The Evolution of the Speaker's Attitude in "The Fish" (Essay Sample)

Instructions:

ESSAY 1 TOPICS & Guidelines: Choose ONE: In what ways is this story about “seeing” and/or learning? Be specific about who learns something and what they learn and even how they learn it (apply 5 w’s to create a sharp thesis) What do we learn about the narrator and central character of "Cathedral"? Locate some significant moments of characterization within the story. How would you describe this narrator? What kind of guy is he? What does he value? What does he fear? What’s his fundamental problem? How does he connect to other people, or does he? Make an argument for how Bub changes and why. In the poem, “The Fish” how and why does the speaker’s attitude toward the fish/fishing change in the poem? Why does she let the fish go? Length: 2 PARAGRAPHS (Intro & Body) Your essay should include: a TITLE, INTRO, THESIS, TOPIC SENTENCE, FRAMED & CITED QUOTE, A WORKS CITED PAGE INTRO – Should include the title of the poem or story, the author’s name. Write a brief overview of the story or poem. End the intro with your thesis. What is the main point your essay will make? *Remember, a thesis should say something debatable that your essay will prove. BODY Paragraph – Begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence should state the reason why you believe your thesis is true. Be sure to bring in a quote or two from the story or poem to illustrate/support points you make. Quotes should be framed (introduced & explained in your own words) as well as cited (authors last name and page number). Give your paper a TITLE that HIGHLIGHTS your thesis (the main point of your essay). (Do not call it Essay 1 or the name of the story or poem as your title should hint at the heart of your paper). Include a WORKS CITED PAGE - It should have the author’s name, the title of the poem or story and where you accessed the text. See the link for MLA formatting to help you create this document. **Practice the WRITING PROCESS - 3 drafts - as explained in Lamott's "$hi#ty! First Drafts": 1/Just get ideas DOWN (don't edit yourself initially; let the ideas flow). Write until you know what you want to say (thesis). Then come up with reason(s) why you think your thesis is true. 2/Do an UP draft - Fix ideas up. Organize ideas. Explain things more clearly and more fully. Frame up relevant quotes. 3/Dental Draft - Read your paper aloud with a pen in hand to catch errors such as typo's, spelling, grammar, MLA formatting https://poets.org/poem/fish-2 The fish by elizabeth bishop source..

Content:

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Title Submission Date The Evolution of the Speaker's Attitude in "The Fish" "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop is a narrative poem that explores the speaker's encounter with a tremendous fish and the transformation that occurs within her. The poem begins with the speaker catching the fish and observes the fish's physical appearance, including its battered skin, barnacles, and sea-lice. As she looks into the fish's eyes, she notices a sense of weariness and detachment. The speaker discovers hooks and broken fishing lines in the fish's mouth, indicating its past struggles and ability to escape capture. She releases the fish back into the water, symbolizing a change in her attitude towards the fish and fishing. The poem ends with the imagery of a rainbow filling the boat. Through vivid descriptions and introspection, Bishop portrays the speaker's evolving perception of the fish, highlighting themes of empathy, respect for life, and the beauty of the natural world. The speaker's initial encounter with the fish establishes a sense of awe and admiration for its physical appearance. The speaker describes the fish as a "grunting weight, battered and venerable and homely" (Bishop, lines 6-7), emphasizing its rough exterior and weathered features. However, as the speaker closely examines the fish, her perception begins to shift. The description of the fish's eyes, "far larger than mine / but shallower, and yellowed" (Bishop, lines 17-18), implies a sense of weariness and resignation. The fish's gaze, not meeting the speaker's stare, suggests a detachment from the human world. The turning point in the speaker's attitude occurs when she notices the hooks embedded in the fish's mouth. Bishop writes, "A green line, frayed at the end / where he broke it, two heavier lines, / and a fine black thread / still crimped from the strain and snap / when it broke and he got away" (Bishop, lines 27-30). This revelation unveils the fish's history of encounters with fishermen and its resilience in escaping capture. The presence of the hooks symbolizes the fish's struggle and suffering, evoking a sen...

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The Evolution of the Speaker's Attitude in "The Fish" (Essay Sample)

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