A River Runs Through It

I hadn't read anything by Norman Maclean before, but I had seen the movie before and knew it was based on a true story. Since I already knew what happens in the story before reading it, I basically focused on Norman's philosophies and the reasons behind sharing this particular story. In the foreword and acknowledgements sections of "A River Runs Through It" by Annie Proulx included in my copy of the book, tells us Norman Maclean was 73 when he published the story because his children requested him to "put down in writing some of the stories I had told them when they were young." The facts of his life are already included in the story, so the introduction in my book tells me nothing new. Proulx tells us Maclean wrote "A River Runs Through It" as story because he thought novels were "mostly wind." The introduction in our textbook, says, Norman was an "English Professor for more than four decades," which makes me wonder, if he shared his fishing stories with his students and why didn't they encourage him to publish them. It tells us the title came from the line, "there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing," which makes sense, seeing how Norman's philosophies apply to both subjects. I thought the title was referring to the distance between Norman and Paul's relationship as brothers. The textbook also touches on Paul being divided as person, saying "his troubled life contrasts sharply with consummate skill as a fly fisherman." In the story, Paul constantly is looking for ways out of Montana, because he is bored. If he had found something other than "fishing and hunting" to consume him, such as marriage or travel, I think he would have stayed out of fights in bars. Maclean's suggestion is that being in the river, "we achieve a grace and unity in our lives sadly at odds with our dealings with one another," as if to say nature brings us our serenity.

"A River Runs Through It" by Norman Maclean, tells us of his love for fishing and his relationship with his younger brother Paul. Maclean lived in Montana, raised by a father who was a "Presbyterian Minister and a fly fisherman," from whom Maclean got most of his philosophies. He describes Paul, as a "master" of fly fishing, and Norman likes to watch his glory at the "family" river, Big Blackfoot. When they were young, they had a fight, while their mother slipped and fail on some ice, which made it "the only time [they] ever fought." The brothers have grown apart, but fishing always brings them back together. Norman married Jessie, and joined the U.S. Forest Service, while Paul became a reporter. Norman is his "brother's keeper" having to bail Paul out of jail for fighting. Norman and Paul take Jessie's brother Neal fishing with them, but try to ditch him, which lands them in trouble with Jessie. Norman decides to go to Seeley Lake with Paul, Neal, and Old Rawhide. While Paul and Norman fish, Paul talks of leaving Montana to go to West Coast. They find Neal and Old Rawhide, naked and sunburned, on a sandbar. They blame Neal for ruining their summer, taking Neal to Jessie, and Paul kicks Old Rawhide. Norman and Paul go visit their parents in Missoula. Father talks to Norman about Paul's troubles and how in his column, he has changed his name to MacLean instead of Maclean. Norman admits, "My trouble is I don't know" Paul, and wonders how he can help him. Paul and Norman take their father fishing. Paul asks Norman to fish with him. Norman describes this day as "more perfect" moment, using Bunyan Bug flies to fish. Paul fishes upstream and catches a lot of fish. Norman and his father discuss the "words" of the river. Father throws rock at Paul to scare him while he is fishing. Norman tells us, this was the last time they saw Paul fish. Paul eerily says, "just give me three more years." Norman tells us, Paul was murdered the next May during a fight, hit by a butt of a gun and his hand was broken. Father asks Norman, if he could have helped Paul and Norman asks his father, if he could have helped Paul, in return. Norman admits "all I really know is that [Paul] was a fine fisherman."

By reading this story we can tell fishing is a big part of Maclean's identity. He says, "Although I have never pretended to be a great fisherman, it was always important to me that I was a fisherman and looked like one, especially when fishing with my brother." He wants to share this hobby with his brother, to make him have something in common with him. It's clear he admires his brother's skills and he says he lacks confidence to catch the really big fish. He says his two biggest fears are he'll "probably lose" and he is "sure to lose," which I think are normal pessimistic words people constantly tell themselves. It is through their love of fishing, Paul and Norman are "finally" able to "understand each other," because they work together to catch fish. My favorite part of the book is where Norman is visiting with his father, while Paul is fishing, and his father says, "In the part I was reading it says the Word was in the beginning, and that's right. I used to think the water was first, but if you listen carefully you will hear that the words are underneath the water." Fishing to Norman is idea of heaven, he tells fishing with his father and brother makes he feel "more perfect with every rainbow." Maclean tells us, "A river has so many things to say that it is hard to know what it says to each of us." Each of us could go sit by a river and have a different experience or recall memories from others. His last line is "I am haunted by waters," which is understandable. If I were a fishing person, I would dream about being in the river, trying to catch fish. I think also it is his way of saying, he misses fishing with his brother.


I had seen the movie version of "A River Runs Through It" some years ago, but I had never read the story before. I though the story has some very interesting philosophies about how fishing can be like a religion, even though the movie touches upon it with Robert Redford's narration. I think it is fun to watch a movie and read the book it is based on, to see if the book reveals any inner dialogue or thought process the movie didn't have. I haven't been much a fishing person, preferring to read, draw, and walk around the campground or go shopping in the towns close by. I do realize how peaceful, if not spiritual, it must be to have complete silence except for the river's rhythm. I have spent many summers camping in the Uintahs, Island Park, Jackson Hole and West Yellowstone. Growing up I have watched various family members, like my dad, who live to go fishing, being out in the rivers and lakes in little rafts or standing directly in the river. Maclean writes a lot about his home state of Montana, which is one of my favorite places in the world. It is so wonderful just to go up there and make the hour's drive from Island Park to West Yellowstone and be surrounded by pine trees, rivers, and open spaces. When I was in California in May, I saw lots of people fishing off the Newport and Huntington Beach Piers by themselves or with their kids, using bait. I wondered how many fish swim around the beams of the crowded pier. I'd bet if would be better for them to find a spacious cliff or to go find a river. The smell of all the dead fish in buckets on each side of the pier, was nauseating. Surely, there has to be a better way to fish.