Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions

"My father became a myth."

The novel's first pages set up the relationship between Edward, as heroic figure, and his son, as constant audience for Edward's tales of adventure. This passage also shows the tenderness with which William regards his father, despite being sometimes frustrated by his constant need to show off. William's retelling of Edward's life story is part of what transforms Edward from man to myth.

"The day he was born things changed."

William means two things with this statement. First, in a practical way, Edward's birth made two people parents. In a fantastical way, his birth coincided with the first rain during the driest drought Ashland had seen in decades. From his first day on Earth, it seems that Edward has such a strong presence that it can affect even the weather.

"He was a big fish even then."

This quote references both Edward's abnormal adolescent growth spurt, and the larger-than-life reputation that he, at a young age, has already earned. Referring to Edward as a 'big fish' shows that he is not only an impressive success from humble beginnings, but that his stories have variable degrees of truth to them.