Question

In “The Fish,” Elizabeth Bishop uses simile and metaphor to deve tone. Select one simile and one metaph or from the poem, and explain how each exap contributes to the tone of the text.

Answer 1

Simile: "his brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper"

The comparison between the fish and the wallpaper serves two purposes. The literal one is to inform readers of the appearance of the fish and to contribute to the poem's vivid imagery. The second purpose is to present the fish as a majestic creature, which increases the excitement over her victory.

Metaphor: "until everything was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!"

This metaphor refers to the marks that oil leaves on water as a "rainbow." The author says that the oil spread over everything in the boat. However, the phrase is also a reference to her happiness over the victory of catching a fish, and it gives the end of the poem a joyous tone.