The Three Boys on the Bridge

I found Quentin's encounter with the three boys to be particularly significant. The fish they try to catch is a symbol for Quentin himself - as he will eventually commit suicide by drowning himself. I think committing suicide is the only way for Quentin to escape the pressure he faces from his family and the reality of the world he is stuck in - and the mere idea of the fish represents the kind of freedom he yearns for. "Can't anybody catch that fish" (p. 120) --> the freedom the fish has symbolizes the life Quentin wants to live for himself. His life thus far has been dictated by his family - they sent him to college to continue the family name, the fate of the family lies in his hands, and he has no opportunity in the situation he is stuck in to do what he wants - he is "caught". Also, the boys' argument about whether they would take the fishing pole or the twenty-five dollars as a reward for catching the fish parallels the image of the boys arguing over who would get Quentin's cigar and who would get the nickel, and further adds to the futility of the world for Quentin in that idea that no one will ever have what they really want. The fact that this encounter takes place on a bridge further adds to its significance, in that the setting represents a sort of passageway, and I think it's a point of realization for Quentin's ultimate decision to end his life.