Name:
Literary Elements Unit
Big Fish
“There are some fish that just can not be caught. It’s not that they’re faster or stronger
than other fish, it’s just that they’re touched by something extra. One such fish is The
Beast. And by the time I was born he was already a legend. He passed up more hundreddollar lures than any fish in Alabama. Some said that fish was a ghost of a thief who
drowned in that river sixty years before. Others claimed he was a dinosaur left over from
the crustaceous period. I didn’t put such stock into speculation or superstition. And all I
knew was that I had been trying to catch that fish since I was boy no bigger than you.
And on the day you were born, well, that was the day that I caught him. Now, I tried
everything I knew…worms, lures, peanut butter…peanut butter and cheese. But on that
day I had a revelation; if that fish was the ghost of Henry Walls then the usual bait wasn’t
gonna work. I was gonna have to use something he truly desired: gold! Now I tied my
ring onto the strongest line they make. Strong enough to hold up a bridge they said, if
only for a few minutes. And then I cast upriver. The Beast jumped up and grabbed it
before it even hit the water. And just as fast he snapped clean through that line. Now I
was in a predicament: My wedding ring, the symbol of fidelity in a marriage to my wife,
soon to be mother of my child, was now lost in the gut of an uncatchable fish…I followed
that fish upriver and down river…This fish, The Beast, the whole time we had been
calling a him, when in fact, it was a her. It was fat with eggs, it was gonna lay them any
day. Now I’m in a situation. I could gut that fish and get my wedding ring back, but in
doing so I’d be killing the smartest catfish in the Ashton River. Did I want to deprive my
son of a chance to catch a fish like this of his own? This lady-fish and I, well we had the
same destiny…that was a lesson I learned that day…sometimes the only way to catch an
uncatchable woman, was to offer her a wedding ring.”
1. What literary term does this monologue represent? This story is a metaphor or
analogy. This could also be hyperbole because he seems to stretch the truth. He
compared marrying a wild woman to an uncatchable fish.
2. Why does this story bother Edward’s son? This bothers Edward’s son because he
feels as if his father is stealing the spotlight from him all the time. He thinks that his
stories are too far fetched and he is tired of his “lies.”
3. Who is the narrator of this story? From what perspective is the movie told? For
most of the story, Edward narrates his own flashbacks. Finally at the end, Edward’s son,
William, is the narrator (1st person). The transference of the narration signals the
forgiveness William finally feels toward his father; he understands and accepts his
“stories” as being a part of Edward.
4. What did Edward find in the encyclopedia that was notable? How did he use
this to explain his circumstance? What literary element could this be?
Edward found “goldfish.” He read that if a goldfish was to be kept in a small tank, it
would be small. But if a goldfish is given a larger environment it can grow up to
quadruple times its size. He thinks he is a goldfish. He claims his body was growing
at too rapid a rate for his muscles and bones and that’s why he was bed-ridden for
three years. He thinks he’s “too big for a small town” and needs to make the most of
his life.
5. In Edward’s journey he stumbles upon a “perfect” town named Spectre. In this
town every girl was pretty, had her hair done and wore a dress. The people
didn’t wear shoes because “there was no softer land in Alabama.” A oncefamous poet even “got lost” in Spectre and never left. Edward enjoys the town
until an attractive girl voices her interest in him. He then decides he needs to
leave, immediately. The little girl asks him how he’s going to leave since they
stole his shoes. He replies, “Well, it’s going to hurt. A lot.” How could this be a
metaphor for the way he views small towns and relationships? Edward sees the
danger in becoming romantically involved at a young age (He’s 18) in a small town.
This contrasts to the idea that he’s “too big” for small towns; he doesn’t want to get
“stuck” in Spectre like the rest of the people. He continues his journey on the way to
a big city, where there’s bigger opportunities and more to life. Jenny makes him
promise to return, and he said “someday, when I’m supposed to” which could mean
that he’s not ready to commit. One day, when the course of his life leads to marriage,
he will be married.
6. What does William realize after talking to Jennifer? William realizes that his
father never had an affair and always loved him and his mother dearly. He had two
worlds as Jennifer put it: real and fantasy. While William always thought his father lived
in the fantasy world he realized that he was truly important to him, and he and his mother
were his father’s reality.
7. Why does William tell Edward the story of “how he goes.” What does this mean?
The story William makes up about his father’s death symbolizes that he truly understands
his father. They are finally at peace. He accepts the fact that his father embellished the
truth to make his life sound more interesting because he was always going to be a “big
fish in a small pond” wherever he went; he was naturally charming and special. He was
going to live on through his legacy, which was story telling.
8. What does William realize about his father at the funeral? William finally
realizes that his father was telling the truth the entire time. He actually met interesting
people and touched their lives; He just embellished a few details here and there. He
accepts that his father was extravagant and understands how important it is to himself,
and his unborn baby, that he keeps his father’s legacy alive.
Symbol
The Key
The Fish
His Stories
Shoes
being
strung up
The
Wedding
Band
Spectre
Explanation/Relevance
The key symbolized the affection everyone had towards Edward. He had
the charm and the good intentions to unlock a city and even a heart. When
he returns to Spectre he conveniently finds the key, and warms Jennifer’s
heart once again.
The fish symbolizes Edward, the “big fish in a small pond.” It is magical.
It also portrays his dedication to his wife through the story, and his legacy,
as his most famous of all stories.
The stories represent Edward’s legacy and life. They tell his past and
dictate his place in his son’s future. They were a way of connecting to
people and making himself important to those around him. To make him
memorable even if he wasn’t.
In Spectre, Jenny strung his shoes up. This was to keep him there. This
represents his phobia of small town ideology and getting trapped by young
love.
In the end, before he turns into a fish, Edward gives his wife his wedding
band. This is the key to catching the uncatchable fish, and only she has it.
It represents his love and dedication to her.
Spectre represents the small town ideology. It scares Edward, but he also
invests his money into saving it when the small town was ruined by
industry. He understands that small towns are gems, and should be
preserved and undamaged by corporations and large business.
Themes:
Love
Fact vs. Fiction
Edward’s character is
driven by the love for
his wife. He worked
in the circus for years
to find out who she
was, he didn’t give up
on her when she was
engaged, he came
home from war to be
with her, he took a
job as a travelling
salesmen for her.
Furthermore, Edward
and William do have
love for each other
and that is finally
realized when
William understands
his father.
Edward does have a
grain of truth in every
story he tells, but he
over emphasizes the
truth to be “bigger”
than what he seems to
be. The fact (truth) of
his life never
waivered; that was the
love for his family.
Everything else
wasn’t as important
and could be
embellished. Jenny
said “there were only
two women in
Edward’s life: your
mother and everyone
else” (because no one
else particularly
mattered, so his idea
of them was jumbled
together).
Agriculture vs.
Industry
The small town of
Spectre was ruined
when modern
technology and big
business tried to come
in and change it. This
tells us that the ways of
life were more
beautiful before
industry and were
ruined by greed, profit
and corporation.
Being a Big Fish
Edward was always
a “big fish” because
he had dreams and
potential for a great
future. If he stayed
in a small town like
Ashton or Spectre,
he would have never
“grown” to be as big
as he could be. He
needed culture and
real life experiences
that those places
couldn’t offer him.
Key Literary Terms:
Metaphor/analogy
Symbolism
Flashback
Hyperbole
Foreshadow
“Big Fish”
See above
The story constantly references to Edward’s past.
All the stories are examples of hyperbole; something so far fetched
that couldn’t possibly happen. His friend is at least 20 feet tall in
his story but in real life he’s about 7 or 8 feet tall; still a giant, but
not THAT giant.
In the beginning of the story he sees into the witch’s eye; further
along in the text he says “that’s not how I go.” He also never tells
the final story which lets the viewer understand that it is T.B.D.