Animals have always been used in fiction literature to display the character and nature of human beings. People have diversified characters, which can be best defined by specific behaviours displayed by certain animals. In the story of Pi, the tiger has been used to display the strong, dangerous and daring nature of Pi character. The articles, Little red riding Hood and The company of Wolves tell the character of the wolf and how the animal has been used to represent the devil or the beastly acts of men on women. The two animals, the tiger and the wolf not only display their dangerous side to humans but also how they can be perfectly tamed to evade the alarming danger they pose. From the stories we learn that however dangerous or tough a human being can be, there is a perfect way through which they can be handled and become more of friends rather than enemies.
Human beings have been given the ability to handle the situations around them and in most cases; they do not need external help. Depending on the situation, a person just needs to focus within them for solution. Just like Pi who was found in a situation that even crying out for help could not help, he had to devise his own way of taming the dangerous wild animal, the tiger, and they ultimately became good friends (Martel 56). It is fascinating to know that after the tiger finishing everyone in the boat, it was apparent that Pi was next. However, he managed to devise a plan to ensure that they live peacefully with the tiger. The tiger even appreciated the company that it protected him from danger while inside the boat. “The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?”
This serves to be a good lesson especially to the people whom we try to avoid thinking that they are harsh and unmanageable. Such harshness can work out for one’s good only if it is properly handled. The tiger might have been a dangerous animal yet Pi was able not only to live with it in the boat for many days but also granted him the protection that he needed. This means that the dangerous nature in the tiger worked well for Pi as nothing could harm him in the boat. If he failed to tame and master the tiger well, it would have eaten him up instead of granting him that protection.
Little red riding Hood and The company of Wolves articles are all about a wolf and how it disguised itself to eat up the grandmother and the young girl. Wolves have always been used to represent beastly acts, which at times come in the least expected way. A wolf is greedy, ugly, selfish and less sympathetic. It cunningly observed the trend of the little girl bringing food to the grandmother each day in the woods and ultimately planned destruction. The different ways in which the story is narrated gives us an analysis of how different the situation can be handled (Carter 46). First is the issue of temptations, which come in a way we may not be able to recognize. This is using people we trust most and before we realise it, they turn into wolves. The wolf disguised itself first into a little girl whom the grandmother knew and trusted. After swallowing up the grandmother, it disguised itself as the grandmother to the little girl and ultimately swallowing her. “But since the wolf didn't speak human, he guessed what the person had said was: "Did I hear something? Is there someone out there who needs to come in, could you scratch louder?" So that's what the wolf did: he scratched louder.””
In a different perspective, we are told of how the little girl gave herself to the wolf rather than resisting. The young girl must have recognized the fact that she was too weak to escape the beast and hence using her sexuality just to befriend the wolf. She had the capacity to try resist the wolf and falling victim to its selfish and greedy desires or simply corporate and instead get the protection he needs most. The grandmother on the other hand failed to wisely play her tricks and was ultimately eaten by the wolf. The granddaughter survived death by simply cooperating with the wolf. This is an important lesson on what a person can do to ensure they avoid a more dangerous situation. Instead of facing death, it is better to give in to the demands. At least when a person has life, they can always find a way of escaping from the danger. “Before he can become a wolf, the lycanthrope strips naked. If you spy a naked man among the pines, you must run as if the Devil were after you.”
Finally, the act where the grandmother and the girl were saved from the stomach of the wolf teaches an important lesson of how God fights for the course of the helpless and innocent. The dedication and discipline that the grandmother and the girl had inspired rescue from a passing man. It must have taken divine intervention for the man to know that the wolf had swallowed up some people and ultimately cutting it up to rescue them (Perrault, Eduard & Jane 33). He also acted in wisdom by filling the wolf’s stomach with stones and ultimately leading to its death. This therefore implies that there is always a reward for being involved in good. God will always command help. Wolfs will not always get away with their actions and that their days are numbered.
Works cited
Carter, Angela. The bloody chamber and other stories. Random House, 2012.
Martel, Yann. Life of Pi (illustrated Edition). Random House Digital, Inc., 2007.
Perrault, Charles, Eduard Jose, and Jane Belk Moncure. Little red riding hood. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd, 2004.
