The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant

Recently, a divided interest gave me a very tough time. Tennis and basketball have always been my favorite sports from when I was little, but as I grew up tennis became more and more important to me. Basketball was just a recreational sport and tennis emerged as something I had to be good at no matter what. Unable to resist the fun and team bonding experiences with the other guys on the team, I played for my school’s varsity basketball team last year. Although we had a very bad season, full of losses rather than wins, I have to admit, it was so much fun. Forming close relationships with the other guys on the team was a valuable experience, and getting to know so many new faces enhanced my social life. However this year, after much thought, I decided not to try out for basketball. Although basketball provided me with so many valuable things, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I worried about tennis throughout the basketball season, and I think that worry distracted me, resulting in a horrible performance from myself. Additionally, recovering from the three months of almost no tennis was extremely hard work and I think that affected my academics negatively as well.

            After reading the memoir, The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant, by W.D. Wetherell, I realized that my situation with tennis and basketball was a lot like Wetherall’s divided interest with the largemouth bass and Sheila Mant. In the memoir, Wetherall couldn’t let go of the bass that was on his line throughout the whole date out in the river with Sheila Mant. Although he describes Sheila as a goddess in the beginning of the memoir, he couldn’t resist his obsession and love for fishing, even when he had what he had wanted so badly right in front of him: Sheila Mant. So the question, “which one did he really want, the bass or Sheila?” arises and I think the author finds the answer to that question at the end of the story, unfortunately by picking the wrong answer. At the end, Wetherall cuts the line and gives up the bass to devote his mind towards Sheila, but discovers that Sheila has absolutely no interest in him. I hope I have cut the right line for my divided interests.

           

            Throughout the whole date in the memoir, there are hints and clues that help us foreshadow that Wetherall’s relationship with Sheila Mant will be unsuccessful. During the date, Sheila says, “ I think fishing’s dumb. I mean, it’s boring and all. Definitely dumb.” This comment exemplifies how inconsiderate Sheila Mant is and because she says that to someone who is so passionate about fishing, we can foreshadow that Wetherall and Sheila’s relationship will be unsuccessful. Additionally, during Wetherall and Sheila’s conversations, Sheila only talks about another guy named Eric and herself. She never shows any signs of interest in Wetherall, and this also helps us foreshadow the outcome of their relationship.