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In the poem, The Fish, written by Elizabeth Bishop, a man catches a large fish. This fish is scarred by the many experiences it has overcome. Seeing the fish, the man feels a sense of triumph and joy. However, as the man begins to look over his own boat and sees the scars and the battering his rented boat has been through, he decides to let the fish go. The man lets the fish go, because he too understands the hardships the fish has been through. The man allows the fish to live the rest of its life – he knows it is a life that is well deserved by the fish.

The break of lines contributes to this poems effectiveness. Throughout the poem Bishop breaks lines at certain points to place individual emphasis on each phrase. Take line 1 for example – “I caught a tremendous fish.” Not only does the placement of this sentence as the first sentence of the poem place emphasis on the fact that a fish has been caught, but the ending of the line at “fish” causes the reader to take a break. In this brief pause there is a void that is then filled with thoughts on that first line. This technique is employed throughout the poem. Next, the use of the end-stop technique shows where Bishop wanted to place more importance. This end-stop technique means more than just a break in a line. A break in the sentence and moving it to the next line provides a softer and lighter toned transition. The use of a period to end a line brings a sharp halt to the line. It allows for more meditation on the line. An example is line 5 and line 6 – “He didn’t fight. He hadn’t fought at all.” Not only do these two lines focus on the same thought (one that shows the passiveness of the great fish), but these two lines now hold a heavier weight through use of this technique. Bishop makes the point clear that the fish was calm with use of the first period. However, through the repetition of the technique, and repeating the same meaning, the thought is made crystalline.

Various allusions toward Christ have been made throughout this poem.