Big Fish (Symbol)
The title of the film refers to a symbol that occurs throughout the film. The "big fish" of the film has multiple meanings. On one level, it represents the main character, Edward Bloom, and stems from the idiom "big fish in a small pond." Edward has dreams and ambitions that exceed his small-town life, and in this way, he is a big fish in a small pond. This is echoed at the end of the film, when Will narrates the story of Edward's death as him turning into a large fish and swimming away. In this way, the fish becomes a symbol for something that lasts forever, that is immortal. Additionally, Edward uses the metaphor of the fish to represent his love for Sandra, saying, "Sometimes, the only way to catch an uncatchable woman is to offer her a wedding ring."
The Witch (Symbol)
In the first of Edward's stories that Will recalls in the film, Edward describes a witch who lives in the town, a magical and misunderstood woman who lives near a swamp. The witch is both a literal character and a representation of how society casts aside transgressive femininity. She represents the powers of prophecy and feminine dark magic, and a kind of primordial and fearsome wisdom.
Fantastical Creatures (Motif)
Throughout, Edward's stories feature unusual characters and fantastical elements. Out of what seems like a normal autobiographical account come witches, giants, and werewolves, all of which are seamlessly folded into the more ordinary elements of the story. Thus, fantasy and the uncanny are a motif that recurs throughout the realistic story. While Will is bothered by this recurring element of his father's stories, he eventually learns to see the value of it and accept his father's taller versions of things.
Against the Odds (Motif)
Another motif of Edward's storytelling style is his tendency to narrativize events as especially suspenseful and dramatic. Because, Edward tells us, as a young man he learned about how he would die, he has always been preternaturally brave and willing to throw himself into very difficult situations and beat the odds.
Spectre (Symbol)
Spectre is the idyllic town upon which Edward stumbles as he makes his way through the dark forest. Cut off from the rest of society, Spectre is able to exist completely divorced from the rest of the world, making its own rules and sustaining an almost unsettling level of prosperity and harmony. While Spectre is a symbol for an almost heavenly place, where all desires are met, it is also—as Edward soon finds out—symbolic of the complacency of such a heavenly place. The great poet, Norther Winslow, writes boring and uninspired poems, and while the residents of Spectre seem happy, they are also stultified by their isolation and happiness.
