There comes a time in life when you're stuck in a hiccup and you have to do whatever it takes to overcome obstacles. In Life of Pi, Pi faces many obstacles and must test the five levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs in order to survive. Maslow's hierarchy of needs consists of five levels: physiological, safety, love, esteem and self-actualization. Does Pi have what it takes to overcome these obstacles using the five levels of hierarchy? Life of Pi by Yann Martel, tells the story of a survivor on a lifeboat with a dead zebra, hyena, orangutan and a tiger who calls Richard Parker for 226 days on a stranded boat in the middle of nowhere. Pi was raised as a Hindu but as he grows older he begins to learn about Christianity and Islam. When all the religious teachers meet with his parents, they want to know which religion he chooses. Pi could not choose one but choose all religions. His love for his beliefs partially helps him survive being stuck even if he has to break some rules to survive. While Richard Parker and Pi were sailing along the ocean, they encounter a blind man floating in the ocean. When he tries to help him board the boat, Richard Parker eats him and essentially saves Pi because the blind man had different intentions when he boarded the boat. While they are still floating, they come across an island with seaweed that helps Pi and Richard Parker regain their strength by eating the island's meerkats. When Pi notices the tooth in the seaweed, Pi decides to leave the island and continue his journey to safety. Eventually they arrive in Mexico where he finds two men to whom Pi begins to tell them the story of the journey to survival but none of the men believe what Pi says and changes the...... middle of paper..... . from Pi. Pi is still Hindu, Muslim and Christian. Being on that lifeboat gave him purpose and meaning in life. All in all, In Life of Pi there must be sacrifices to reach the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. To grow as a person you have to experience things you thought you would never do. Everyone has a certain duty and would do anything to keep it true. During Pi's journey, he experiences fish for the first time, kills them for the first time, and finds a friend no one would approach named Richard Parker but ultimately still calls himself Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. . Pi adapted to his surroundings to survive, but he would still remain true to his religion no matter how many times he had to break his oath to that religion. Works Cited Martel, Yann. Life of Pi: A Novel. New York: Harcourt, 2001. Print.