| The Fish (Group 4) | |
| by Elizabeth Bishop | |
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I looked into his eyes which were far larger than mine but shallower, and yellowed, the irises backed and packed with tarnished tinfoil seen through the lenses of old scratched isinglass. They shifted a little, but not to return my stare. —It was more like the tipping of an object toward the light. I admired his sullen face, the mechanism of his jaw, |
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Instructions: Each individual student MUST post his or her sentences (mini, mini explication) about this section of the poem. The recorder Must post his or her individual sentence, as well as the GROUP paragraph, upon which you must agree. The GROUP paragraph must be EXACTLT 9 sentences. You must all decide as a group that the paragraph is to your exact specification. Come to agreement. Only then will the recorder post the GROUP paragraph.
“with tarnished tinfoil
seen through the lenses
of old scratched isinglass.
They shifted a little, but not
to return my stare.”
My Exemplification:
A person looking though brand new glasses’ feels empowered. They have a clear view of what’s in front of them. A person with an old pair of glasses, that are scratched up and bended, doesn’t feel the same way. Though they remember the feeling of when they had them brand new. The fishes eye’s in a way are like an old pair of glasses. They have been scratched up and bended. He has lived a long life for a fish, and the tarnished tinfoil in his eye’s give off a feeling that it hasn’t been an easy one at that. Tinfoil when crumbled up is rough and has sharp edges. As a person grows older there eyes become yellowish and have a certain shine to them. The fish has the same type of eye’s as an older person does. Meaning the fish is old and maybe tired of his long rough life. The light density is different in water then on land. When she pulled the fish out the water, it had to adapt to the light and it caused it to stare off to the sun.
[Reply]
By looking into his eye’s she is trying to find the gateway to his soul. When the fish comes out of the water it is scared, and their is a sudden connection with them. The irises of the fish to Elizabeth are beautiful. When the fish looks at Elizabeth she sees a sparkle in his eye’s. Along with that, she can see that the fish has lived a rough life, by comparing it to tarnished tinfoil. The fish can’t see Elizabeth, because his eye’s are like old scratched isinglass. She is thinking deeply about the fish, its pain, suffering and exhaustion of always trying to get away. In a way making a connection, or empathizing with the fish. By saying she is admiring his sullen face she is producing some type of respect for its gloomy face and hook filled mouth.
[Reply]