The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant
Have you ever made a decision to give up something you love to be accepted by someone like the narrator in this story did? How did you feel about your decision? In W.D. Wetherell’s story, “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant,” the author’s intention is to teach the importance of being true to yourself. The author used conflict, narration, and resolution to show the importance of being true to oneself.
An ordinary boy who loves to fish more than anything, anything that is except for Shelia Mant, he said "There was a summer in my life when the only creature that seemed lovelier to me than a largemouth bass was Shelia Mant". The Mants had rented the cottage next to ours; Shelia Mant was the middle daughter at 17-years-old, a perfect ten in looks, and had his heart in her back pocket. When the boy finally got his chance he took her in his canoe to Dixford where a band was playing. On the way to the concert there was a largemouth bass flipping around in the water and Sheila mentioned that she thought fishing was dumb and a few seconds later, his line caught a fish. Shelia said, "I think fishing is dumb, I mean boring and all, definitely dumb." It was a huge bass, and it was hooked on. The whole time he was rowing the canoe, he was debating whether or not he should catch the fish, or ignore it.
He finally decided to cut the line. After the band played Sheila told the boy that she was going to go home in Eric Caswell's Corvette. He knew then that there would be many more Sheila Mant, but that bass might not come back again. Ever since, he regretted cutting the line and setting that bass free.
Theme:
Be true to yourself- know what you want and stay true to that. If he had been true to himself, then he might have caught the
An ordinary boy who loves to fish more than anything, anything that is except for Shelia Mant, he said "There was a summer in my life when the only creature that seemed lovelier to me than a largemouth bass was Shelia Mant". The Mants had rented the cottage next to ours; Shelia Mant was the middle daughter at 17-years-old, a perfect ten in looks, and had his heart in her back pocket. When the boy finally got his chance he took her in his canoe to Dixford where a band was playing. On the way to the concert there was a largemouth bass flipping around in the water and Sheila mentioned that she thought fishing was dumb and a few seconds later, his line caught a fish. Shelia said, "I think fishing is dumb, I mean boring and all, definitely dumb." It was a huge bass, and it was hooked on. The whole time he was rowing the canoe, he was debating whether or not he should catch the fish, or ignore it.
He finally decided to cut the line. After the band played Sheila told the boy that she was going to go home in Eric Caswell's Corvette. He knew then that there would be many more Sheila Mant, but that bass might not come back again. Ever since, he regretted cutting the line and setting that bass free.
Theme:
Be true to yourself- know what you want and stay true to that. If he had been true to himself, then he might have caught the