Mary Martin

August 12,2021

Demo 3: Short Story Report Outline

God is Not a Fish Inspector

Introduction:

 the title of the story is God is Not a Fish

Inspector

 the author is W.D Valgardson

o born May 7th 1939

o born in Winnipeg, Manitoba

o age 82

 Publishes works include: Blood Flowers, Red Dust, What Can’t Be Changed Shouldn’t

Be Mourned.

 He grew up in Gimli, a fishing village on Lake Winnipeg which was originally known as

New Iceland. His ancestors settled in 1875 and 1876 to get away from volcanic eruptions.

(https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/

valgardson-w-d)

(https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/william-dempsey-valgardson)

Plot Summary:

An old man fishes illegally and thinks that he is very smart for not getting caught by the

authorities. He fights against aging and does not want to go to an old age home. His daughter

and son in law live with him. His daughter thinks his fishing is a crime against God. They want

the old man to go to a retirement home so they can inherit the house.

1
 Mary Martin
August 12,2021

Plot Organization:

 The plot is in the present.

 The plot is easy to understand

 The twist in the plot is that the fold man thinks he is getting away with something but

actually we find out the officials knew all along that the old man is fishing illegally.

 The introduction and conclusion of the story reference the Bible and God.

“God will punish you … God’s not a fish inspector he doesn’t work for the

government.” (par.2)

“The lords work be done … as if she were preparing to give a benediction.” (pg.5)

 The most interesting part was the old man’s reaction of total disappointment when

Emma tells him that the fishing authorities knew all along that he was fishing.

“You don’t have to worry about being caught. They have known about your fishing all

along.” (par.80) “She’s lying, isn’t she? That’s not true. They wouldn’t do that?”

Major Characters:

Fusi Bergman is a 70-year-old man who believes he can still physically do everything he used

to do. “He was proud of his early rising for he felt he was not, like many of his contemporaries.”

(par.9). He is a tall, thin man with a lot of wrinkles and gray hair. Fusi was not afraid to die but

wanted to make sure it would be in his own home.

Emma is Fusi’s daughter. She is judgmental, out spoken and appears angry towards her father.

“God will punish you, she promised in a low, intense voice.” (par.2)

2
 Mary Martin
August 12,2021

Emma is tall, unattractive and big boned with a face like a pug dog. “Every inch of her head

would be crammed with metal curlers and her angular body hidden by a plain white cotton shift

that hung from her broad shoulders like a tent.” (par.4)

Minor Characters:

John Smith is Emma’s husband who was demoted in his career which brought him to come and

live with Fusi and Emma. His character reinforces what an unsavoury character Emma is. “Her

husband, John Smith, was as bland and inconsequential as his name.” (par.14) John was

studying to become a preacher as he believed the end of the world was coming.

Jimmy was a friend of Fusi’s who was approximately the same age. Jimmy moved to the old

age home and died an early death. Jimmy’s story reinforces Fusi’s negative attitude towards old

age homes. “He wasn’t more than 68 but he had given up.”(par. 66)

Rosie is a pleasant woman who works at the old age home. “She was a large, good natured

widow with grey hair.”(par.63) Rosie helps to create and show the turmoil that Fusi is going

through when he discovers he has not fooled the fishing authorities.

The fish officers are briefly mentioned to show that Fusi likes to defying authority and add an

element of danger to the story. “They would take his fish and net, which he did not really mind,

for there were more fish in the lake and more nets in his shed.” (par. 36)

My favourite characters are Fusi and Rosie. I liked Fusi’s character because he had determined

spirit and a strong will. I can appreciate that he liked to think he was still young and could be

independent and resist going to an old age home. “And I can still row a boat and lift my nets.

That’s more than your husband can do and he’s just 50.” (par.52)

3
 Mary Martin
August 12,2021

The only character with any kindness was Rosie. I found it touching that she stuck up for Fusi

when his daughter tried to undermine him by telling him that the authorities knew and that he

did not matter. “As the doors shut, Rosie turned on Emma and said, You shouldn’t have done

that.” (par. 78)

Setting:

This story takes place in the present. The setting of the story begins before sunrise in the dark at

a harbour. The description is ominous. “Fifty feet. From the house, the breakwater that ran

along the rear of his property loomed like a purple spine of some great beast guarding the land

from a lake which seemed, in the darkness, to go on forever.(par.10)

I think that if the story took place in an early century the father daughter relationship might have

been different in the way that the daughter would have been more respectful.

Style:

This story is written in the third person. The narrator is not part of the story.

The sentences are easy to follow as they are fairly simple with a lot of quotes and just enough

description in them. There is plenty of dialogue that tells the story. The language style is formal.

I learned a new word, prevaricate.

Theme:

I think the message of this story is to keep doing what you love and stay young. Overcome

obstacles, as Fusi physically struggles to fish pulling the net and rowing in the harbour. Stay

self-sufficient, living in his home and resisting the old age home. I believe these topics are

relevant today and also in the future.

Conclusion:

4
 Mary Martin
August 12,2021

I enjoyed the story because it was different from what I usually read. I also found it easy to read

without too much symbolism. I would recommend this to a friend because I like the theme of

the story.