Big Fish Themes

Daniel Wallace’s Big Fish highlights the importance of facing challenges in order to achieve personal goals. In the novel, narrator William Bloom chronicles the life of his father, Edward Bloom, through a series of metaphorical short stories—or “tall tales,” as William calls them—that emphasize Edward’s determination and courage as he battles through life. The tales transfigure Edward’s personal challenges—such as leaving home, finding work, and finding love—into adventures involving beasts, giants, and other magical…

In Big Fish, Edward Bloom transforms his life story into a series of metaphorical tales in order to teach his son, William, important life lessons. The tales depict Edward as a legendary hero who faces challenging adversaries (like giants and beasts) and overcomes them using his wits, charm, and strength. William narrates these stories to the reader while reflecting on his relationship with his father. William feels disconnected from his father, who prefers…

Big Fish’s narrator, William Bloom, tells the story of his father Edward Bloom’s life while coming to terms with Edward’s death from cancer. Edward is a lighthearted man who hates serious conversation and prefers to crack jokes. This tendency frustrates William immensely, because he thinks Edward uses jokes to avoid having meaningful conversation. Edward won’t even take his own death seriously, and he cracks jokes until his dying moment. As the story progresses…