The Fish Flashcards
By Elizabeth Bishop
Quote that emphasizes the size of the fish
Tremendous fish
Quote showing the fish didn’t struggle
He didn’t fight. He hadn’t fought at all
Simile comparing fish’s skin to something domestic
His brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper
Quote that shows Bishop has come to admire the fish
- I admired his sullen face
- five-haired beard of wisdom
Military simile describing the 5 fish hooks
Like medals with their ribbons
A description of the 5 fish lines showing the fish was wise
A five-haired beard of wisdom
A quote that shows her sense of triumph at catching the fish
- And victory filled up the little rented boat
- I caught a tremendous fish
Moment of epiphany involving colour
Until everything was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
Quote that shows what decision the poet came to
And I let the fish go
Showing disgusting aspect of the fish
- Infested with tiny white sea-lice
- his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper
Bishop tries to communicate with fish by doing this
I looked into his eyes
Ending when she decides to release fish
And I let the fish go
Examples of precise description
- tremendous fish
and held him beside the boat
half out of water, with my hook
fast in a corner of his mouth - Infested with tiny white sea lice
- A green line, frayed at the end where he broke it, two heavier lines and a fine black thread still crimped from the strain and snap where it broke and he got away
Examples of unusual imagery
- brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper
- shapes like full blown roses
- the pink swim bladder like a big peony
- the irises backed and packed
with tarnished tinfoil
seen through the lenses
of old scratched isinglass
Examples of floral imagery
- shapes like full blown roses
- the pink swim bladder like a big peony
Examples of domestic imagery
- Brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper
- the irises backed and packed with tarnished tinfoil
Quote showing the fish is old
- speckled with barnacles
- five-haired beard of wisdom
Examples of military imagery
- fine rosettes of lime
- Like medals with their ribbons
The point when Bishop begins to identify with the fish
terrible oxygen
Quote showing that the fish doesn’t care about her - unsentimental
They shifted a little, but not to return my stare
Two quotes demonstrating tone change
- tremendous fish
- And I let the fish go
Quote demonstrating her pride in catching the fish
I caught a tremendous fish
Quote demonstrating her curiosity about the fish
I looked into his eyes
Quotes showing her disgust at the fish
- his brown skin hung in strips/like ancient wallpaper
- infested with tiny white sea-lice
Quote showing her fear of the fish
the frightening gills, / fresh and crisp with blood, / that can cut so badly
Quote showing her sympathy towards the fish
his gills were breathing in / the terrible oxygen
Quotes demonstrating her admiration and respect for the fish
- Like medals with their ribbons… a five-haired beard of wisdom/ trailing from his aching jaw
- I admired his sullen face
Quotes showing her unsentimentality
They shifted a little, but not to return my stare
Examples of her use of repetition
- He didn’t fight/He hadn’t fought at all
- his brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper, / and its pattern of darker brown/ was like wallpaper
- rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
Examples of Bishop’s use of conversational language
- He hadn’t fought at all
- And I let the fish go
Examples of Bishop’s use of colour
- dramatic reds and blacks of his shiny entrails
- the bailer rusted orange
- rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
Examples of alliteration
- beside the boat
- still crimped from the strain and snap (sibilance)
Quote demonstrating theme of nature
I caught a tremendous fish
