Big Fish Study Guide by Frankie Huff

Big Fish Study Guide  Big Fish takes us into the imagination of Edward Bloom, who shares his life through  captivating and far‐fetched stories.  This movie reminds us of the power of stories—to hide  and to reveal, to distance ourselves from others, and to inspire people to greatness.    Use this discussion guide to look more deeply at the themes of this movie.  What does the  film say about the tension between reality and imagination?  Can we go too far with our  storytelling and lose touch with the truth?  How can we say things through stories that we  couldn’t otherwise communicate?  And what happens when we remove fear from our lives?    Based on:  Big Fish (Columbia Pictures, 2003), directed by Tim Burton, based on the novel by Daniel  Wallace, screenplay by John August, rated PG‐13.    The Power of the Story    Steve Beard (Thunderstruck) says, “Big Fish is an elegant and moving film about the power  of story to transform the black and white of life into a colorful journey…In an era when so  many films are driven more by special effects than emotion, Big Fish is a movie that is  driven by and relies upon the brillance of storytelling.”    1. Why do we feel the need to tell stories?  2. How can our lives become black and white? Give an example.  Why is it important to  add color?  3. How can storytelling hide something?  How can it reveal something?    Embellishing the Truth     Critic, Jeffrey Overstreet, writes, “Edward Bloom is a natural storyteller, no  doubt about it.  But his stories revolve around himself, and he tells them to  dazzle and impress others. His life seems to be in service of himself…I  sympathize with the character of Will, who wants to be noticed by his father.   He wants to have a conversation about something other than the past,  something other than his father’s spectacular and somewhat fictional  adventures, however profound they might be.”    4. Does Edward tell stories mainly because he wants to make his life sound more  interesting than it is? What other purposes might his stories serve?  5. Will never felt like he knew who is father really was.  Was Edward a neglectful and  unloving father?  Or did he communicate his love in ways Will failed to realize?    The Power of Symbolism    Edward Bloom loved to tell the story of the day his son was born.  He said he’s been trying  to catch a certain big fish his whole life.  On the day his son was born he was out fishing,  and he caught sight of the big fish again.  He used his wedding ring as bait, and the fish