The Fish – a short story by Seamus Galway

The short story is narrated in such way that every time you read it new meanings and symbols appear. The fascinating writing style reveals symbols in even the smallest details of the story and has a big influenceon the overall impression. And the way the Christian symbol, the fish, is made the foundation of the story is very interesting and admirable and makes the reader focus and analyze on every single detail of the story to find out what is really happening – and why it happens. Because of the writer’s thorough and descriptive writing style, the reader gets a distinct picture of the setting, and because of the many describing details you actually find yourself being a part of the story.

The description of the setting and the people indicates that the story takes place in Portugal because the inhabitants speak Portuguese. I am guessing it is in a little village near the sea or a harbor, mainly because the writer mentions an old port, rococo churches and stately customs house.
I would say the story takes place in present time, for example because it is mentioned that there are lots of tourists in the village and we are told that these tourists often go on organized cruises along the reef. It is also described how the river is very dirty and brown with waste, which is very characteristic for the nature nowadays.

If we are to look at the two characters, Manuel and the American woman, it is pretty clear that these to persons are contrasts.
Manuel is calm and observant and does not want to interfere. It seems like he knows – and likes to be – in the neighborhood. He does not have a lot of money, which results in problems with buying an apartment in the village for him and his family.
It also seems like Manuel does not care about what is happening around him. First of all he does not want to help the woman