The Fish By Elizabeth Bishop

The ability to differentiate between one’s first impression and the way things actually are is something with which everyone struggles. By perceiving things in a single glance, information filters through memories that make up one’s sense of self. Although one might attempt to judge a situation based on the way it appears, it is important to take a moment to consider what is actually there. In “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop, the speaker catches a fish and discovers the fish’s scars after observing what appears on the fish’s skin. As the speaker dissects the fish in her mind, she builds a deeper understanding of the fish’s beauty and fuels her growing appreciation for the fish’s strength. The speaker once again returns to admiring the fish’s