The End Of Something By Ernest Hemingway

The reader first learns about Nick and his relationships with his girlfriend Marjorie in the short story titled "The End of Something." The title of this section symbolically relates to what is happening because Nick and Marjorie get into an argument which seems to end their relationship. Lisa Tyler states "what Hemingway seems to be suggesting in In Our Time is that men's characters are

The opening lines of the book, give the audience an idea of how we are going to understand Nick’s descriptions of everything that happens throughout the novel. Nick presents himself as a wise, and intelligent young man. Over the course of the novel, we learn that Nick is not always the smart and “wise young man” he wants to be portrayed as. Nick sometimes comes across as snobby to the audience, and may have begun his narration with a childhood lesson, from his father, so that the audience would think that he is a nice, young gentleman, who loves his family.

The second time in his life that Nick got drunk, he appears to have had a relation with a man. “And it is we who read after three dots about Nick standing beside McKee’s bed and McKee apparently sitting up between the sheets clad in his underwear” (107, Wasiolek) It has been noted that this is the only time in the book where here is an ellipse of events left out. Perhaps it is because it was something Nick wants to forget about, or because it is something socially unacceptable at the time. Either way, it appears as though

Nick later introduces the readers to the rest of the characters and what he thinks of them (story is told through Nick when he was younger the mid-20s in

Hemingway, to illustrate the theme of sovereignty, uses the character of Nick Adams. Nick is a character who has been injured in the war and, though his wound has healed over, Nick has yet to recover mentally from the attack. Hemingway’s portrayal of Nick is of a man who is trying to regain his identity. Hemingway depicts this through stream of consciousness and symbolism. The stream of

In "War," Nick Adams progresses from an innocent, invincible soldier to a traumatized, realistic human. Ernest Hemingway utilizes his minimalist approach to highlight the destructive consequences of war and display that no benefits come from violence. Nick departs for war as a confident soldier but learns very quickly about the reality of war because of his injury. Then, he feels the psychological effects of the war through his lack of rest. Finally, Nick leaves the war as a fortunate, hopeful man with much still to experience. The war gives Nick a realistic outlook on life and matures him through all the death and destruction.

One of the points that is consistently brought up in Toni Morrison’s Paradise is that of the all black town “Ruby”. Paradise uses the setting of Oklahoma to discuss how many black towns are shaped by past history and religion. While the town in this novel is fictional, there have been real all black towns in the United States, and it seems that these towns influenced many aspects of the town Ruby, which is why it is so easy to imagine that the story could actually be real. Many authors have written in general about the novel, and specifically about the town within it.

Hemingway was explaining that Nick was using this to help himself cope with things in life as an example of what Nick’s wants in life or self-realization. Hemingway writes later in the story when Nick sees the big trout in the river and decides not to go after it. Perhaps Nick sees it as the swamp is the misery in his life and the trout is the feeling way down deep that he does not want to obtain until he is ready. It seems that memories are the only hindrance that would keep him from getting closer to being fulfilled.

     In Hemingway’s collection of short stories, In Our Time, we follow a character by the name of Nick Adams. We are introduced to Nick in “Indian Camp” as a young boy, and follow him to adulthood in both Parts I and II of “Big Two-Hearted River”. Through this we see Nick develop and learn about some major facts of life. Nick is a character who changes through the effects of war on many different levels. Although Hemingway hardly mentions the war, he uses the stories to express different effects and emotions caused by the war.

The significance of the quote, "It isn't fun any more. Not any of it" (34) is the absence of emotion and meaning in his life. Obviously, the way in which Nick "broke up" with Marjorie is that he was searching for something in life that was not yet to be found; not in her or, as it appears, anyone. It is this "hollowness" that I think directly relates back to his relationship with his father and is the same lack of emotion that lead Nick to go to war and to continue wandering by himself after he returns. It is this same emotion (or lack there of) that is apparent in The Three-Day Blow, as well. Though he expresses some remorse over his break-up with Marge ("All he knew is that he had once had Marjorie and that he had lost her" (47)), I truly believe that there was something else that deeply troubled Nick. It is in these two stories, however, that the reader can begin to infer that Nick, though once a content child who would never die, is now searching for something in life, whether it be adequacy or meaning. Thus, these stories are important because they show his maturation and make a preface for the events that follow.

Moreover, these complications even stem over to Henry’s guilt about the war. After arriving in Switzerland, Henry states, “The war seemed as far away as the football games of some one else’s college. But I knew from the papers that they were still fighting in the mountains because the snow would not come” (FTA, 291). Even in Switzerland, Henry cannot escape hearing about the war. While when he escapes the war, Henry cannot escape the guilt of deserting his friends, showing that his inner truth is not that simple. Even his inner meaning from existentialism has complications. With this idea, Friedrich Nietzsche states, “‘All truth is simple.’ Is that not doubly a lie?” This dichotomy between the simple and the complicated demonstrates nihilism’s

In A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway uses damaged characters to show the unglamorous and futile nature of war and the effects it has on people. Hemingway wants readers to know that war is not what people make it out to be; it is unspectacular and not heroic. Hemingway also feels that war is futile by nature and that most goals in war have almost no point. He also shows readers that military conflict often causes people to have shallow values and to hide their pain for their own protection.

Ernest Hemingway wrote many largely autobiographical stories about a fictional character, Nick Adams. In each of the Nick Adams stories, Hemingway looks back on and displays his relationships throughout his life. By telling stories about key points in his life, Hemingway draws a strong picture of Nick Adams relationship with his mother, first girlfriend and most predominantly his father. Now, as a father, Nick makes connections between the past and present … the father and self. He also fears connection because he doesn’t know if his image of his father, and the part of the father which lives within him, should be embraced or killed.

As one re-reads the story, it is evident that Hemingway has chosen this style for a particular reason.  Hemingway did not have Ole executed, because in doing so the reader would focus all the attention to his tragic death.  The murder does not occur, and the reader is forced to focus on the reaction of Nick, Sam and George, and the nonchalant attitude of "The Killers."  "One has to read it two or three times before he realizes that Nick Adams is the central figure" (Walcutt, 305).  The story can be broken into four scenes; first, "The Killers" are introduced; second, Nick warns Ole; third, Nick speaks to Mrs. Bell; fourth, Nick returns to the cafe.  Nick is the only character present in each scene, and in returning to the cafe his final statement to George is, "'I can't  stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he's going to get it.  It's too damned awful."'  George replies, "'You better not think about it'"(Hemingway, 252).  It is obvious Nick is unwilling to accept defeat, and give up his delusion of a world without evil.  To maintain his delusion, he is willing to escape the reality that is presented to him.  "So, of the two boys, it is obviously Nick on whom the impression has been made.  George has managed to come to terms with the situation.  By this line of reasoning, it is Nick's story" (Brooks, 195).  Nick is the only character that evolves; Nick is a round character.  The other

In Hemingway's collection of short stories, In Our Time, we follow a character by the name of Nick Adams. We are introduced to Nick in "Indian Camp" as a young boy, and follow him to adulthood in both Parts I and II of "Big Two-Hearted River". Through this we see Nick develop and learn about some major facts of life. Nick is a character who is changes through the effects of war on many different levels. Although Hemingway hardly mentions the war, he uses the stories to express different effects and emotions caused by the war.