The Importance of Fear in The River Warren :: River Warren Essays

The Importance of Fear in The River Warren In Kent Meyers The River Warren, the reader can detect many examples of symbolism. The basic theme throughout the apologue focuses on the river. The River Warren, in its past and present state, means different things to each character in the novel. Many important scenes take place on the river and its banks accenting its importance. As the river winds through the land just most Cloten in the story, its symbol winds through the lives of the characters and the lives of readers. Meyers stresses the rivers significance to members of the community through each characters testimony and story. In the novel the river represents- symbolizes- is fear. Everyone has approximately type of fear, and for each character in the novel this holds true. To ideal Finn, a dream of the rivers past is admittedly exciting. On one specific night, Angels fears are clear presented on the river. He says, I aint been afraid on that river for a lon g time, spooked but never afraid...but I was surely afraid when I come around that bend...my heart kinda shriveled(143). Angel has found his fear on the river. It is odd, though, that Angel usually goes to the river to escape from his fears. He says, on the night river, everything seems far away, so far away its come back around to being close, and a man can need nothing and want everything, and wonder what his lifes all about at the same time that he knows(3). Angel wonders about the meaning of life, but in reality, he knows what its all about. Angel never mentions any family. all we really know about him is that he is a unaccompanied hardware store owner who loves being on the river. Who is he really? A lonely old man finding escape from life and loneliness fishing on the river. While on the river Angel meets and befriends two young boys, Luke and Jeff. To him, they seem to run into how highly the river should be valued. The three men treat the river as if it has a personality and holds some kind of dignified or sacred value to them. Angel explains himself when he says, I know I dont know myself on the river, but I swear that it knows me.