In Joseph Russell’s personal story, “A”Fish Story””, the deeper meaning and significance of a simple family fishing tradition is thought about in greater depth and detail. In the beginning of the story, readers are introduced to the enthusiasm, love, and excitement to go fishing as a family. The author would look forward to the preparations of yet another grand fishing trip with his younger sister Karli and their father, who they both loved dearly. As a child, Russell and his sister cherished these annual, precious fishing trips. He explains how he was taught that, “fishing was a get-away; a time where we could leave our hectic lives, forget the troubles of the week, and step back from the responsibilities we had. That was our escape, and we were happy to be there” (Russell 17). In other words, Russell is making the claim that the only purpose these fishing trips held was so that he and his family would have a moment to relax and further free their minds from their day to day work.
As the story progresses, as a reader, I clearly see how the fishing trip is more than just a trip, but also a symbol of representation. Russell molds the fishing trip into being more than just, “something we all enjoyed and something we had done for years” (17). Instead, he begins to understand that fishing was more than just a fun activity, but it was also the key to the quality time with his family, mostly his father, in which he loved. Russell explains that he, “was never there for the fish”(19), although he took much pride in his catches. He knew that the true importance of the trip, “was there for my Dad, and the memory we would always share…”(Russell 19). Through Joseph Russell’s use of descriptive imagery and vivid context easily captivates the minds of readers, giving them a surreal representation of how everything looked, therefore making it easier to feel how heartwarming the moments may have been.