My mom is always repeating the same old joke if your friends all jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?

I know what you mean my dad used to tell me that,but instead of cliff he would say house. he still says it sometimes, even though the answer is obvious no one would do that.

the word that best matches the meaning of the expression "went to the big ocean" is died.

the goldfish died, which is why the father looks at the children mournfully. the "big ocean" is the father's way of saying fish heaven. he could have just said that the goldfish died, but this way, the children imagine the fish in a bigger, better place instead of just picturing a dead fish.

explanation: