Explanation: The sloth is a symbol of being calm and at ease. n the first chapter of the book, Pi tells of how the sloth survives by remaining still and dormant. Predators don't notice it and it "lives its life in eternal peace with a good-matured smile on its lips." I think that in a way, that was how Pi managed to survive the shipwreck. By not allowing things get to him and to just go with the flow, such as repairing the boat, or untangling his fishing lines and his bait. More importantly, remaining calm and self-assured after he was rescued and being chucked into our world helped him cope. The sloth always seems at ease. It seems slow but its moving at an excellent pace. Just as the 227 days spent on the ocean seemed slow to Pi, but he was still making good progress at an excellent pace. Symbol: The ship TsimTsum Explanation: The name of the ship comes from the Kabbalist concept of tsimtsum, where God withdraws himself to make room for

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