Contents: Plot Summary Characters Themes Style Critical Overview Criticism Sources Further Reading |
jill Mccorkle 2001
"Fish" is a short story by American writer Jill McCorkle. It was published in her third short story collection, Creatures of Habit (2001). "Fish" is the final piece of the collection, in which all the stories are set in McCorkle's fictional small town of Fulton, North Carolina. Fulton is the setting for many of McCorkle's stories and novels, drawn from her own experiences of growing up in the South. McCorkle is an award-winning contemporary writer known for her ability to evoke Southern life with humor and beauty. Critics agree that her talent as a writer is only improving as she continues to write.
"Fish" is a fictional memoir about the end of a man's life, as narrated by the younger of his two daughters. Surrounded by the family, the daughter ponders stories about her father's childhood, his parents, and her own childhood memories. Despite the sad subject of a parent's dying, McCorkle's short story is uplifting in its conclusion. The title of the story is symbolic, an allusion to the symbol for Jesus Christ. This short story does not show a family torn apart by grief but instead united by love. Through her remembrances, the narrator is able to keep her father close to her heart even as he dies.
