The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant - Essay Example He has successfully brought together all the elements of the story to reach the conclusion of the story, a lesson that his readers would find important as one journey through life. Wetherell’s symbolisms are very simple and uncomplicated and his readers won’t find it difficult to understand the mark he wanted to leave them. Ultimately, the bass, though a flat character, is central to the conflict of the story. The importance of the bass is apparent when he says, â€Å"†¦it seemed I would be torn apart by longings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This signifies that the bass stands for the narrator’s values in life, his longing for accomplishment and capture something important for him. Fishing is an important part of the narrator’s life. Wetherell makes sure that the readers know this as the narrator prepares for his date with Sheila Mant. The first thing that links the narrator to the importance of fishing in his life is offering Sheila Mant a canoe ride instead of a car ride to go Dixford, where a band will be playing. As he is preparing his canoe, he is seen polishing it, and, â€Å"automatically, without thinking about it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he s tuck a fishing rod in the stern. This implies that fishing has always been part of his river trips, and as narrated, he â€Å"never went anywhere that summer without a fishing rod.† The narrator even takes the time to tell the readers what he is doing when not trying to impress Sheila. And that is all about fishing. Wetherell ensures that the readers truly feel that fishing is significant to his main character. This indicates that the bass is not just some fish that the narrator wants to catch. The description of how big it could have been indicates how big its importance is. This signifies that all of us have values that we want to protect and the accomplishments we’re working on to get. The conflict of the story does not begin when the bass gets caught in the narrator’s line. The conflict begins when Sheila Mant hears splashing sounds