ANALYTICAL ESSAY

In the novel Big Fish Edward countinaly tells his son William stories that are often exaggerated and full of jokes. Throughout his childhood, William thinks these stories and jokes are nonsense. William doesn't understand the importance of the stories, or what his father is trying to teach him. He gets tired of hearing the same old jokes over and over again. But as Edward becomes thicker and the end is near, William begins to think of these stories and jokes for what they are and to appreciate them. Edward had told William “When a man's stories are remembered then he is Immortal” (The Day he was Born, pg 103). William thought about this statement and understood that his father was terrified of being forgotten after his death. William understands now that these funny stories and jokes that he will remember is the way that his father will stay alive in his life forever. Edward had also told William, “You're not necessarily supposed to believe it. You're supposed to believe in it” (The Day he was Born, pg 112). Throughout this journey of his father's sickness and death William comes to appreciate and respect his father's stories and jokes for what they really were, a way to keep his father's memory and spirit alive forever. 

In Big Fish, Edward wanted to be a great man and he wanted his son to acknowledge that he was a great man. Edward made a list of his virtues that he wanted to pass on to his son which included: perseverance, ambition, personality, optimism, strength, intelligence and imagination (His Father's Death, pg 122). William’s standards for greatness are not as specific as his father’s. The reader does not gain a full understanding of William’s standards for greatness except for the idea that Williams wants to understand and know his father. Although Edward had lived a colorful life based on his seven virtues he spent a lot of it away from his son. It becomes increasingly important to Edward to have his son understand that he did aspire to greatness in the way in which he lived his life. But Edward also realizes that even though he had accomplished many things in his life it would all be useless and have no meaning unless his William understood it. This need for Williams' approval is evident when Edward states in My father's death take 1, “There’s nothing I can do,” he says in his raspy voice. He wants to throw his hands in the air in exasperation but doesn’t, he’s too old to move that way anymore” (Wallace, p 13). At the end of the novel William does come to the understanding that his father was a great man and Edward is able to leave his earthly life secure in the knowledge that he does think that he is a great man.