A River Runs Through It is a novel written by Norman Maclean and it consists of three short stories. The point of the stories is to reveal the ultimate truth of life which is what I could relate to. River is a metaphor for life itself and all the things that occur to people on their life paths. This message is Maclean’s most prominent legacy to the world because the river is constantly flowing and so is the life.
Fly fishing is a very important part of the story and it is more than a hobby because it represents a life-changing experience. He says: “Paul and I probably received as many hours of instruction in fly fishing as we did in all other spiritual matters” (Maclean 2). There is the concept of eternity related to fishermen and the time they spend fishing is never-ending. This time lasts for all the eternity and it symbolizes life itself and its joys as well as serenity. Fishing and enjoying time by the river makes time stop and nothing else exists anymore once people take up fishing. This can be related to any kind of activity that is important for the reader because fishing is only one example of what a person can do. It is also possible to spend time by the river and to relax and meditate or engage in rowing. River means life and there is no possibility of a real death in spite of Norman’s dying throughout the book. Fishermen are immortalized through fishing as much as people are immortalized by their actions in life and their legacy. He says: “We regarded the Big Blackfoot River as a family river, as a part of us, and I surrender it now only with great reluctance to dude ranches, the unselected inhabitants of Great Falls, and the Moorish invaders from California” (Maclean 13). It is obvious that people are one with nature, but it does not refer to just anybody, but to those who know how to appreciate nature and who understand its significance.
The whole personal story of a lifetime can be preserved within the river and its surroundings because nature has memory. It is the source of life and everything that a person goes through in this environment is preserved for eternity. The river, along with the rocks, constitutes an eternal force which is combined with people’s lives. A person is immortalized in these surroundings and in the river itself which is the source of life. Upon death, nothing really changes and river makes the life seem timeless as it should be. There will always be a testimony of existence and everything remains well preserved in the memory of nature that keeps it for eternity. These secrets are kept forever and can never be lost or forgotten.
There is also a change in behavior of people when they are in the vicinity of the river and when they are away. River has its ways of making people behave in accordance with the natural laws. This phenomenon is exciting and makes people reveal their true nature through their union with the natural elements such as water. Going fishing seems to be delivering people from evil and redeeming them for their sins. Water has the way of washing away all the dirt, moral and physical because of its great power. It is a live force stronger than any other feeling because it is the essence of life itself and this kind of life is eternal and its memories are kept forever. Fishing is a lifestyle and can help people remain true to themselves because they need to be attached to something serious so that they could be free. The ultimate freedom is achieved when people become one with nature which is once they let go of materialistic life and of negative feelings which hold them back.
There is also a particular time of the day which helps people with realizing their dreams. “Sunrise is the time to feel that you will be able to find out how to help somebody close to you who you think needs help even if he doesn’t think so. At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear” (Maclean 28). This is the birth of the day and symbolizes the birth of nature and everything in general. People feel empowered at this time of the day whether they have had enough rest or not. This makes them heal emotionally and physically and makes life worth living because of all the glory related to the birth of nature. There is a great harmony involved in this whole process and it dictates the rhythm which people need to follow and this is especially related to people who are keen on fishing and who have dedicated their lives to water because water is the source of life as well as of death. Water is omnipresent and omnipotent and it symbolizes everything and eternity.
The weather and elements of nature rule life and they are the dominant factors of life on earth. “The storm came on a wild horse and rode over us” (Mclean 47). This means that people are affected by the natural forces and it cannot be changed because that is the natural order of things. People come and go, but the river remembers everything because it keeps record of all things related to the past, present and future. There is nothing that could happen as a surprise because nature has to be obeyed and river is the best representation of life and its privileges. The lives influence one another in this place and the end of one is the beginning of another. River can bring a great change to a person’s life which means that an individual only has to be patient and everything is bound to improve at a certain point in time. Hope is all that matters and it is the root of all great expectations which result in the best possible outcome. There is no real ending in life, because the imprints of one’s existence can never be erased and this is one of the greatest truths of nature.
When talking about intelligence, one has to ask themselves what it really is and achieving a great score on a standardized tests is a usual way of determining it. Asimov did well on a test in the army and: “It didn't mean anything. The next day I was still a buck private with KP - kitchen police - as my highest duty” (Asimov 3). The highest intelligence is in the connection with nature especially because general intelligence is written in the genes. People tend to create tests that are in accordance with their way of thinking and the best way is the natural way. The society can never come to a great success without the help of nature. Education is important but it can never be as important as being one with nature and being good at a job a person is doing. Everybody needs to be fulfilled with what they do which is why there is a necessity for harmony.
Maya Angelou also writes about things related to nature in a fun way because she resorts to humor. She says. “The apprehensive mood was shot with shafts of gaiety, as a black sky is streaked with lightning” (Angelou 197). There is a relation between the mood and between nature and its elements. Sky and the atmosphere make people feel one thing or another and they can only use good humor if they want to have a positive impact on the atmosphere because good vibrations are sent into the air. The bad things happening to black people are unnatural and this is described in Angelou’s story. All of the people are champions of the world because they are human and because they are children of nature.
It is important to bear in mind the fact that people are one with nature and that that they are an integral part of nature. Water is one of the most powerful elements which creates life and from which life stems. People need to have respect for the environment because nature is alive as much as human beings are alive and it helps them become immortal.
Works Cited
Maclean, Norman. A River Runs Through It and Other Stories. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001. Print.
Asimov, Isaak. "What Is Intelligence, Anyway?" Mercury Reader. Ed. Mary K. Paris, Katherine R. Gehan, and Natalie Danner. London: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009. 3. Print.
Angelou, Maya. "Champion of the World." Mercury Reader. Ed. Mary K. Paris, Katherine R. Gehan, and Natalie Danner. London: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009. 197-99. Print.
