Brittany Miller
Blog #1 – “The Fish”
“The
Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop is a descriptive poem that illustrates the picture of
Bishop catching a large fish, how repulsive it looked, and later throws this
fish back in the sea. Although the words in her writing explain her fishing, I greatly
believe that she’s trying to express something way deeper through both symbolism
and imagery. Symbols and images are both used in Bishops work to make it
visual, yet symbolize certain meanings. It depends on the reader’s perspective,
in which they must draw their own conclusions on what these symbols and images
mean.
The
fish is clearly what is being used as the symbolic center piece. “I looked into
his eyes which were far larger than mine but shallower, and yellowed” (Lines
34-36). These three lines explain how she came face to face with something that
she first thought as dominant to her, which is represented through her identifying
how the fish’s eyes were bigger then hers. She then realized she was had the superiority
due to the recognition of how the fishes eyes were shallower and yellowed. “I
caught a tremendous fish and held him beside the boat” (Lines 1 and 2); another
example that represents this idea; She caught this huge fish in which she felt
intimidated from its size, but realized she is in control as expressed in her holding
him beside the boat.
More
importantly than symbols is the use of imagery in Bishops poem. The use of
imagery in the poem is so important because that’s what we rely on in order to
get the visual aspect so we can also recognize the symbols. “I thought of the
coarse white flesh, packed in like feathers” (Lines 27/28). This gave us the
image of the fish and his tough skin, yet also gentle as an animal that has
feathers.
As
ive said, Symbols and images symbolize certain meanings. It depends on the
reader’s perspective, in which they must draw their own conclusions on what
these symbols and images mean. In Elizabeth Bishops “The Fish”, I believe the
fish symbolized things she has come across her life that she felt intimidated
by (shown by looking at the size of the fish), until she takes a closer look at
it and realizes she’s superior (shown by her describing the flaws of the fish),
and she controls the situation (shown by her throwing the fish back into the
ocean). I also felt a sense of relief and happiness within her due to her
painting us a picture of the rainbows that were “everywhere”.
