The Poem Fisherman by Kurt Brown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Poem Fisherman by Kurt Brown - Essay Example From this research it is clear that a whole life/lifetime would include every activity and this is what the author is looking into which he believes to be spent ‘fishing in himself’ meaning, looking into what is in him that is beneficial. The fisherman is not pictured fishing in the river or ocean but in’ himself’. This statement thus suggests that ‘fishing’ is a metaphor used to paint the act of bringing out something valuable from one’s self like talents, skills, outrageous ideas that could change the world or the modern Einstein who could solve all the problems in this computer age. The second line completes the thought of the author that what the subject is fishing in himself is ‘something grand’. What could be grand in a person other than something that makes him stand out in a crowd? This statement then strengthens the understanding that the man in the poem is fishing or looking into the possibilities of having some sp ecial skills, talents, even attitudes or experiences that could encourage other people or benefit them in some ways as the man himself is benefited for his personal needs. That grand thing the man is trying to fish in himself is described in the next sentence as a ‘lost lunker, big enough to break all records’. This line also confirms that the analysis on the poem is going through the right path, that the grand thing being fished in a person is something extraordinarily huge to be recognized as superior to other men. ‘Rumors, myths, big promises of wonder’ could be stories of achievements and encouragements of people around the world, from different generations. This shows that the character in the poem did not personally witness achievers rather had just heard about them so that they are considered merely rumors, unfounded and unproved. Some stories might even seem to be exaggerated and unbelievable so that they are counted as myths like the successes of H ercules and other heroes of old. ‘Big promises of wonder’ could represent encouragements that express belief in an individual like the adage that goes ‘If others, why can’t I?’ Such leads people to believe that for every person, there is always something special that is sitting somewhere inside of him, waiting to be discovered and nurtured. The ‘shadow of something enormous darkening the man’s life’ might be a metaphor of his doubts and fears about what he has and what he can do. It is mentioned that the man only felt this shadow and did not see it. So many times, men see with their feelings especially with things that are still unknown and have not been tried yet and most of these times, people are overwhelmed with the possibilities of failure that is why they would rather go about with the normal activities of men. Then, the poet suggests that the shadow the man might have felt could be that of another fish’s, greater tha n his doubts and fears. What could be haunting the man is the fear that he might not become as popular as another person, as successful as his neighbor, as intelligent as his classmate, as talented as the other boy or as innovative as the ordinary