During an early-morning storm of flying fish, Pi shelters behind a turtle shell while Richard Parker swats at the fish. Pi tries to catch fish by extending a gaff with netting, but has little luck until a dorado chasing a flying fish launches out of the water and slams onto the lifeboat’s gunwale.

Pi grabs the large dorado before a nearby shark can take it and hauls it aboard, thrilled by the amount of meat it offers. Pi thanks Jesus-Matsya for the catch, seeing it as vital food that could last a long time.

Richard Parker’s attention snaps from the flying fish to the dorado in Pi’s hands, and the tiger crouches to attack from only eight feet away. Driven by hunger and desperation, Pi chooses to meet the threat directly and stares Richard Parker in the eyes, relying on the instinct that big cats hesitate when confronted by a direct gaze.

For a few seconds Pi and Richard Parker engage in a tense contest for dominance. Richard Parker finally breaks first, licking his nose, groaning, turning away, and venting his irritation on a flying fish; Pi retreats and then gives Richard Parker a fair portion of the dorado.

After this victory, Pi feels his authority over Richard Parker is no longer in doubt, which changes how he lives aboard the craft. Pi begins spending progressively more time on the lifeboat rather than the raft, first staying at the bow to watch the tiger, then lying on the tarpaulin, and eventually resting with Pi’s back turned to Richard Parker’s territory as fear becomes more manageable.