This novel is a coming of age story. In this book, the main character Tony must decide between the pagan religion he grew up with, and that is tangible, and the newer religion of Christianity that he has no personal connection with.
This is the scene where Tony first sees the pagan god, the Golden Carp:
"'Behold the golden carp, Lord of the waters--" I turned and saw Cico standing, his spear held across his chest as if in acknowledgment of the presence of a ruler. The huge, beautiful form glided through the blue waters. I could not believe its size. It was bigger than me! And bright orange! . . . I could not have been more entrance if I had seen the Virgin, or God Himself. The golden carp had seen me."
Contrasting this personal experience with the one Tony has with Christianity, the reader can tell what one means more to him. This scene occurs right after taking his first communion.
"I closed my eyes and concentrated. I had just swallowed Him, He must be in there! For a moment, on the altar railing, I thought I had felt His warmth, but then everything moved so fast. There just wasn't time to sit and discover Him, like I could do when I sat on the creek bank and watched the golden carp swim in the sun-filtered waters. . . . A thousand questions flashed through my mind, but the Voice within me did not answer. There was only silence."
In these two passages, the reader sees how the golden carp evokes a sense of wonder and awe in Tony, whereas Christ did not. His understanding of the Divine is based off of his previous experiences. This entire book can be seen as a sort of fictional memoir of his childhood experiences. This goes along with Cara's flashcard presentation, in which we learn how memoirs can create awe. It really has to do with life choices and how those choices will affect our future.
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