The Bass The River And Sheila Mant Summary

People who come into one another's life can influence one another. They can change one another for the better or possibly the worst. In the short story “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”, by W. D. Wetherell, the narrator believes he has found the girl of his dreams. The narrator realizes soon enough that the girl of his dreams altered his life, possibly forever. With literary devices in the beginning, middle, and end of the story, Wetherell verifies the theme that people should not change for someone else because others are not always as the seem. This theme accentuates that people can save themselves from regrets if they truly get to know each other. In the rising action, Wetherell implies the choice of not changing through the hyperbole …show more content…
The statement is hyperbole because the narrator once again is exaggerating that he would do absolutely anything to look perfect and good in Sheila’s eyes. This impacts the whole story since he is trying to change himself, such as not looking like he is a fisher and to be charming to Sheila. By changing himself, the narrator tries to act calm when in a panicky situation. As Sheila hesitates when the canoe goes backwards, the narrator hoarsely says “It’s just the current...No sweat or anything” (3). This quote is dramatic irony since the audience knows that it is not just the current, but Sheila does not. This impacts the story since there is an internal conflict, which is heightened because the narrator does not want Sheila to know. These literary devices connect to theme by as the narrator continues to change himself for Sheila, that the aftermath of him trying to change for her will affect him greatly. Finally in the resolution, Wetherell accomplishes showing the aftermath of changing for someone else through the personification of memories and the symbolism of the bass. In the end, the narrator explains how he feels about that summer with