The film Big Fish (2003), directed by Tim Burton, was adapted from the 1998, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, by Daniel Wallace. The film focuses on the strained relationship between William Bloom and his father, Edward Bloom; William resents his father for telling fantastical, exaggerated stories that Edward claims are solely reality. Big Fish contains themes of family, fate, desire, and the juxtaposition of reality and fantasy. 

The film's primary strength is its symbolism. Most notably, the big fish represents Edward and William, symbolizes the theme of desire, and develops the idea of “a big fish in a small pond.” At the film’s conclusion, William states, “You [Edward] became what you always were: a very big fish.” The fish itself appears several times throughout the film, and each appearance represents a different aspect of what it symbolizes.    

The majority of the magical and hyperbolic elements of Edward’s stories are emphasized visually. The character of Karl the Giant visually represents the juxtaposition of reality and fantasy Through the use of visual effects, Karl is presented as being over twice the height of an average person during the flashbacks detailing Edward’s fantastical stories; however, when William meets Karl in person, his height is less exaggerated. Similarly, Edward’s confession to Sandra, his future wife, visually emphasizes the hyperbolic nature of the film; Edward covers the front lawn of her sorority house with a fully grown field of her favorite flowers, daffodils, in the span of a few minutes. Sandra recounts the story as being strictly reality despite the obvious fantastical elements. The colors and lighting during Edward’s storytelling are vivid and vibrant to emphasize the hyperbolic nature of his stories; conversely, William’s stories and the “real world” scenes are presented with a more muted color scheme and slower-paced actions and dialogue to emphasize the static and mundane nature of reality. 

Overall, Big Fish is a nuanced and intricate film that contains symbols that further the plot and characterization to enhance the themes of the film. The visuals in the film emphasize the hyperbolic nature of Edward’s character and the juxtaposition of reality and fantasy.