A River Runs Through It (Masterplots II: American Fiction Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Norman Maclean
- First Published: 1976
- Type of Plot: Family
- Time of Work: 1937
- Setting: Western Montana
- Principal Characters: Maclean, Paul, Maclean’s father
- Genres: Long fiction, Family literature
- Subjects: Family or family life, Parents and children, Nature, Spiritual life or spirituality, Brothers, Fathers
- Locales: Montana
The Novel
A River Runs Through It compresses the events of several summers into one, the summer Norman Maclean’s brother Paul dies. In establishing background, Maclean explains the importance of fly fishing as the main activity through which the males of the family related to one another. Fishing also provided spiritual education. By describing their fishing trips and related events during the summer of 1937, a much older Maclean seeks to understand the tragedy of his brother’s death, to pay homage to him, and to show appreciation for his father’s love and...
[The entire page is 2033 words long]
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