In the novel The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Pi Patel also uses his faith in God as a vital coping mechanism to survive in the vast Pacific Ocean. His faith in God proves to be a crucial element in Pi's survival as it guides him through his ordeal. Pi, a religious individual uses his knowledge of religion to cope with being stranded alone on a lifeboat with no other signs of human life. Therefore, Pi uses his faith in God to gain the strength and will to survive, to have companionship, and to seek important answers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Pi Patel uses his special faith in God to gain the strength and will to survive independently in the vast Pacific Ocean. For example, when Pi finds himself alone in the limitless ocean, without any meaningful help, he turns to a being much more powerful and resourceful than himself to deal with the situation. When Pi creates an ordered list of things that are at his disposal for survival purposes, such as 12 solar stills, 1 survival manual, and 1 signaling mirror, he includes "1 God" (Martel 145-146) in this list . Adding the term "1 God" to a list of essential elements for survival that are present with Pi throughout his journey makes it clear that Pi finds it necessary to have God with him at all times to survive. Like the other items on the list that keeps Pi alive throughout his ordeal, God also keeps Pi alive by giving him a continuous supply of strength and willpower so that he can continue. Additionally, Pi says, “Even when God seemed to have abandoned me, he was watching. Even when he seemed indifferent to my suffering, he looked at me. And when I was beyond all hope of salvation, he gave me rest. Then he signaled me to continue my journey” (Martel 184). This proves the fact that God was always present in Pi's heart and mind throughout his journey. Pi uses God's presence to gain the physical and mental strength and willpower necessary to continue his horrific journey. In Pi's mind, not only was God present with him, but God also saved his life by giving him inner peace and guidance to continue his journey. When Pi was at his breaking point, God gave him the strength and will to continue surviving. Additionally, Pi says, “The conscious practice of religion slowly brought me back to life” (Martel 3). Pi explains how his constant but careful practice of religion slowly resurrected him during his time at sea. At sea, Pi still performed religious rituals that were essential to his survival, as he gained the confidence and strength to continue. Pi also states that “religion will save us” (Martel 27). Pi insists that religion will ultimately be the deciding factor between life and death. Without his unwavering faith in God, Pi would not have acquired the willpower necessary to prevent him from dying at sea. Research suggests that 43% of American citizens use prayer for health reasons (Wachholtz and Sambamoorthi 69). These people used the power of prayer to gain the strength and willpower needed to regain health. Therefore, Pi's strong faith in God has given him a strong will to survive as he prays during his ordeal to gain strength because he believes God is with him. Second, Pi uses his belief in God as a form of companionship during his 227 days in the Pacific Ocean. When Pi finds himself surrounded by endless water, he seeks to., 2011.