Comparing Poems 'One Art And The Fish'

Elizabeth Bishop wrote numerous poems throughout her career as a poet. Two of her more popular poems include “One Art” and “The Fish”. Both of these poems are loaded with a plethora of symbolism. Bishop utilizes the symbolism to artistically convey her central message, or theme, to the reader. In “One Art”, Bishop uses symbolism such as material objects, art, homes, and places. In “The Fish”, Bishop uses symbols such as the fish to help highlight her main points. In both of these poems, Bishop conveys concepts she deems important to the reader through symbolism. The symbolism in these two poems share a similar purpose, but have different meanings and effects in their respective poems. For example, a symbol in “One Art” might have a completely different meaning than an identical or similar symbol in “The Fish”. Symbolism is used in “One Art” and “The Fish” with several similar and different purposes. In “One Art”, Bishop uses material objects to symbolize various losses that one experiences throughout their life. For example, Bishop writes, “Lost door keys” (4) along with mentioning misspent hours. In this stanza, the reader notes that objects, like the keys, and abstract things, like time, are viewed equally. The
The speaker in this poem has a growing respect for the fish and eventually releases the fish. In the beginning the speaker describes the fish as “battered and venerable” (8). Based on this line, the reader concludes that the fish is worthy of respect. This respect progresses when the speaker says she “admire(s)” the fish later in the poem (45). Towards the end of the poem the speaker references “medals” and “wisdom”, which creates an image of the fish as something like a decorated war veteran instead of just some old fish (61-63). The progression of the fish as a symbol for respect is similar to the progression of loss in “One