Question

In at least one hundred words, explain the significance of the carp in Wang's "The Carp."

Answer 1

In "The Carp," by Yun Wang, the use of the carp to represent something deeper is an example of Synecdoche. The carp is used to represent the pain and injustice of her father’s imprisonment. “The Carp is dedicated to Wang’s father, and many of the poems in her little book tell stories from that period.

Remember, a symbol is an object that takes on a meaning other than its literal meaning.

In the poem, the carp is literally a fish that takes on a deeper meaning. Confucius named his son Carp, and his son died young. The speaker's father was imprisoned and beaten. Therefore, the carp represents sadness and pain. 

Answer 2

Throughout the poem, the significance of the carp changes. In the first section, we learn about the 20 pound carp. This symbolizes luck, good fortune and hope. However, the carp turns into a negative symbol when we learn about Confucius's son. He was named "carp," but he died, representing bad luck.

The carp continues to be a negative symbol as the author tells us about how his father was betrayed. We see that those who loved the father but turned against him tasted the carp. Towards the end, the carp's meaning is one of negativity, representing pain and humiliation.