Changing Conventions

People live only the way they've been taught; most of the time that's based on conventions—from family, from friends, or from religion. Conventions are the rules in which people live their lives; without these, people would be lost. When conventions are changed, or someone attempts to change them, it's like stepping out of fantasy and into reality.

As Pi's family began to board the Tsimtsum, his mother started doubting their decision.
"Yes, they have tobacco in Canada—but do they have Gold Flake cigarettes? Do they have Arun ice cream? Are the bicycles Heroes? Are the televisions Onidas? Are the cars Ambassadors? Are the bookshops Higginbothams'?" (91) Leaving her conventions to find new ones is the first step she takes into the real world. Since the ocean symbolizes birth, it's like Pi's mother is being born again when she sets foot onto the vast ocean.

Like the boy in the blue room, red is a whole new color to Pi's mother. After this boy had been living in this room full of blue and was introduced to red for the first time, he was shocked at how many things there were to explore in the world. Since he was trapped in his own fantasy, he didn't know about the world; the things that were out there, all that he was missing. By leaving your conventions—even if you've known them your whole life—a whole new world opens up—something you wouldn’t have found if you didn't take a chance.