The Bass The River, And Sheila Mant

In this quote, William Shakespeare is portraying the importance of self trueness. Over everything else, people should only be true to themselves. Today, it is very common for people to try and impress others by changing their own ethics. If a person has to change the way they act to make someone like them, that person should not be around those types of individuals. Only one person can really make himself or herself happy, and that is their own self. An example of this is joining a club or activity one is not interested in, just because someone else wants them to. This does not bring happiness. Trying to impress others by participating in something an individual does not believe in, is detrimental to one’s wellness. Once a person is true to

Wetherell’s story “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant”. The 14-year old narrator is facing a huge predicament. The boy is on a date with the girl of his dreams. The boy and girl are canoeing up a river in Vermont. The young girl, Sheila, has informed the narrator of her disgust of fishing. This is a hefty problem for the boy. The narrator absolutely loves to fish. In fact, during their date he has a pole casted into the water. After hearing this, the boy was determined not give Sheila any knowledge of his favorite hobby. Though, the narrator neglected to discreetly reel in the line. What seemed to be the biggest bass in the river, snagged on the line. There is no way the boy could let Sheila know of this. The rest of the night, the narrator maneuvers the boat perfectly and somehow manages to keep the fish on the line, without Sheila having any knowledge. They finally reach their destination and the boy is faced with a crippling decision. The boy has to either cut the line, letting the fish go, or risk having Sheila lose all interest in him by reeling in the fish. The narrator decides to cut the line and says, “With a sick nauseous feeling in my stomach, I saw the rod unbend”(Wetherell 40). In this quote, the narrator is overcome with a sick feeling for letting that fish go. He knows he has made a mistake. Later that night, Sheila ditches him for a different fellow. The boy was untrue to himself and what he really wanted. Fishing is what really made him happy. The boy learned a lesson that many people still need to learn today. Do not let others influence the way one may act or speak. Be true to oneself, and happiness will