The short story "The Secret Goldfish,"" by David Means tells a story of the struggles of a failing relationship. Means clever use of a unique goldfish to represent the emotions that surface as a result of a marriage ending makes it easy for the reader to understand the inner struggles more vividly. Through his use symbolism, diction, imagery, and tone, Means makes it clear that no matter the struggle, it can be overcome, and life will go on. .
Means use of a goldfish brilliantly symbolizes the main characters struggles with such simplicity. The reader can easily understand the similarities between them both. The fish represents the confinement, neglect, and hope. The main character is a wife and mother, "she had given up her career for the relationship, for the family " to stay at home. (Means 217) With confinement comes sadness and this eventually led to the neglect. She felt the neglect from her husband leaving and throughout the story we see this emotion unfold not only for the human inhabitants in the house but also the fish. He [the fish] is forced to live in harsh conditions due to this neglect with no control to change his environment. Out of the confinement and the neglect also lies hope. The main character has a revelation with the fish after seeing the fish survive the most awful conditions. Means message in "The Secret Goldfish " was very clear to the reader. If this fish can survive and continue to live each day through the conditions he had to endure then anyone can. .
Means use of diction allows the reader to visualize the environment of the main character and also the fish. Phrases such as; "solid mass " and "a putty within " paints a vivid picture of the living conditions of the fish. (215) Even though there is no actually picture, the reader can quite easily visual the fishbowl and the fish hiding in the filth. As the story continues we are able to see the emotional changes of the main character by paying close attention to the living conditions of fish.
