A River Runs Through It Summary

In Norman Maclean’s “A River Runs through It”, Maclean explains his younger life. Maclean also shows us the divide that the river places on Paul. Paul’s actions at and away from the river are drastically different. Paul away from the river is a troubled young man who finds himself in trouble with the law and others. At the river Paul was known as a fly fisherman. The Big Blackfoot river gives a sense of power and control to Paul that he isn’t able to feel away from the river. Norman shows Paul away from the Big Blackfoot river many times in the story. It looks to as if Paul has no control of his life away from the river. He was getting into many fights. He was also arrested and deep into debt from gambling. Another example of Paul not having