Benjamin Payne Mr. Innes English - Sixth Period 28 May 2024 Fishing With a Purpose David James Duncan’s The River Why depicts the life of Gus Orviston, a young man who has known fishing his whole life. He grew up in a family obsessed with the sport and worked tirelessly from a young age to perfect the craft. What started as a quest to master this art, however, became a journey of self-discovery. The River Why is a coming-of-age story. It centers on the experiences and challenges in Gus’s life, each of which helped him gain awareness of himself and the world around him. Through these experiences, Gus underwent much personal growth, matured, and began looking to find his place in the world. While Gus initially sought solitude in nature, so that he could maximize …show more content…
In the story, Gus initially leaves home and moves to a secluded cabin near the Tamanawis River, where he has one goal: to perfect his fly-fishing skills. For him, the wilderness became a playground, a tool that could be used to help him perfect his technique. Gus, however, soon learned that the solitude associated with such a lifestyle can at times be lonely, he “learned what solitude was. It was raw material - awesome, malleable, older than men or worlds or water. And it was merciless - for it let a man become precisely what he alone made of himself” (Duncan). This quote captures the unshaped opportunity in Gus’s solitude, which is the demanding force constantly pushing him to confront himself. It reveals the harsh reality of solitude and suggests that Gus’s journey to become a better fisherman is about much more than fishing, and though it may be challenging, the journey holds the potential to define who Gus is. Gus sought an escape from his past, he sought a chance to grow as a fisherman, and that is why he left home. When I was younger, I too sought a chance to escape my past. Gus left his home, but I left school. I came to Valley Catholic