Big Fish Reaction Paper

        Big Fish by Daniel Wallace is a magical realism book that about a man named Edward who is on his deathbed with cancer. This book includes many myths told by Edward that are similar to themes and elements that are in Greek myths about heroes who overcame great feats. William portrays his father almost as if he is one of these Greek heroes. Showing him in such a light that he embodies these heroic qualities.

       Edward is visited by his son, William, who is looking to find out more about his father. He hasn’t spent time with him throughout his entire life, only visiting him a couple times. Whenever William would ask about Edward’s past he would brush it off or just tell him a joke. Since William’s knowledge of his father’s life is limited, he decides to make up his own myths of his father’s past. These myths are how William saw his dad’s life with the information. He calls these stories death takes. These stories range from the birth of his dad to stories about him meeting William’s mother. These stories William tells himself are a way Edward uses to relate to himself to his father having had no opportunities to bond with the real Edward. The only Edward, William got to know, was the one that Edward wanted to be perceived. A person people will remember long after their death; a big fish.

        The Odyssey and Big Fish share multiple similarities and differences. The characters Odysseus and Edward are both written to be heroes. They travel on journeys facing off against magical creatures and using their knowledge and prowess of heroics to overcome arduous situations. Although Odysseus and Edward are similarly written about, their reasoning for journeying are not. Odysseus would lead his crew through death-defying situations trying to get home to his wife after being sent to a war he didn’t even want to fight in. However, Edward, is journeying on his own volition. Edward never wants to stay in one place for too long, so he journeys to different places so he would not be anchored down in one place. Edward’s reasons for traveling are more selfish than that of Odysseus. Understanding the influence of older stories, e.g. The Odyssey, have on the literature to come after it. The themes of The Odyssey are in many of the stories of great heroes who overcome obstacles and save the world. Additionally, Odysseus’ courageous and selfless qualities can be seen in many protagonists throughout literature. Big Fish is just one of the many stories that borrowed writing elements from The Odyssey and I am excited to get into much of the other literature impacted by The Odyssey.