A Review of A River Runs Through It

We often view fishing as a simple hobby, Cast your line, catch the fish, reel in the fish, roast the fish, eat the fish. But Norman Maclean shows that fishing is more than an automatic, mechanical step-by-step process It is an intricate form of arts Through his usage of rhetorical devices, Maclean portrays the relationship between himself and his brother, and shows fishing not as a straightforward task, but as a powerful struggle and a beautiful an forms Maclean displays his relationship with his brother Paul as one of deep admiration diction and imagery that shape his tone At the end of his family fishing trip, Patti decides to catch one more large fish, When describing Paul’s rod, Maclean uses a metaphor, referring to it as a “wand“, which has a magical connotation.

He then wrote that “everything sprang and sang”. The two words are similar in sound, but different in meaning They create the impression that the casting of the line is a skilled, beautiful, well-executed action.

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Furthermore, ?Maclean uses diction such as “voltage”, “shock", “sparks”, “electrically charged”, “recharged”, “magic current", and “convulsions" to describe his brother‘s struggle reeling the fish in. This establishes electric imagery, Maclean creates a bridge to science, referring to an area of science often perceived as the most magnificent and magical, His imagery, figurative language, and diction choices establish a tone in his narrationr Maclean’s tone is one of admiration; he marvels at his brother’s grace and skill—one so great that it creates “sparks" in action.

This tone illuminates the relationship between the brothers (a recurring theme throughout the novella).

Although there are differences between them, their relationship is one of deep respect and admiration, Maclean portrays fishing as more than a simple, technical process; he portrays fishing as a deep struggle, a powerful victory, and a beautiful art form, Maclean refers to his brother’s fishing as a “performance”, and when describing the fish on dry land, he writes that it was “dancing the Dance of Death”. The Dance of Death is an allusion, referring to a medical term that describes the universality of death. The word “dance" itself has an artistic connotation. These word choices, commonly used in reference to music, portray fishing as an art form, Moreover, Maclean’s father comments that Paul was “beautiful”, and that Maclean and his father never paid attention to the fish, but rather the “artistry of the fisherman”, In addition, Maclean depicts Paul’s fishing as a battle between him and the fish. After having reeled in the fish, Maclean writes that Paul proclaimed himself the “victor’fl He then uses an allusion to the ancient Romans, saying “had the Romans been watching they would have thought that what was dangling had a helmet on it” (100). (Ancient Romans were victorious and vicious in battle They were notorious for their gladiator, militaristic culture). This paints an image of Paul as the winner of a great struggle between him and the fishibetween man and nature Maclean uses specific word choice, tone, and literary devices to show the relationship between him and his brother as well as to portray fishing as an art form and a struggle Similar to Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea, fishing represents much more than simply catching a fish, It creates connections between people. It is a form of self-expression. It requires great skill and artistry.