A fish is like a dish that floats in the sea but is no greater than me.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker compares a fish to a dish to diminish its perceived importance relative to himself.
- In plain terms
- A fish is just a floating thing, no better than me.
- What can you take from it?
- Humility can be masked by absurd comparisons.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we measure worth in nature?
- Why use food metaphors for animals?
Another view
The comparison is logically flawed and serves mostly as a joke.
More from James Thurber
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