Thursday, December 20, 2012
Adoption Movie Guide: Life of Pi
Pi’s family leaves India by boat for Canada. Their boat does
not make it, and Pi is the lone human survivor. Some animals who were on board
survive as well, but most die. This story shows Pi and a tiger named Richard
Parker learning to co-exist on the open seas, although that might not really be
what happened.
How is This Relevant
to Adoption? (spoilers ahead)
Some
of the feelings that Pi feels are relevant to many adoptees. Before his boat
journey, Pi feels connected to many cultures. His family disapproves of this.
For Pi, many of the cultures to which he feels connected are religious. For
adoptees, the connections might be to religions, activities, languages, or a
number of other aspects. As an adult, Pi appears to have crafted a satisfying
blend of many cultures to call his own.
When
Pi’s family tells him that they must leave India, Pi expresses his displeasure
at the idea. He wants to stay where he is. For children who entered foster care
after toddlerhood, this might be very poignant.
Pi
feels very alone at times. He mourns the loss of his parents. He feels unsafe.
All of these feelings may be familiar to children who have navigated the foster
care system or other avenues to adoption. Like many children in the foster care system, when he is the most alone, Pi looks to God for
strength.
Pi
is forced to do some things that go very much against his self-image, in order
to survive. Some children have had similar experiences.
Strong Points
Pi
expresses, “even when God seemed to abandon me, he was watching. When I was
beyond all hope, he gave me rest and a sign to continue.” This might provide
hope to some kids and teens who feel desperate.
*Spoiler* The tiger is symbolic of Pi's anger. He does not learn how to make it go away, but he learns, through much difficulty, to control it and live with it.
Challenges
There
are quite a few traumatic scenes in this film which could be difficult for
viewers who have been traumatized. A shipwreck kills many. A tiger devours a
lamb off-screen. We see violence between animals, and are told about traumatic
violence – including cannibalism – which happened off-screen.
Life
of Pi seems like a movie that a young child would like. Trailers for the film
seem to show a movie about a boy eventually developing a friendship with a
tiger. But it’s not a kid’s movie. It might be a teen’s movie. On one level,
it’s a story of survival in the face of loss, and against devastating odds. On
another level, it’s the story of a man’s successful struggle to process
horrible things that happened to him – and horrible things that he did – with
the rest of his life.
Questions for Discussion after the movie
For Teens
Pi
thought that the tiger had human feelings, but was told that the feelings he
thought the tiger had were only his own feelings. How do you think that
happens? Does it ever happen with people?
For Foster/Adoptive Parents
Pi’s
father used a very dramatic and traumatic form of discipline to teach Pi to be
careful around dangerous animals. Good intentions do not guarantee that a form
of discipline will not be harmful. Do you know whether your child has ever been
abused “as discipline?” How would you have handled the situation in the movie,
in comparison with how Pi’s father handled it?
A Project:
In
one scene, the tiger gets on board the life raft, and Pi jumps off. If the
tiger is symbolic of Pi’s rage emotions, that says a lot! Have you ever wanted
to run away from your feelings? Name as many as you can of the feelings you’ve
had this week. Which animal would represent each feeling, for you? Make a zoo
collage. Which animals do you show to the public, and which ones do you keep
hidden away?
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