Austronesian: Journal of Language Science &

Literature
3(2) (2024): 61-74
2963-1548 (Print) 2961-9947 (Online)
https://www.ojs.wahanapublikasi.com/index.php/austronesian

Pi’s Anxiety in Yann Martel’s Life of Pi

Feni Asniar1*, Anik Cahyaning Rahayu2
1, 2
Universitas 17 Agustus 1945, Jakarta Utara, DKI Jakarta 14350, Indonesia
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Received: This research aims to describe the symptoms, causes, effects, and
20 May 2024 types of Pi’s anxiety. The approach used in this study is the
extrinsic approach, in this case, the psychological approach,
Accepted: because anxiety is one of the psychological problems. Sigmund
21 July 2024 Freud’s psychoanalytic theory is used to analyze Pi’s anxiety.
This research uses a qualitative research method. The qualitative
Published: method collects the necessary data from the novel to achieve the
30 August 2024 research objective and references relating to the topic to support
the analysis. Symptoms of anxiety experienced by Pi are feeling
Keywords: anxious, being unable to think of anything except something that
Psychoanalytic, Anxiety, makes him anxious, and experiencing the deepest tremors, pain,
Symptoms, Causes, and sadness. There are several reasons for Pi’s anxiety. The first
Effect, Neurotic is a ship accident caused by a big storm that hits the ship he
travels with his family. The second cause is meeting a tiger. The
third cause is worrying about his safety. The conclusion is that Pi
suffers from anxiety because of his uncontrollable emotions and
worry. Sinking ship, encountering tigers, and becoming worried
about his safety are the causes of his anxiety. He also feels
behavioural, emotional, and cognitive effects. Pi suffers from a
neurotic and objective type of anxiety reflected in its symptoms,
causes, and effects.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.59011/austronesian.3.2.2024.61-74

1. Introduction
Anxiety is an intrinsic aspect of human existence, with individuals who lack
anxiety deemed abnormal due to the absence of a fundamental human response (see
Aras, 2015). However, if not managed, anxiety can pose significant risks and obstruct
success. It can manifest at any moment, triggered by both external and internal threats,
often presenting as ambiguous dangers. Internal threats typically arise when
unacceptable thoughts, feelings, desires, or impulses come to the fore. Although the

*
Corresponding Author
Email: [email protected]
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s)
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License

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precise etiology of anxiety remains unknown, it is understood to result from a

confluence of factors. Similar to other mental disorders, anxiety stems from the brain’s
failure to regulate emotions and fear effectively (Rector et al., 2024). For example,
stress can disrupt neural communication within brain circuits, altering the structures
responsible for emotion regulation. Anxiety generally develops over time, influenced by
an individual’s cumulative life experiences. Certain events or circumstances can
expedite the onset of anxiety attacks (see Anindyajati et al., 2021; et al., 2022).
This study aims to examine the anxiety experienced by Pi, the protagonist in Yann
Martel’s novel “Life of Pi.” “Life of Pi” is a narrative that reflects the author’s response
to the environment and life, serving as both an inspirational and educational piece. The
novel narrates the story of a resilient and intelligent 16-year-old boy named Pi, who
possesses a strong survival instinct. Pi is cast adrift in the Pacific Ocean with a 225-
kilogram adult tiger. Through relentless perseverance and sharp instincts, he manages to
survive for 227 days in the Pacific Ocean, maintaining hope for rescue despite no one
coming to his aid until he eventually washes ashore on a Mexican beach. Throughout
the story, Pi experiences various forms of anxiety as a reaction to external threats and
fears of tangible dangers.
Given these circumstances, the researcher seeks to analyze Pi’s anxiety through the
lens of psychoanalytic theory of Freud (1920). This analysis will focus on identifying
the symptoms, causes, effects, and types of anxiety experienced by Pi in the novel.

2. Concept and Theory

According to Freud (1920), human personality is divided into three essential
components: the id, ego, and superego. Anxiety serves as a crucial function of the ego,
signaling the individual to potential imminent danger, thereby prompting an appropriate
adaptive response. As a protective mechanism for the ego, anxiety alerts the individual
when there is a threat, with the danger escalating if no appropriate action is taken,
potentially overwhelming the ego. Typically, individuals experiencing anxiety struggle
with concentration, focus, and relaxation. This research applies Sigmund Freud’s
psychoanalytic theory and is organized into four sections: symptoms of anxiety, causes
of anxiety, effects of anxiety, and types of anxiety.

A. Symptoms of Anxiety
According to AHRI (2019), there are some common signs and symptoms of
anxiety, such as:
1. Feelings
One of the anxiety disorders is characterized by the emergence of excessive
feelings of anxiety or intense fear suddenly. It usually happens within a few
minutes. When feelings of anxiety arise, people experiencing anxiety will often
feel very worried or afraid, tense and edge, nervous or scared, panicky, irritable,
and restless.
2. Thinking

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Symptoms of anxiety can be identified from an unsettled mind. Easily irritated,

restless, nervous, and cornered. Doubt, fear, and difficulty making decisions are
symptoms of anxiety that arise from the mind.
3. Experiencing
Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people who
experience anxiety disorders often experience sleep disturbances (cannot sleep,
often wake up), sadness and hopelessness, palpitations, sweating, twitching,
trembling, and difficulty concentrating.

B. Causes of Anxiety
Anxiety often develops over a period of time and is largely dependent on a person’s
entire life experience. Certain events or situations can trigger anxiety attacks. According
to Ramaiah (2003, p. 11), several factors cause anxiety reactions, including:
1. Environment
The environment around the place of residence influences the way individuals
think about themselves and others. This is due to unpleasant experiences in
individuals with family, friends, or co-workers. Therefore, the individual feels
insecure about his environment.
2. Repressed Emotions
Anxiety can occur if the individual is unable to find a way out of her feelings in
these personal relationships, especially if she has been suppressing anger or
frustration for a very long time.
Darajat (1998) suggests some causes of anxiety are: a) anxiety that rises from
seeing a danger that threatens him. This anxiety is closer to fear because its source is
visible in the mind; b) anxiety is a disease, and it manifests itself in several forms. This
anxiety is caused by things that are unclear and not related to anything, which is
sometimes accompanied by feelings of fear that affect the whole personality of the
sufferer.
Anxiety arises because of threats or dangers that are not real and sometimes occur
in individuals. Rejection from society causes anxiety in their new environment (Gaol,
2016). Meanwhile, Rufaidah (2009, p. 31) states that the factors that influence anxiety
are:
1. Physical Factor
Physical weakness can weaken an individual’s mental state, making it easier for
anxiety to arise.
2. Trauma or Conflict
The emergence of anxiety symptoms is very dependent on individual conditions,
in the sense that emotional experiences or mental conflicts that occur in
individuals will facilitate the emergence of anxiety symptoms.
3. Bad Environment.

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The environment is the main factor that can influence individual anxiety; if these
factors are not good, then they will hinder the formation of personality so that
symptoms of anxiety appear.

C. Effects of Anxiety
There are three effects of anxiety disorders such as behavioural effects, emotional
effects, and cognitive effects (Barker, 2003):
1. The behavioural effects of anxiety may include withdrawal from situations that
have in the past caused anxiety or negative feelings. Changes in habits and sleep
patterns may also result from habits increasing or decreasing food intake and
motor tension, such as foot tapping.
2. The emotional effects of anxiety may include “feet of apprehension or dread,”
“difficulty concentrating,” “feeling tense or jumpy,” “anticipating the worst,”
“irritability,” “restlessness,” “watching and waiting” for signs and occurrences
of danger,” and “feeling like your mind has gone blank,” déjà vu, a trapped - in -
your - mind feeling, and feeling like everything is scary. “It might consist of a
hazy experience and feeling helpless.
3. The cognitive effects of anxiety may include thoughts about fears of danger, like
the fear of dying. You might be concerned that the pains in your chest result
from a fatal heart attack or that a tumour or an aneurysm causes shooting pains
in your head. When you think about dying, you either feel a great deal of fear,
think about it more often than usual, or you cannot get it out of your head usual
or cannot get it out of your mind.”

D. Types of Anxiety
Freud (1920, p. 7) views humans as driven to reduce tension and feelings of
anxiety. When some anxiety occurs, the mind responds in two ways: First, problem-
solving efforts are increased, and Second, self-defence mechanisms are triggered.
However, when anxiety becomes overwhelming, the human mind must defend itself.
Freud divided three main types of anxiety, namely:
1. Objective Anxiety
Objective anxiety is a natural response when a person feels danger in an
environment (according to Freud, this condition is the same as fear) (Minderop,
2010, p. 28). Examples of objective anxiety are earthquakes, hurricanes, and
similar disasters. This anxiety provides a positive purpose: to guide human
behaviour in protecting and saving themselves from actual (real) danger.
2. Neurotic Anxiety
Neurotic anxiety stems from subconscious conflicts within the individual;
because the conflict is not realized, the person is not aware of the reasons for his
anxiety (Atkinson et al., 1983). The conflict between the ego and the id,
involving instinctual gratification and reality, is the source of this anxiety. At

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this stage, this anxiety is in the realm of consciousness but will then be
transferred to the subconscious.
3. Moral anxiety
Moral anxiety is anxiety due to the conflict between the id and the superego.
Moral anxiety is a fear of someone’s consciousness. When a person is motivated
to rebel against the moral pattern, the superego will retaliate, making him feel
ashamed or guilty. This anxiety is also based on reality.

3. Method
This study employs a qualitative research methodology. The qualitative approach
gathers data from the novel to meet the research objectives, supplemented by references
related to the topic to support the analysis (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). As noted by
Green et al. (2007), qualitative research aims to understand aspects of social life and
typically generates words as data for analysis. Additionally, Mukhtar (2013, p. 11)
states that qualitative research addresses general situations in social phenomena,
explaining why and how they occur. This study utilizes a psychological approach to
literature, specifically examining the psychological anxiety of the character Pi in Yann
Martel’s novel “Life of Pi,” grounded in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory.
The data collection procedure in this study involves several steps. First, the
researcher reads Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi.” Second, the researcher develops a deep
understanding of the novel, with a focus on Pi and his anxieties. Third, relevant data
supporting the analysis is identified and collected. Finally, the data is organized and
classified into categories according to the discussion topics. The primary instrument in
this research is the researcher, who reads and comprehends the references supporting
the study, particularly focusing on Pi’s character in “Life of Pi.”
The primary data source for this research is Yann Martel’s novel “Life of Pi,”
which comprises 401 pages and 21 chapters. The data consists of excerpts from the
novel that relate to the psychological state of Pi, analyzed through the lens of Sigmund
Freud’s theory of anxiety. The researcher serves as the primary instrument for this
study, engaging with the novel and relevant references to conduct the analysis focusing
on Pi’s character in “Life of Pi.”
The data analysis in this research employs a descriptive analysis technique,
following these steps: first, a detailed exploration and description of the data found in
the novel; second, interpretation of the data using relevant theories; third, structuring the
analysis according to the research problem statement; and finally, concluding the
analysis results.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1 Symptoms of Pi’s Anxiety
Pi is the main character of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. He is the sole survivor of the
shipwreck Tsimtsum, which is sunk by a storm in the Pacific Ocean. Pi has to face his
greatest fears, such as when the ship is sinking, he meets a tiger and feels that he will

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not survive in the incident. Because of his three fears, he suffers from anxiety. Some
common symptoms can be a sign of Pi’s anxiety. These symptoms can be identified
from their feeling, thinking and experience, which are analyzed below.

1. Feeling
One of the symptoms of anxiety is feeling some signs of anxiety, fear, worry,
nervousness, panic, irritability, and restlessness. The first time, Pi feels panic
and fear after a loud sound awakens him. He wakes his brother up, but his
brother refuses to come out to see what is going on. When Pi goes out of the
ship, how surprised he is to see a violent storm starts to make the ship he is on
go out of control. He is worried because he will experience a shipwreck in the
middle of the wide ocean, and his family is also sleeping on the ship. It can be
seen in the quotation below.
A feeling of horror creeps up on me. I decided it was just a storm. It is
time to return to safety. I let go of my grip, ran to the wall, moved quickly,
and opened the door (Martel, 2001, p. 155).
The horror experienced by Pi makes him feel afraid after seeing the storm that
hits the ship he is riding on. Besides that, Pi feels panicked, so he tries to
convince himself that the storm he sees is just an ordinary storm and returns to a
safe place. When he starts to get into the ship to wake up his family, he is
surprised to see so much water entering the ship; he is terrified and cannot
believe what he sees. From the explanation above, it can be concluded that Pi
feels many anxiety symptoms, and there are also statements stating that Pi
experiences anxiety.

2. Thinking
After Pi feels anxious, worried, nervous, and so on, one of the anxiety symptoms
is also a thought. These thoughts can be a symptom of anxiety because a person
is unable to focus on anything other than their worries. Thoughts that can be a
symptom of anxiety include not being able to focus on other things, not being
able to calm down, and not being able to think clearly. Thinking as a symptom
of anxiety can be seen in the following quotation.
Fear and common sense scramble to find the answer. Fear says Yes. He is
a predatory beast weighing 225 kilograms. Its claws were as sharp as
knives. However, Common Sense says No. The tarpaulin was made of
sturdy canvas, not Japanese wallpaper. However, Richard Parker could
instantly tear through a tarpaulin with his claws ... ah, but no way (Martel,
2001, p. 162).
Pi’s thoughts of the tiger’s presence on the Lifeboat keep him from thinking
straight, but his subconscious struggles to come up with an honest answer. He
fears the tiger is a beast with claws as sharp as blades. However, common sense
dictates that the tarpaulin in the Lifeboat is solid canvas because the cotton is so
large that Richard Parker could not tear the tarpaulin with his fingernails. These

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thoughts are symptoms of Pi’s anxious thinking. On the other hand, Pi knows he
is scared more than anything else, and Pi acts the way he is because he is afraid
of losing his life. Then Pi loses control, and his mind, initially frightened by the
presence of the tiger, suddenly softens at the thought of something strange. His
thoughts about strange things happening to him are a symptom of anxious
thoughts.

3. Experiencing
Not only are feelings of anxiety and being unable to think, Pi also experiences
sadness, regret, and melancholy as other symptoms of anxiety. It can be seen in
the quotation below.
I started waiting. My thoughts are running wild. I am busy thinking about
practical things that must be done to survive and tormented by pain, and I
cry silently, my mouth open and my hands on my head (Martel, 2001, p.
166).
The quoted passage reveals Pi’s sadness and confusion, driven by his fear of not
surviving the shipwreck. The accident, which separates Pi from his family and
leaves him stranded with a tiger, diminishes his enthusiasm for life. Pi’s sadness
is a symptom of his anxiety, further evidenced by his despondency and
resignation to his fate. He believes he cannot endure much longer and regrets his
inability to fulfill his duties as a zookeeper, having only the tiger in his care. Pi’s
sadness, regret, and melancholy indicate underlying anxiety, suggesting that he
suffers from this condition unconsciously.

3.2 Causes of Pi’s Anxiety

Pi has anxiety because there are several things that make him anxious. They are
shipwreck, meeting a tiger, and being worried about his safety.

1. Shipwreck
When Pi is 16 years old, Pi’s parents decide to move to Canada and want to start
a new life there. Various types of zoo collection animals are sold one by one.
However, some animals are still left and must be transported by freighter across
Canada. On the day of departure, Pi says goodbye to all his friends and teachers,
even people he doesn’t know, because, according to his parents, they will never
return to India again. This family trip to India does not go smoothly. One day, Pi
wakes up to hear the sound of an explosion on the ship. Pi wants to wake up his
brother Ravi, but Ravi does not want to because he is too sleepy. Finally, he
decides to check what is happening outside the ship. When they got outside, Pi
was shocked. It is raining and windy, although Pi cannot conclude that the
weather can be called a storm and can sink a ship. However, what surprises Pi
the most is that the buffalo they bring from India runs away from its pen and
runs around, crashing into everything on the ship. Before Pi notices, to his

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surprise, other animals run to and fro, and then Pi notices that the boat is tilted. It
can be seen in the quotation below.
I only felt anxious when I looked at the lifeboat on the ship’s side. It was
not hanging straight but at an angle on the hangers. I turned to look at my
hands. My fingernails are white. I held on tightly, not for fear of the
weather, but for fear of falling into the incoming ship. The ship tilted to
port, to the opposite side. The slope was not very sharp, but it surprised me
quite a bit (Martel, 2001, p. 155).
The quotation illustrates that Pi experiences anxiety when he notices the ship
beginning to tilt. As Darajat (1998) asserted that anxiety arises from perceiving
imminent danger. This form of anxiety closely resembles fear, as its source is
clear and present in the mind. Pi’s anxiety aligns with this explanation; he
becomes anxious upon seeing the impending threat and fears falling as the ship
tilts (see also Rochman, 2010).

2. Meeting A Tiger
Pi is the only survivor of all the passengers because he is on the ship’s deck.
Initially, he intends to save his family, but he sees on the edge of the boat that
several crew members have gathered, and when Pi approaches them, Pi is pulled
by the crew and dropped into the ship alone. He lands on the half-open tarpaulin.
The lifeboat has been half lowered and is now suspended in the air, jutting out of
its hanger and rocking in the storm, some six feet above sea level. At first, Pi
thinks the crew members will follow Pi to the lifeboats, but the crew members
turn their heads with shocked expressions; then, suddenly, a creature is floating
in the air, and it turns out to be a zebra. Zebra lands on the lifeboat, makes the
hanged lifeboat fall directly, and lands in the violent, stormy sea. A split second
later, Pi notices that his ship is sinking, and Pi does not know what his end will
be like because the Pacific Ocean is too far to carry him by then.
He is not alone in the lifeboat as a zebra and a tiger follow and jump into the
sea. The tiger tries to get into the lifeboat. Pi examines the tiger and does not see
it on the tarpaulin or the bench of the lifeboat. He just realizes that the tiger is at
the bottom of the lifeboat. The tiger is named Richard Parker, a 225-kilogram
Royal Bengal tiger who is three years old. The presence of Richard Parker
makes him feel anxious and afraid. It can be seen in this quotation.
I got goosebumps between the life jackets, only half visible as if I was
peering through the leaves; for the first time, I caught a glimpse of Richard
Parker, clear-minded. All I could see was his back and part of his back. It
is brown with stripes and lines and is enormous. He is facing stern, lying
face down. His body did not move, and his sides twitched as he breathed. I
blinked in disbelief at how close he was; if I lay down, I could pinch his
buttocks. Moreover, the distance between us is only separated by a thin
cloth sheet he could easily step on (Martel, 2001, p. 163).
The quotation explains that Pi is worried because of Richard Parker’s presence
in the lifeboat. He fears that Richard Parker is a predator with razor-sharp talons

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that could eat Pi at any moment; Pi is off guard—unfavourable environmental

conditions cause Pi’s anxiety. The immediate threat Pi receives is a 3-year-old
Bengal tiger shaking after nearly drowning in the sea. The tiger is in the same
boat as him.

3. Being Worried About His Safety

The cause of Pi’s anxiety is not only when he meets a shipwreck or when he
meets a tiger but also when he is worried about his safety. It has been one
hundred and eighty days since Pi has been in the open seas of the Pacific Ocean.
Only Pi and Richard Parker, survivors of the Tsimtsum ship, are now alive.
Initially, Pi intends not to think about Richard Parker’s life; even Pi intends to
let Richard Parker starve to death, but over time, it is Richard Parker who makes
Pi feel calm. It is ironic that the tiger, which at first scares him to death, makes
him feel peaceful and purposeful and even makes him feel intact. Pi uses various
methods to tame Richard Parker until finally, although not one hundred per cent,
Pi is able to tame the tiger. Richard Parker will be able to understand Pi’s
intentions and goals, starting from telling him to eat and sometimes training him
to jump and so on.
Over the past six months, Pi’s physical condition has begun to weaken. The
food and drink he gets in the lifeboat have to sink under the crashing waves, so
that day by day, his body gets weaker. Pi’s clothes gradually disintegrate, falling
victim to the sun and sea salt. Every night, he cries, remembering his parents and
is always worried that the rescue team will not find him and that he will die
tragically. During this drift, Pi feels and sees various natural conditions that
change. The sky is always changing. Sometimes, it is visited by large white
clouds, flat at the base but round and soft at the top; sometimes, they are
completely cloudless, stretching blue, stunning the senses. The sea has many
sounds; sometimes, it roars like a tiger and whispers close to the ear, like a
friend wanting to share a secret. Some winds are also ever-changing between the
sky and the sea. Not to mention a million nights and months, but every night it
starts to come, Pi’s anxiety increases because he thinks that at night it will be
difficult for him to be seen by ships that might pass by. The cause of this anxiety
is due to environmental factors; according to Ramaiah (2003, p. 11), the
environment or the surroundings where one lives affects how individuals think
about themselves and others. It is due to the individual’s unpleasant experiences
with family, friends, or co-workers, so the individual feels insecure about his
environment. It happens to Pi as he says, “As dusk drew near, my anxiety
increased. I have always been afraid of the end of the day. At night, I will be
hard to see by any passing ships” (Martel, 2001, p. 175).
The cause of Pi’s anxiety arises from environmental factors, which are not
good from the start and disturb Pi’s mind. According to Pi, it is pointless to say
that tonight or that night is the worst night of his life because he has so many

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bad nights, so he can consider none of them the worst. An unfavourable

environment always makes Pi feel restless; for him, at night, it always makes his
chest tight, making him unable to think clearly. Anxiety can occur if the
individual cannot find an outlet for his feelings in the personal relationship,
significantly if it has suppressed anger or frustration for a long time. This
opinion is about the anxiety that Pi is experiencing because when Pi has been
tossed about for a long time, it disturbs his feelings and thoughts. Moreover, he
meets Richard Parker, which is increasingly disturbing him mentally.

3.3 The Effects of Pi’s Anxiety

Shipwrecks, meeting tigers, and worrying about not surviving are the main causes
of Pi’s anxiety. If there is a cause for anxiety, there must also be an effect. After that
ship accident, he has to lose his family and is stranded in a lifeboat with a tiger,
constantly worried that he cannot survive. The effects of anxiety can be classified into
three types.
The first is the behavioural effect of his anxiety. He has negative feelings. Those
negative feelings are passed on to the crew after Pi learns that hyenas are on the
lifeboat. This statement can be seen in the quotation.
And one more thing that I realized: It turns out I am thrown into this lifeboat
because there is a hyena. The crew actually does not want to save me. they don’t
care at all. They are just using me as bait. They hoped the hyenas would attack
me, and I would somehow get rid of them, so that the lifeboat would be safe for
them, even if I lost my own life. Now I understand why they pointed so
excitedly, just before the zebra appeared” (Martel, 2001, p. 164).
The quotation describes his negative feelings towards the crew when Pi encounters
a hyena on the lifeboat. Initially, when his body is thrown into the lifeboat, Pi does not
think negatively about the crew; he even thinks that the crew will help him. However,
after Pi sees and knows the whereabouts of a very evil hyena, Pi realizes that the ship’s
crew threw Pi into the lifeboat not to help him but because Pi is used as bait for the
hyena.
The second is the emotional effect of his anxiety. He experiences uncontrollable
emotions. Pi is angry when he sees a tiger eating a zebra and an orangutan being
brutally killed by a tiger, as he says, “Shock, disgust and anger welled up in my heart. I
felt so much hatred for that tiger. It occurred to me to kill it” (Martel, 2001, p. 178).
Pi’s anger also occurs when many fish fly past his boat and many fly fish get stuck
in the boat. Pi is happy to see many fish fly into the boat and see Richard Parker eating
them immediately. Nevertheless, when a bigger flying fish hits Pi’s body, the tiger
immediately turns his eyes to the big fish and tries to get it. Seeing that at first, Pi feels
worried and angry, but because of his overflowing emotions, he cannot hold back his
anger. Pi is very angry because he thinks there are more fish near the tiger and that it
can make the tiger more satisfied eating them than the one big fish Pi is holding. Pi is so
angry to see the tiger’s greed that he immediately shouts at the tiger, which makes the
tiger back off.

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The third is the cognitive effect of his anxiety. The cognitive effects of anxiety can
include thinking about the fear of danger, such as fear of death. He feels scared every
time he thinks about his fear. The fear here is when Pi fears he cannot be saved and is
found by a ship that might pass at night; as he states, As dusk approaches, my anxiety
increases. I am always afraid of the end of the day. At night, it will be hard to see any
passing ships (Martel, 2001, p. 175).
Pi is always scared at night because he thinks his presence will be difficult for
passing ships to see. Pi does not want him to die tragically in the middle of the ocean.
So whenever he thinks of his death, he feels scared and has difficulty sleeping at night.
The cognitive effects of his anxiety also occur when he encounters a tiger. He had to be
on guard every day and keep his raft away from the tigers. He does not live together in a
boat with a tiger because Pi thinks he will be eaten by a tiger while sleeping.

3.4 Type of Pi’s Anxiety

Pi must face his fears alone, and he often loses control of his emotions. Emotions
such as sadness, anger, panic, worry, anxiety, and depression come so suddenly.
According to Freud, there are three types of anxiety such as neurotic anxiety, moral
anxiety, and the last is objective anxiety (as cited in Zaviera, 2009, p. 97). Of the three
types of anxiety above; there are types of anxiety experienced by Pi, namely neurotic
anxiety and objective anxiety. The id cannot control neurotic anxiety. It is the feeling
when one cannot control one’s anger, one’s sanity, or common sense. Meanwhile,
objective anxiety is a natural response when someone feels danger in the surrounding
environment, or according to Freud, this condition is the same as fear (Minderop, 2010,
p. 28).
The reason Pi is associated with neurotic anxiety is because its symptoms are very
similar to this type. He felt worried, anxious, unable to control his emotions, and
panicked. These are symptoms of neurotic anxiety.
Another type of anxiety is objective anxiety. According to Freud, objective anxiety
is the fear of something realistic. For example, like the example that Pi experiences
when he meets a tiger, he is scared. Pi often feels fearful and senses danger around him,
so objective anxiety matches Pi’s anxiety.
In addition, there is also moral anxiety, which means worry because of the
superego. In other words, this type of anxiety is a type of guilt, shame, and fear of
punishment. Pi does not feel this type of symptom. Pi has uncontrollable emotions but
does not feel guilty, ashamed, or even afraid of sanction. He feels sad, but sometimes
his emotion gets out of control.
The type of anxiety that is appropriate for Pi’s anxiety is only neurotic and
objective anxiety because the symptoms Pi experiences are similar to symptoms of this
type, such as anxiety, worry, being unable to control emotions and panic.

4. Conclusion

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In summary, Pi is afflicted with an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms

falling into three categories: emotional, cognitive, and experiential. Emotional
symptoms include feelings of anxiety, worry, and panic. Cognitive symptoms manifest
as an inability to focus on anything other than his concerns. Experiential symptoms
involve physical manifestations such as tremors, melancholy, and sadness (see Leigh et
al., 2023; Rozen & Aderka, 2023; Seuling et al., 2024).
Pi’s anxiety can be attributed to three main causes. Firstly, a shipwreck occurs
during a severe storm, causing the ship he and his family are aboard to sink in the
Pacific Ocean. Witnessing this event instills fear in Pi, initially intrigued by the storm
but alarmed as he sees his ship listing and animals in disarray. His immediate concern is
for his family still aboard, prompting frantic attempts to reach them, only to find the
ship flooded upon his return to the lifeboat. This traumatic experience leaves Pi deeply
frustrated (see Nurhadi, 2019).
Secondly, Pi’s anxiety is exacerbated by encountering a tiger named Richard Parker
after the shipwreck. Initially threatened by a hyena that emerges from beneath the
lifeboat and proceeds to kill zebras and an orangutan, Pi becomes the hyena’s next
target. The sudden appearance of Richard Parker, who subdues the hyena and claims
dominance over the lifeboat, intensifies Pi’s fear and initiates a prolonged period of
unease and vigilance.
When the hyena threatens Pi, a sudden intervention occurs under the tarp of the
lifeboat: a large tiger named Richard Parker swiftly attacks the hyena, asserting
dominance over the boat. Witnessing this event does not alleviate Pi’s anxiety; instead,
he experiences heightened fear. Pi attempts to create distance from Richard Parker by
constructing a raft and seeking refuge there. His days are consumed with worry about
Richard Parker’s presence. Another source of anxiety for Pi is his ongoing concern for
his safety after being stranded at sea for months with no signs of rescue. Despite his
persistent efforts to survive through various means, Pi repeatedly encounters failure,
intensifying his anxiety.
The consequences of Pi’s anxiety manifest in three primary effects. Firstly,
behaviorally, Pi demonstrates negative attitudes towards the crew members who placed
him in the lifeboat. Emotionally, he struggles to regulate his feelings, evident in his
anger towards the aggressive hyenas that prey on zebras and orangutans. Lastly,
cognitively, Pi constantly fears his potential demise in the vast Pacific Ocean. Pi’s
anxiety can be categorized as neurotic and objective. Neurotic anxiety originates from
the id, involving intense emotional responses such as sadness, anger, and panic that are
difficult to control. Objective anxiety, on the other hand, arises from realistic threats,
such as Pi’s immediate fear upon encountering a tiger.

Conflict of interest
The author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest.

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3(2) (2024): 61-74

Authors’ contribution
Author made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study. The
authors took responsibility for data analysis, interpretation and discussion of results.
The authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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