The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I have finally reached the beginning of Pi's adventure, and am suddenly drawn into the story.  I have just picked back up were I left off and have yet to figure out the main idea of the whole story, but am picking up on character detail still, and think that this part is crucial to the rest of the story.

Pi is taking this whole situation in many different directions, showing his childishness and his grownup view.  Pi, like he should be, is extremely terrified by being stranded on this lifeboat in the middle of the ocean, with a hyena, a zebra, and an orangutang.  His actions mainly reflect this, because he has kept to himself and is inching his way to the corner of the boat to avoid becoming a meal.   This is what I would be doing as well, but probably in a more frantic fashion. His calmness on the occurring events is surprising, especially based on his childhood.  When his father has raised him to be deadly afraid of the zoo animals, it intrigues me that he is so visibly calm.  It also amazes me that, while he is in the presence of a hyena that is killing what it needs to survive, he can laugh at a seasick orangutang.  I would personally most likely find that hilarious as well, but would be in no position to find myself laughing, and observing Pi's character, I find it odd that he would laugh at that at all.  That makes me wonder what else he might do to cope with his situation.

Another thing that I am noticing about Pi is that he is constantly hoping. Hoping that he can live one more day, hoping that he will soon see a rescue boat out along the horizon, hoping that his family will reunite with him on the other side of this journey.  Through all the doubts and worries, Pi wants there to be a positive outcome so badly, that his realty is changing into the idea that Nothing can go wrong, and everything will fit together today.

Pi is changing his life every second now, and his adultness and childishness is what brings him along daily.