Week 2 Post A

Pi's live revolves around his experiences at the zoo. His father owns the zoo and Pi gets to feed and care for the animals every day. Yann Martel, the author of the book obviously has extensive knowledge about animals and he raises a good point about the freedom of animals in a zoo. He states, "Well-meaning but misinformed people think animals in the wild are "happy"...this is not the way it is. Animals in the wild lead lives of compulsion and necessity within an unforgiving social hierarchy"(16) Martel states that the animals themselves are indifferent to the lives they have in zoos or in the wild. He also points out that with deforestation and the loss of habitat that is happening very rapidly today kills animals whereas the pi's zoo protects them and ensures that they are free from poachers, pollution and disease. Pi is incorporated into the animal hierarchy at this zoo and he has learned what actions are within his rights as a human are permitted by the wild animals.