The main characters of the novel are Pi Patel and Richard Parker, a royal Bengal tiger. These two spend the most time together on the lifeboat in the story, as the other animals die first. This bond between a boy and an animal makes the story enjoyable. Pi is from India and he and his family left on a ship to Canada, where they will live. Pi is also very religious and turns to God in the most difficult moments on the lifeboat. For example, when he is very hungry he states: "...deprived and desperate as I was, in the throes of incessant suffering, I should turn to God." (Page 284). Yann Martel most likely added the fact that Pi is very religious to create an emotional attachment to readers who are also pious. The author also allows readers to have emotional attachments towards Pi because one must feel nervous when the ship wreck occurs or sad when Pi finds out that his family is dead. At first Richard Parker has dominance over the lifeboat, but Pi later trains him not to attack him. Ultimately, Pi achieves dominance. Although Pi and Richard Parker are enemies at first, they grow closer over the course of the story. Pi also tells the reader this by saying,