In difficult times, it seems that many people turn to their faith. In moments of weakness, when it seems that all is lost, many people discover that some hope remains in God. Others turn to God to ask a "why"; a reason why circumstances are the way they are, or why God is putting them in such a difficult situation. In the novels Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolpho Anaya, and Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the protagonists Tony and Pi both have beliefs that give them something to turn to in difficult times. Pi and Tony's faith journeys are similar in that each boy finds mentors for the three faiths with which he identifies; however, the main characters differ in how they understand the concept of a person having multiple faiths and how they apply their faith to the obstacles they encounter in their lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Both of these teenage boys are impressionable and malleable, and both find mentors for their faith who help shape and guide them in their beliefs. Pi, for example, identifies with Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Growing up in India, where Hinduism is predominant, Pi was influenced by Hinduism from a young age. This is why he feels Hindu. He explains that he has always felt a "Presence", and this seems to explain how he came into Hinduism: "I am aware of Presence, not personal in the way we usually feel presence, but something greater" (Martel, 28) . Just as Pi grew up surrounded by Hinduism, Tony was raised Catholicism. Tony follows the model set by his mother and she mentors him in this faith; his mother encourages him to practice catechism and wants him to become a priest when he grows up. Pi's second religion is Christianity and Father Martin introduces him to this faith in his youth. Father Martin encourages him in this faith and helps him understand the basic idea of ​​History. Tony's second faith comes from Ultima, the streets of "la cuaranderas". Just as Pi feels a Presence, Tony also feels a presence of his own: "I was aware of the terrible presence of the river, which was the soul of the river, but through her I learned that my spirit shared in the spirit of all things" ( Anaya, 15).Recalling the idea of ​​a spirit in the river, Ultima told him about the spirits in the plants. He tells Tony to talk to the plants before digging them up and explain to them why they are dug up Pi for his third religion, Islam, is Mr. Kumar, a Muslim baker. He introduces Pi to Islam after Pi sees him praying in his bakery. Tony's third faith is in the Golden Carp, a god Pagan His mentor who teaches him the Golden Carp is his friend Samuel (in collaboration with Cico), a boy who instructs Tony in the legends and ways of the Golden Carp. These various mentors help teach these two young boys the religions they encounter. clearly evident difference between the journeys of these two boys is the way in which Tony and Pi interpret faith and the way in which they accept the practice of multiple faiths. Pi sees different religions simply as different channels to the same God, yet Tony finds that the contradictions between the faiths he practices inhibit his ability to accept them all at once. For starters, Pi views his three religions differently than others. He has only one intention: to love God. When the imam, pandit, and priest all visit Pi's house asking about his faith, Pi simply tells them, "Bapu Gandhi said, 'All religions are true.' I just want to love God" (Martel,39). Pi argues that the three religions have distinct characteristics but all lead back to the same God. Contrary to how Pi sees things, for most of the novel Tony is confused by religion, as he firmly believes in all three faiths but does not see how they can coexist. Cico further confuses Tony by telling him that he cannot have more than one God, because the Catholic God is a jealous God. By the end of the novel, Tony seems to have a better understanding of religion; “Take the llano and the river valley, the moon and the sea, God and the golden carp – and make it something new” (Anaya, 247). Although it is difficult for him to see the three religions coming together, he sees how they all point to the same thing, which is a higher power. Tony eventually realizes that he can worship however he wants and that he doesn't need to conform to society. He realizes that he can create his own religion. This realization still differs from Pi's beliefs, however, as Tony believes that if he wants to possess multiple faiths, doing so requires creating an entirely new religion. Pi believes that multiple religions can remain separate and distinct, while still leading to the same God. A further difference between Pi and Tony's faith journeys can be seen in how Pi and Tony apply their unique religious beliefs to the challenges they face in their life. screw. Each of them faces very different obstacles; Pi must survive and Tony must mature. Yet both use their faith as a resource as they navigate difficult times, in different ways. As Pi faces his ordeal on his lifeboat, his goal is to survive and his faith is what keeps him going, even during his darkest days. At some points his hope falters, as can be seen in the fading of the orange (a color of Hinduism) on the lifeboat and the dead, rotting lamb. Yet, in the end, it is Pi's faith that brings him ashore, and without it he would have died in the lifeboat. As for Tony, obstacles accompany his growth path. He's trying to figure out his destiny, what his life purpose is, and his faith plays a big role in that understanding. Some of the situations he goes through test his understanding of his purpose, such as the deaths of Florence, Narciso, and Lupito. These deaths lead Tony to question the differences between good and evil and what the line is between forgiveness and condemnation from God. In a dream he asks forgiveness for Narciso, but not for Tenorio. God laughs and tells him, “You would have a God who forgives everything, but when it comes to your personal whims you seek punishment for your revenge” (Anaya, 173). Furthermore, the problems presented by Tenorio and his daughters continue to provoke Tony's questions. His faith is a resource for him as he turns to it to understand all these problems. Yet Tony discovers that the many questions he has aren't always answered with the answers he expects. In fact, he faced even more questions after his first communion, when he thought he would suddenly receive all the answers he was looking for. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom EssayThe novels Bless Me, Ultima, and Life of Pi are seemingly similar, but actually differ in many ways. First, they are similar in that the novels are about young boys identifying with multiple faiths and finding mentors to help guide them through their spiritual journeys. However, just as important is the difference in how each child understands the idea of ​​having multiple faiths and what that means for their life. Finally, they differ in how the characters use their faith to overcome..