The Boat
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Alistair MacLeod, the author of ''The Boat'' tells a story about the life of a father and how he lived as a fisherman. The narrator of the story is a man who turns and looks back at the life he has lived when his dad was alive. This is because he was educated to the university level and he needed the life that his father had not acquired. He talks about how his father wanted him to emerge to be an important and better person.  
Alistair MacLeod utilizes several writing techniques in the short story.  For instance, ''The Boat'' is used as symbolism. In this case, it brings about inevitability throughout the small hobbies as well as interests husband/father does during his monotonous life routine, obligation all through husband's/farther commitment as a fisherman to offer to pertain to members of his families. The farther wished for a life outside of the fishing globe that he comes from. Through this, he manages to discover ways in his daily life so as to add interesting bits of the external world to the world he has been used to. This is because he has the need and urges to get more knowledge and exposure on things outside the boat as exhibited by the airwaves that he keeps on and listens daily. 
Both the fisherman and his children meet some tourists through their job. This is an example of symbolism. Through this, the fisherman and his children attain the fulfillment of needing a bigger as well as larger world. He goes out of his normal ways after having a long day’s operation taking the tourists on boat voyages. Moreover, the story consists of travelers who have cameras, expensive clothes, and eyeglasses that backed down the plane iron ladder with wharf’s aspects. 
Appreciation is for once sensed through various points of view. For instance, this is evidenced when he is allowed to sing and to be very joyful. The story manifests different traditions when the tourists come into the boat of the fisherman with cameras and the newest clothes. This is a kind of tradition that the fisherman was not knowledgeable about. The visitors show excitement from the interactions they had on hearing people’s lives. The farther emerges to be inevitable to the desires he has on what else could be outside the ocean he spends most of his time.
The fisherman allows his daughters to get work next to the restaurant. He feels that he has to experience everything that is of his desire of what he could ever experience. His inevitability makes him push his children to do better. Moreover, they push him to come up with commitments in everything that engages in. It is a common thing for everyone to have particular things that they have to do in the position they hold (obligation). In relation to ‘’The Boat’’, there are different types of obligations being presented. For example, other than being a husband and a father, he has the obligation of working towards his desires that do not even concern his family. He wants to make sure that he has explored the world in all aspects. He aspires to come into contact with things that he has not normalized to as a fisherman. Unity is a factor amplified in ‘’The Boat’’ by Alistair MacLeod. The ‘’way of life’’ of his wife is a match towards the accountability of the man as a husband. This is because being a couple in elevating children, a wife and a husband should always work together to impart the best in their children. 
The wife of the fisherman has a slim view of life expectations. As a spouse, the man is expected to fulfill the views as well as work together as role models. As a result of this, the son turns to be a fisherman. He takes everything after his father. On the other side, the daughters emerge to be regular folks.  The man shows care to his family. He works day and night to make ends meet. Through this, he manages to give foodstuffs to his family members, shelter, and outfits. He proves to be a responsible parent as a fisherman even though he has never wanted to be one. 
The man ensures that his children get the community view. This plays a significant role by ensuring that his children never get stuck in everything concerning lifestyle.  He is aware that his life is likely to impart curiosity to his children if they follow his footsteps and that is why he advises them to have greater expectations in life. In summation, it works to advance the narrative by compelling many stories. For instance, there is a story of the tourists, the story of the desires the man had, and finally the story of family unity.