Learning Experience

         A River Runs Through It reveals the significance of water in our lives. In the story, two

brothers essentially grow up in a river together. Fishing on the river was a sort of spiritual experience

 for the brothers, allowing them to grow as people. Norman narrates, “In our family there was no

clear line between religion and fly-fishing.” The river is a place for the boys to play, compete, and

eventually, grieve. A River Runs Through It opened my eyes to the importance of water as a symbol

in this particular film as well as and in other major works, both film and written.

         Water is often used to symbolize topics in literature and film. While a river may symbolize

serenity and peace or the passage of time, the ocean often symbolizes strength, power, and

dominance. Unpredictable and uncontrollable, the ocean holds immense power over humanity.

Additionally, rain can symbolize an array of topics. Rain may be used to symbolize birth and renewal

and baptism, or conversely, confusion and despair. 

          As discussed in class, water is an important symbol in the novel/film A River Runs Through It.

In watching the film, our class learned that the Blackfoot River represents being replenished and

becoming whole again. Paul and Norman’s fishing trip with their father is significant as Norman

realizes that Paul is perfect, yet the moments cannot last forever, quoted, “And I knew just as surely,

just as clearly, that life is not a work of art, and that the moment could not last.” After Paul’s

traumatic death, for example, Norman uses the river to mourn the tragedy and find peace. As stated

earlier, the river may symbolize the unstoppable passage of time; Norman is able to grieve Paul’s

death by accepting the ephemeral nature of life, as the flow of a river.  

           Noting the symbolic nature of water in A River Runs Through It, I also reflected on the

symbolism of water in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Mississippi River is a crucial

symbol in Huck Finn, representing change and freedom. Huck narrates, "We catched fish and talked,

and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was kind of solemn, drifting down the

big, still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars, and we didn't ever feel like talking loud,

and it warn't often that we laughed.” On the raft in the river, Huck and Jim are equals, making the

river the medium in which Jim becomes free. Also, in a literal sense, the river is bringing Jim to

freedom as they journey to free land. 

            In my life, water has been an escape from the “real world.” Whether it be a lazy river, the

ocean, or even a neighborhood pool, water is always associated with a sense of freedom in my life.

Whether it be movies, novels, or our own lives, water is an overarching symbol in life.