The Molecules of Life In his novella A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean compares family and life to water. [One of the main themes of the book is Norman's brother Paul and how he relates to water and how life is imitated by the river.] Norman idolizes Paul and his unique relationship with the river. Maclean writes, "Below him was the multitudinous river, and, where the rock had parted it around him, big-grained vapor …showed first 75 words of 534 total…

…showed last 75 words of 534 total…water of the river, to life and his relationship with his family. Life, water, and the way he sees his brother are all connected through Maclean's writing. Works Cited Maclean, Norman. A River Runs Through It. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976. A River Runs Through It. Dir. Robert Redford. Columbia Tri Star Video, 1993. Shadow Casting: The Making of A River Runs Through It. Dir. Dennis Aig, and Andy Froenke. Chip Davis Productions and Sunshine Company, 1992.