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1. Abraham Maslow has his own Hierarchy of Needs: Physiological, safety, social needs, esteem, and self-actualization. Maslow has said that these needs are essential in order to obtain everyday happiness and success. In Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel, the main character, Pi, experiences all the stages of the hierarchy needs. Pi undergoes the first stage, physiological, as he is forced to overcome his fears in order to attain the food and water from the locker. This stage is clearly the most important, for without the ability to conquer this stage, Pi would definitely be unable to survive. Once again, Pi had to surmount his fears in order to sustain the second stage in the hierarchy of needs, safety. Pi had to find a way to get rid of the tiger and its hazard to succeed in attaining the life boat and the second stage of the hierarchy needs. Pi surmounts the third stage as he realizes, "it was not a question of him or me, but of him and me" (158). Pi’s alternative to overcoming the essential social needs brought along by other humans, with those of the tiger. The forth stage, esteem, is achieved by Pi as he making the effort to survive. As Pi journeys to uncover the food, water, and the raft, he is also building self-esteem, strongly believing that he will be rescued. One would believe that a person stuck in Pi’s situation would lose all morals and ethics due the psychological stress, yet Pi is able to achieve the last stage of self-actualization. Pi’s inner peace is truly reflected as he feels the foremost guilt for the death of the man who attacked him. It is amazing how one can feel the utter most remorse, even though his own life is in jeopardy. Clearly Pi was able to reach his own hierarchy of needs.
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