The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant is a short story by W. D. Wetherell that explores the themes of adolescence, infatuation, and the conflicts between personal interests and impressing others.
The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant | Summary
In “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant,” the narrator, a fourteen-year-old boy, recalls a memorable summer when he became infatuated with a seventeen-year-old girl named Sheila Mant. The Mants rented a cottage next to his family’s on the river, and he finds them fascinating with their vibrant parties and energetic softball games. Sheila, the middle daughter, particularly captures his attention, and he longs to be invited to one of their parties. The boy spends his days swimming laps in the river to impress Sheila, and he becomes enamored with her various moods and postures while sunbathing on a float. He admires her sophistication and considers her beyond his reach, especially as she attracts attention from older men, like the Dartmouth heavyweight crew.
Despite his admiration, the boy plucks up the courage to ask Sheila out one day. He stutters and hesitates before finally inviting her to a band performance in Dixford the next day. Sheila, seemingly uninterested, reluctantly agrees to go by canoe with him. The boy is excited about the romantic rendezvous and decides to impress Sheila by presenting a perfectly polished canoe with cushions and a radio for music. He is an avid fisherman and spends his time practicing casts, testing reels, and fishing for bass in the river. He worries that Sheila will find fishing boring or dumb, and this concerns him greatly during their meeting.
As they paddle upstream in the canoe, Sheila talks about her plans and preferences, mentioning that she might attend UVM or Bennington and wants to get her hair styled like Ann-Margret’s. The boy tries to steer the conversation away from fishing, but Sheila notices the sound of splashing bass nearby and asks about it. Trying to distract her, he falsely claims that it is the sound of bats. The boy realizes they are getting close to a shallow sandbar where he might lose the fish, but he cannot resist the temptation to catch it. As he pulls the canoe over the bar, he loses control for a moment and scrapes the bottom. Sheila asks if they are going backward, and he tries to play it off as the current.
Finally, he manages to hook the bass while keeping Sheila unaware of the situation. The struggle with the fish intensifies as they near their destination, and the boy feels the tug of his love for fishing and the desire to impress Sheila pulling him in opposite directions. At the last moment, he chooses Sheila’s company over the fish and cuts the fishing line to release the bass. They arrive at the fair in Dixford, and Sheila informs the boy that she will be leaving with someone else in a Corvette. The boy’s chance with Sheila is lost, but the memory of the lost bass haunts him throughout the summer. He focuses on the decisions he made that night and realizes that he will never make the same mistake again, prioritizing his interests and hobbies before impressing others.
The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant | Analysis
“The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant” is a poignant coming-of-age story that skillfully captures the complex emotions and desires of adolescence. One of the strengths of the story is its vivid portrayal of the protagonist’s infatuation with Sheila Mant. The author effectively conveys the intensity of the boy’s emotions, portraying his admiration for Sheila as all-encompassing. Wetherell uses evocative language to describe Sheila’s allure, drawing readers into the protagonist’s world of longing and fascination. The boy’s attempts to impress her, such as swimming laps to catch her attention, serve as relatable experiences for readers who may have also experienced similar infatuations during their teenage years.
The protagonist is torn between his love for fishing and his desire to appear sophisticated and attractive to Sheila. This internal struggle resonates with readers who may have felt pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations, sacrificing their true passions in the process. The author skillfully portrays the conflict between the boy’s authentic self and the image he wants to present to Sheila, creating a relatable and authentic portrayal of adolescence. Additionally, the river’s serene and solitary nature contrasts with the vibrant world of the Mants, further highlighting the boy’s sense of isolation and longing to be a part of Sheila’s world.
The climax of the story, where the boy must choose between catching the prized bass and impressing Sheila, encapsulates the central conflict of the narrative. The author expertly builds tension and suspense as the boy wrestles with his decision. Ultimately, his choice to cut the fishing line represents a pivotal moment of growth and self-awareness. This decision reflects the boy’s understanding that compromising his passions for the sake of others’ approval would not bring lasting happiness. Wetherell’s writing style is introspective, capturing the internal monologue of the young protagonist. Through the boy’s thoughts and actions, the author reveals the universal struggles of adolescence, making the story relatable to readers of various ages. The vivid descriptions of the river and Sheila Mant’s presence contribute to the story’s immersive atmosphere, creating a sense of nostalgia and longing.
The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant | Themes
One of the primary themes of the story is the protagonist’s infatuation with Sheila Mant. The story vividly portrays the intensity of first love and the overwhelming emotions that young people experience when they develop feelings toward someone. The boy’s admiration for Sheila drives his actions and decisions throughout the narrative, illustrating the power and impact of infatuation during adolescence.
The story delves into the theme of identity as the protagonist grapples with his passion for fishing and his desire to impress Sheila. He faces an internal conflict between his authentic self, represented by his love for fishing, and the image he wants to project to Sheila, one of sophistication and charm. This theme highlights the struggle of young people to discover and accept their true selves while navigating societal expectations and peer pressures. “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant” is a classic coming-of-age tale. The protagonist’s experiences during this summer mark a pivotal period of growth and self-awareness.
The story raises questions about sacrifice and the choices individuals make to pursue their passions or gain approval from others. The protagonist faces the difficult decision of whether to prioritize catching a prized bass or impressing Sheila. His eventual decision to let go of the bass represents a sacrifice he makes for the sake of his infatuation with Sheila, exemplifying the internal struggles of young people to balance personal desires and external expectations.
The river and the bass serve as powerful symbols in the story. The bass embodies the boy’s passion for fishing and his inner conflict between his love for nature and his desire to impress Sheila. These symbols enrich the narrative and add depth to its themes.
The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant | Significance of Title
Each element in the title represents a significant aspect of the story and carries symbolic meaning. The bass in the title symbolizes the protagonist’s passion for fishing and his connection to nature. Fishing for bass is not merely a hobby for him but a meaningful pursuit that represents his true self and individuality. The bass also serves as a metaphor for the protagonist’s inner conflict between staying true to his passions and trying to impress others.
The river in the title represents the passage of time and the flow of life. The river also serves as a setting for various significant events, such as the canoe trip with Sheila Mant and the boy’s internal struggle. Sheila Mant, the third element in the title, represents the object of the protagonist’s infatuation and desire for acceptance. She embodies sophistication and popularity, becoming a symbol of the external pressures and expectations the protagonist faces in his coming-of-age journey. Sheila Mant also represents the allure of adolescence and the complexities of young love.
The title foreshadows the central conflicts and themes of the story. By combining the three elements, the title sets the stage for a nuanced exploration of the protagonist’s experiences and emotions during this crucial summer of his life.
The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant | Literary Devices
The story utilizes symbolism to imbue objects and elements with deeper meaning. The bass symbolizes the protagonist’s passion for fishing and his true self, the river symbolizes the passage of time and the journey of adolescence, and Sheila Mant symbolizes the allure of adolescence and the complexities of first love. The title of the story, “The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant,” serves as foreshadowing, hinting at the central themes and conflicts that will be explored in the narrative.
The protagonist’s fishing for the bass serves as a metaphor for his internal struggle between staying true to his passions and trying to impress Sheila Mant. The metaphor of fishing conveys the tension between the pursuit of personal interests and the desire for external validation.
The story employs vivid imagery to create sensory experiences for the reader. Descriptions of Sheila’s appearance, the river, the bass, and the serene nighttime setting contribute to the overall atmosphere and evoke emotions.
Irony is used to highlight the contrast between the protagonist’s inner desires and his external actions. For example, the boy’s attempts to impress Sheila Mant by cutting his fishing line and sacrificing the bass he had been trying to catch are ironic because it leads to a sense of loss and regret.
The story makes a subtle allusion to Jackie Kennedy, mentioning that Sheila is considering getting her hair styled like Ann-Margret’s but shorter. This allusion adds depth to Sheila’s character and connects her to the world of celebrity and fashion. The tale also personifies the river by attributing human characteristics to it, such as describing it as a “corridor of hidden life” and suggesting that the stars have chosen it as a guide on their slow wheel toward morning.
