A River Runs Through It - 753 Words

Being skeptical about this type of movie is normal, however, keep an open mind. It tells the story of two children growing up in rural Montana with a strict Minister father. Their father not only taught them the word of God and to put all their faith in their religion, but he also taught them to fly fish. Several times it is mentioned that the line between God and fly fishing was usually blurred or hard to find. Norman Maclean is the eldest son, he also appears to be the protagonist. The movie is in his point of view with an older version of himself providing voice overs as he reflects. The story starts when Norman and his younger brother Paul were children, but it spends most of the time when they are older. Both being out of college and fresh to the world as responsible adults, this movie adds its name to a long list of drama films. What makes a good drama? Three key things to look for in any drama are: conflict, character portrayal, and last, but not least, comic relief. Does this movie have conflict? Any good drama has a conflict in the plot, particularly one that grabs the attention of the audience, and A River Runs Through It is no exception. The main conflict in this film appears to be life itself. The conflict is displayed all throughout the movie, with the struggle of growing up to the struggle of finding your place in this world. The main plot is the conflict of life while the subplots are more about each character doing a little searching of their own. Norman hasShow MoreRelatedRiver Runs Through It1218 Words   |  5 PagesA River Runs Through it A River Runs Through it is a story about the relationship between two brothers. The younger brother Paul has problems. He is a gambler, a drinker, and is short on cash, but his main problem is that he will not allow his older brother, Norman, to help him. Paul refuses to accept his older brothers aid and moreover refuses to even listen to what his brother has to say. In order to make his brother listen Norman will be forced to confront his brother, something that he isRead More A River Runs Through It Essay466 Words   |  2 Pages A River Runs Through It nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Fly fishing is not what this story is all about, although it might seem so at first. Neither is it about religion, even though the father’s first line is: quot;In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.quot; Yes, these two things are themes that run through the story and add to its power. But there is so much more. It depicts a place of beauty, history, myth, and mystery, it is a triangle of earth in Montana whereRead MoreEssay on A River Runs Through It1223 Words   |  5 PagesAll lives revolve around decisions and instances from ones past. In A River Runs Through It (1992), director Robert Redford uses this idea and applies it to a true story of two brothers from Montana, Norman and Paul Maclean (Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt, respectively). Based on the autobiographical novel by Norman Maclean himself, River uses Maclean’s metaphysical beliefs about life and nature to present its many themes. Using a longing scor e, various film devices, and a story line involving themesRead MoreThe River Runs Through It Essay840 Words   |  4 Pagesfour-count, to something a bit more innovative, shadow casting. The technique wasnt the only thing he altered. He also caught fish for quality, which leaked with palpability when he told Norman he aspired to catch the most prevalent fish in the river. Another exceptionally nontraditional detail about Pauls fishing has to deal with the fact that he took incredible risks. This trait had particular obviousness when he went into the rapids in order to catch the fish of his dreams. TraditionalisticRead More A River Runs Through Us Essay4120 Words   |  17 PagesA River Runs Through Us 1. â€Å"The Anacostia River is a metaphor for the way poor people and minorities are treated† (Hoover). In 1994, the Anacostia River was fourth on the list of American Rivers â€Å"Most Endangered Rivers† (Rynor). Since the late 19 th century the water quality in this river has slowly declined with the onset of urbanization and industrialization and the pollution that accompanies this growth. The Anacostia is severely polluted with â€Å"sediment, nutrients, pathogens, toxinsRead MoreEssay on Norman Macleans A River Runs Through It925 Words   |  4 PagesNorman Macleans A River Runs Through It Throughout A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean emphasizes the relationship between nature, art, and faith. The concise, simple sentence with which he chooses to open his story captures the essence of all one hundred pages: in his family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing (1). Reverend Maclean believes that both fly fishing and spiritual belief are exact arts, if such a term can exist without paradox. The Reverend holdsRead MoreA River Runs Through It - The Importance of Fishing Essay638 Words   |  3 Pagespeople who have read A River Runs through It some time in their life, is a gift. Whether fishermen use bait, worms, or Georges flies it is that much sweeter to catch some trout with a brother under one arm and a father on the other. The river and fishing made such a big impact on the Maclean family that it is the root of this book. The Macleans compared the river to life, went fishing to answer questions, and created a river that has a past full of memories. The river and fishing become metaphorsRead MoreNorman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It Essay1308 Words   |  6 PagesA Hobby or a Way of Life Religion and tradition are two ways that families come together. However in Norman Maclean’s novella, A River Runs Through It, the Maclean family’s devotion to their Presbyterian religion and their tradition of fly-fishing is what undeniably brought the family together. Under the father’s strict Presbyterian values, his sons, Norman and Paul used fly-fishing as the link that brought them closer together and helped them bond with their father on a different level. TheRead MoreAnalysis Of A River Runs Through It By Norman Maclean1736 Words   |  7 Pagestestifies to this power in his novella A River Runs Through It. Through his eulogy to the Blackfoot river Norman Maclean captures the human soul and what it means to grow up, his story explaining how a river affects a man. Robert Redford’s movie adaptation, while maintaining the core importance of the Blackfoot river, focuses on the interpersonal relationships Norman develops throughout his life and how t hose affect his character and life choices. A River Runs through it encapsulates the emotional growthRead MoreAnalysis Of Norman Macfords A River Runs Through It1779 Words   |  8 PagesA River Runs Through It The natural world is unparalleled in its power to make one deeply contemplative, introspective, and observant of the surrounding universe. Norman Maclean testifies to this power in his novella, A River Runs Through It. Through his eulogy to the Blackfoot river, Norman Maclean captures his journey from boy to man through his personal and visceral connection to the Blackfoot. Norman’s writing encapsulates his own coming of age through the symbolism and parallels he draws between