After watching a River Runs Through it in English class, I took some time to reflect on the film as a whole. I learned many life lessons and witnessed many hardships throughout the film. None of these hardships were more apparent to me than the gambling problem that Paul endures. During the course of the movie, Paul's family tries to reach out a helping hand to turn Pauls life back on track but they are unsure how to do so. Whether it is because the disregarded mind of Paul, or the willingness to accept his wrong doings, his family fails to get through to him. This tragedy is a perfect example of our prompt for this paper. Reverend Maclean's final sermon reads as this. "It is true that we can seldom help those closest to us--either we don't …show more content…
know what part of ourselves to give, or more often than not, the part we have to give isn't wanted." The sermon is a sad part in the movie because as a viewer, you come to realize Reverend Maclean feels a burden on his shoulders with Paul's death. He constantly tries to help Paul but in the end Paul wouldn't accept it and it was too late. I can relate to this sermon and what it means because of a recent event that took place this last week in my family. The way the sermon is used in the movie is slightly different than the way I experienced it. Nevertheless, all of the same ideas contradict each other. I didn't empathize the quote because my of my grandmothers passing, but I now have a greater understanding of the sermon from watching my Father.
Within two days of my father's mothers death, there was a receiving of friends gathering at the Church on Tennessee's campus. At first it started off with just family members and close friends talking and comforting each other. My grandmothers passing was very tough on me and other members in my family but it hit my father the hardest. After several moments of catching up with family members the first of many people started piling into the Church. Many of my family's friends and loved ones of my grandmother began to make there way over to me and my father. Each person that greeted me would say the same thing. "I'm so sorry this happened to you Stokes. Your grandmother was an amazing woman and she will be deeply missed. She is in a better place now." I thanked all of these kind words while fighting back tears. One of the toughest parts of the evening was when the people inside the Church would offer their condolences to my father. "If there is anything you need, just let me know" was one of the more redundant and frequent sayings that were spoken to my father. Even though all of the condolences were worded differently, I noticed the same sound of hesitance and uncertainty the voices. All of the people who wanted to offer help to my father in this time of need, were unsure how to do so. I understand what the people must have even
thinking because they can offer help and assistance but whatever they do will not erase history. I relate this event to the sermon in A River Runs Through It not because of not accepting help from a loved one, but merely not knowing how to offer help or to reach out and help someone through a tough time. This example can be related to all deaths and even losses in a sporting event. Whenever someone is upset, it can be hard to try and pick them back up. Watching the movie in class, I didn't quite have a great understanding of the significance of The Reverends quote. I am pleased to say that after writing this paper I can relate and understand the powerful words of Reverend Maclean.
Author and historian, Carol Sheriff, completed the award winning book The Artificial River, which chronicles the construction of the Erie Canal from 1817 to 1862, in 1996. In this book, Sheriff writes in a manner that makes the events, changes, and feelings surrounding the Erie Canal’s construction accessible to the general public. Terms she uses within the work are fully explained, and much of her content is first hand information gathered from ordinary people who lived near the Canal. This book covers a range of issues including reform, religious and workers’ rights, the environment, and the market revolution. Sheriff’s primary aim in this piece is to illustrate how the construction of the Erie Canal affected the peoples’ views on these issues.
Everyone’s lives are affected by the decisions they have made and past experiences they have had. In the novel A River Runs Through It, author Norman Maclean uses the theme of experiences to portray the difficulties a person can face throughout life. Although Norman and Paul are brothers and bond through fly fishing, they are two different people who have different life paths. Norman chose to get a stable job and live a domestic life, whereas Paul chose to become a bachelor and a lower class reporter. The main character is Norman himself, and he also experiences the difficulties his troubled brother Paul is faced with. Unlike his brother, Paul has chosen a different route in life, and he has an addiction problem. As a result of Paul’s alcoholism, his life is destroyed by financial issues, family disconnects and gambling.
Norman Mclean’s A River Runs Through It explores many feelings and experiences of one “turn of the century” family in Missoula, Montana. In both the movie, directed by Robert Redford, and the original work of fiction we follow the Mcleans through their joys and sorrows. However, the names of the characters and places are not purely coincidental. These are the same people and places known by Norman Mclean as he was growing up. In a sense, A River Runs Through It is Mclean’s autobiography. Although these autobiographical influences are quite evident throughout the course of the story they have deeper roots in the later life of the author as he copes with his life’s hardships.
In ‘Paul’s Case’ Paul has created a fantasy world in which he becomes entranced, even to the point of lying to classmates about the tales of grandeur and close friendships that he had made with the members of the stock company. This fantasy falls apart around him as “the principle went to Paul’s father, and Paul was taken out of school and put to work. The manager at Carnegie Hall was told to get another usher in his stead; the doorkeeper at the theater was warned not to admit him to the house” (Cather 8). The fantasy fell apart further when the stories he had told his classmates reached the ears of the women of the stock company, who unlike their lavish descriptions from Paul were actually hardworking women supporting their families. Unable to cope with the reality of working for Denny & Carson, he stole the money he was supposed to deposit in the bank to live the life of luxury in New York. Only a person who felt backed into a corner would attempt something so unsound. After his eight days in paradise, he is again backed into a corner by the reality of his middle class upbringing, and the dwindling time he has before his father reaches New York to find him. The final way out for Paul is his suicide, for which an explanation would be “In the end, he fails to find his security, for it was his grandiose “picture making mechanism” that made his life so deardful.” (Saari). With all the securities of his fantasy life finally gone, his mental instability fully comes to light as he jumps in front of the train to end his
When two siblings are born together, and are close in age, many people wonder whether they will be the same or different altogether. A “River Runs through it” shows two brothers who grew up in the same household, and grew up loving to do the same activity fly fishing. Both brothers were raised in a very strict presbyterian household. Norman is the older brother, and he is much more responsible and family orientated. Paul is the irresponsible younger brother; Paul as an adult was not at home much anymore. Both brothers were loved equally as children, but how they view and use love is what separates them. Paul and Norman differ in behavior and character.
Religion and tradition are two ways that families come together. However in Norman Maclean’s novella, A River Runs Through It, the Maclean family’s devotion to their Presbyterian religion and their tradition of fly-fishing is what undeniably brought the family together. Under the father’s strict Presbyterian values, his sons, Norman and Paul used fly-fishing as the link that brought them closer together and helped them bond with their father on a different level. The family’s hobby of fly-fishing was started just for fun. It was a sport that was taken up every Sunday after church to take their minds off of the worries in life. After a while, going fly-fishing every Sunday turned into a tradition and soon a learning experience for the father and his two sons. The sport brought the men of the family together and it was an activity that gave them structure in their lives. It was used as a guideline as to how to handle different situations and how to let go of the worries of life for a day and just relax. It is clear to say that fishing has a big meaning to the member of the Maclean family, but fishing held a meaning to each person in that family.
Fly fishing is not what this story is all about, although it might seem so at first. Neither is it about religion, even though the father’s first line is: "In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing." Yes, these two things are themes that run through the story and add to its power. But there is so much more. It depicts a place of beauty, history, myth, and mystery, it is a triangle of earth in Montana where the writer grew up. And it captures a space of time in the not-so-distant past with a sensitivity that is both witty and poetic. Robert Redford loved this story and turned it into a handsome movie. Read it yourself or watch the movie, and you will learn something about fly fishing, but you wil...
Life can bring unexpected events that individuals might not be prepared to confront. This was the case of O’Brien in the story, “On the Rainy River” from the book The Things They Carried. As an author and character O’Brien describes his experiences about the Vietnam War. In the story, he faces the conflict of whether he should or should not go to war after being drafted. He could not imagine how tough fighting must be, without knowing how to fight, and the reason for such a war. In addition, O’Brien is terrified of the idea of leaving his family, friends and everything he loves behind. He decides to run away from his responsibility with the society. However, a feeling of shame and embarrassment makes him go to war. O’Brien considers himself a coward for doing something he does not agree with; on the other hand, thinking about the outcome of his decision makes him a brave man. Therefore, an individual that considers the consequences of his acts is nobler than a war hero.
The Mississippi River is one of the world 's extraordinary rivers. It is the longest in the United States, more than twenty-three hundred miles in length, as it structures the outskirts of ten states, just about bisecting the mainland (Currie,2003, 8). This waterway has a long history also, and it has touched the lives of numerous individuals. The Mississippi is said to start at Lake Itasca in Minnesota. In 1832, pilgrim Henry Schoolcraft named this lake, not after any neighborhood Indian name, but rather from the Latin words for "genuine head" which are veritas caput abbreviated to "Itasca" (Currie, 2003, 4). In any case, much sooner than its source was named it was a navigational waterway. The Indians who initially lived on the banks of the stream were known as the Mississippians. From 800 to 1500, these people groups utilized the waterway for exchange. They dug out
The novel River God by Wilbur Smith is set in Ancient Egypt, during a time when the kingdoms were beginning to collapse and the Upper and Lower Egypt were separated between two rulers. The story is in the view-point of Taita, a highly multi-talented eunuch slave. At the beginning of the story, Taita belongs to Lord Intef and helps manage his estate along with caring for his beautiful daughter, Lostris. She is in love with Tanus, a fine solider and also Taita’s friend. Unfortunately, Lord Intef despises Tanus’s father, Lord Harrab, and Intef was actually the one who the cause of the fall of Harrab’s estate, unknowingly to Lostris and Tanus. Taita’s goal is to bring back Egypt to its former glory, but with so many bandits and invaders it would be a difficult task.
Within the past week, I was able to meet a patient that had been through a very difficult life. He was admitted into the hospital almost one month ago because he had a stroke. He was a carnival worker and was only planning to be in Lexington for a temporary amount of time until the carnival left. When he was admitted into Saint Joseph Hospital, there were no indications that he had family and/or friends that should be contacted. At first, he was unable to talk, and his mobility was extremely limited.
I have been very fortunate to have known my maternal and paternal grandparents and great-grandparents. We enjoy a close family and always have. Sadly, my first experience with a close death was when my paternal grandma died at the age of sixty-four of colon cancer. I was in the ninth grade when she died and hers’ was the first wake and funeral I had experienced. I remember having nightmares for weeks after the funeral. As I grew older, I lost my
Rivers and streams are very important to the ecosystem and provide homes to many animals and plants. Rivers and streams can be found throughout the world and are essential to the way many mammals live their lives. According to Marrian-Webster, a river is a larger body of water that flows into another body of water (1). Streams are another type of water that flows but are smaller than a river (2).
n the passage ‘Two Ways of Viewing the River” from life on the Mississippi by Samuel Clemens,
Again he responded politely and on my way I went. When I got to the high school everyone was taking pictures, laughing, and talking about how they were g... ... middle of paper ... ... ry service were beautiful. Everyone that spoke had something nice to say and somehow I found enough strength in my self to get up and read prayer that his parents had asked me to read.