Two Fishermen

680 Words3 Pages
Whenever people refuse to take responsibility for themselves, people are unconsciously choosing to react as a victim. In the short story “ Two Fishermen”, the author Morley Callaghan suggested the idea that often an individual can be the victim of their own self torturing ideas as shown through Michael’s disloyalty betrayal toward to his “shameful” friend Smitty. Morley Callaghan used descriptive story structure and many ironic contrast to express the internal struggle of the protagonist. Personality of the protagonist stays unchanged at the end of the story which indicates the character’s unsure of himself. People are being victim mentality when they forget to see the blessings of the day; consequently, their spirit is poisoned instead of…show more content…
As both the protagonist and antagonist gets closer to each other, the choiceless for Smitty won him an extreme dignity, “Somebody’s got to do my job. There’s got to be a hangman,” he said. However, even though Michael has been vacillated between the humanity, the choice he made is to feel ashamed. Repeatedly, Michael continuously have the feeling of sick and ashamed, “ he couldn’t figure out why he felt so ashamed of himself.” Meanwhile, guilt eats Michael up and he could not escape from it. However, although there are so many chances that are given to Michael so that he could win some victory of humanity for to stand up for his helpless friend, Michael reject. Therefore, “ farther and farther Michael backed into the crowd and all the time he felt dreadfully ashamed as though he were betraying Smitty, who last night had such a good neighbourly time with…show more content…
As “the crowd threw small rocks and sticks,” toward Smitty, even if “he looked around helplessly at all the angry people”. The neighbourly friend Michael only “shook his head and felt sick”. It is irony when the climax contrast with the raising action where they had such a good time. As readers all hoping that Michael could have done something so he could be a victory hero; consequently, “ so he, too, moved out and joined the crowd”. Although Michael has been protected himself as a reporter because the rejection to help the hangman, but this failure will left him a life long sickness. The relationship will never resolve between Michael and Smitty. Readers can tell how brutality that Michael betrayed Smitty, but the lifelong shameful sickness will be the best punishment to
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