One day, Pi spots a ship on the horizon and tries to flag it down. The tanker nearly crushes Pi’s lifeboat as it approaches, but it remains oblivious to Pi’s presence. Rather than feeling dejected, Pi professes his love for Richard Parker. Pi begins drifting in and out of consciousness as his body becomes skeleton-like. He attempts to escape mentally by asphyxiating himself with what he calls a “dream rag” to induce strange thoughts. His last diary entry reads, “Today I will die” (240).

After going blind, Pi starts hearing voices. In a state of delirium, he thinks Richard Parker is speaking to him with a French accent. He then realizes he is speaking with another blind castaway who attaches his boat to Pi’s. After exchanging bizarre stories, the man boards Pi’s boat and announces his intention to cannibalize him by eating his liver and flesh. Richard Parker suddenly attacks the man and rips him to pieces. Pi is thankful that Richard Parker has given him life, but he is forever traumatized when his vision returns, and he sees the man’s butchered body.

After taking the other castaway boat, Pi makes an “exceptional botanical discovery:” an algae-covered low island (256).