This is how Mat experienced ‘Life of Pi’

"Dear Mat,
I know, you will be surprised by this post, if not shocked.
You may even shout at your mom…
Please don’t be the either….
You have a great sense of words and expression.

And when you make it big in the home of words,
Remember that it is me ,who published (stealing!!!) you first.

Love,
Ben."

(Please read this brilliant essay by Mat, on Yann Martel’s Life of Pi.)

Although the novel was required reading for my tenth grade Language Arts class, I find the theme of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi to be a solid guide to living one’s life. (I don’t discount the importance of this book because I did not discover it myself; instead, I value its message even more highly, considering the serendipitous encounter.) The novel stresses the idea of embracing numerous philosophies and of respecting all points of view to come to a better understanding of one’s self and one’s world. In a broader sense, this message can be applied to all corners of life: the main character’s desire to understand different visions of his world can be interpreted as a feeling of discontent with limiting himself to any singular lifestyle. Between these two ideals of well-rounded open-mindedness and uninhibited ambition lies all that I aspire to be. Before reading this novel, I was a strictly academic student. Afterwards, I found a calling in various other activities, from volunteer work to athletics. And although engaging in new experiences can prove a daunting task that can stretch a person thin, I approach each task with great resolve and commitment, while ignoring the fear of putting myself in a position where I may always struggle to succeed in the wake of others’ triumphs.

Fully applying myself on a difficult project of any kind creates a sense of satisfaction that fuels my desire for success in every activity. The feeling of having done something impressive is almost an addiction for me, and I am consistently fascinated with the amount of success attainable through the proper use of hard work.

Regardless, I cannot assume full credit for my accomplishments. Although I take pride my undertakings, and I believe strongly in a stringent work ethic, I realize that I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I can succeed. I find that accrediting oneself alone for accomplishments derived from natural talents is hopelessly arrogant; I am not personally responsible for my intelligence, I merely utilize the resources I was born with to the best of my ability. And so many people have had a hand in my development: a supporting family, inspiring teachers, close friends. In considering these factors, I have concluded that I am in debt to these people and others, and that squandering any opportunities I have to benefit others by engaging in selfish endeavors would be truly disappointing, even morally objectionable. So ultimately, I hope that years of hard work will result in a career where I can do just this, to repay the world for all the good fortune it has given me, because anything else would be a massive waste of potential