Ernest Hemingway in Our Time

Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway

From Modernism to Isolationism: The Transition of Nick Adams in the short stories Indian Camp and Big Two-Hearted River, Parts 1 &

Ernest Hemingway, acclaimed American novelist and short story writer, have established his niche in the world of literature by creating literary works that center on the interaction between Nature and human society. Apart from his famous novels For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old man and the Sea, Hemingway is also known for his series of short story works featuring the fictional character, Nick Adams.

Nick Adams is characterized as Hemingway's "alter ego," who serves as the mirror of the writer, reflecting through his writing his sentiments and thoughts about life, especially when contemplating about the social changes happening to human society with the emergence and development of the 20th century. Nick, as a fictional character, is a 'free soul' who communes with Nature, and does so with great happiness, quite contrary to the 'modern man' of the 20th century. Hemingway's alter-ego is, in fact, characterized as an individual who prefers isolation and interaction with Nature, rather than involving himself with the materialist nature of modern human society.

This paper provides a discussion and analysis of Nick Adams as the anti-thesis of the modern man in the 20th century, preferring to isolate himself from society and commune with Nature instead. Taking from examples in Nick Adams short stories, "Indian Camp" and "The Big Two-Hearted River, Parts 1 and 2," the transition of Nick from being a modern to 'traditional' individual is illustrated as Hemingway's reaction to the prevalence of materialism and triviality of human society at present. This paper posits that through Nick Adams, Hemingway tries to convey to his readers the importance of going back to the true nature of humans, which, through Nick's example, is by communing with Nature. This argument reflects an important thought by Hemingway: modernism, for him is a return to the natural order of things, where humans try to return and re-discover their true origins in order for society to further progress and develop not only materially, but 'spiritually' as well ('spirituality' being encompassing personal aspects of an individual, such as physical, emotional, mental, and moral selves).

It is essential to discuss the characterization Hemingway uses for Nick in the short story, "Indian Camp," since this is one of the first short stories illustrating the lead character in his most naive, 'modern' self. In "Indian," Nick is initially an individual not exposed to the natural processes occurring in Nature, as exemplified in his uncomfortable witnessing of a labor (birth-giving) of an Indian woman. He also acts a subservient individual, who is unfamiliar yet trying to learn, important events that happen to people's, especially Indians', lives.

Further into the story, Hemingway states, "Nick did not watch. His curiosity has been gone for a long time" (Hemingway, 1995:93). This statement is in relation to an unusual experience he had in the story: Nick witnessed life and death at the same time. Life, because of the child who was born after the Indian woman successfully gave birth to her son. Death came when the woman's husband, who cannot "stand things" as his wife is experiencing difficulty in labor, committed suicide by slashing his throat with a razor.

Nick's uncomfortable outlook about labor and birth-giving shows his na vete about 'real life' in the 'real world.' However, at the same time, he became desensitized to death, having witnessed the suicide of the Indian man. Nick's thoughts at the end of the story, saying that "...he felt quite sure that he would never die" is a catalyst, a turning point where he finally achieves 'enlightenment' in life, as will be shown in the succeeding sections (95).

Hemingway's alter-ego has come a long way when "Big Two-Hearted Hearted River" was completed. Nick, contrary to his naive personality in "Indian," has evolved to become somewhat similar to Henry Thoreau, isolating himself from the urban landscape of human society into the 'primitive' and natural environment of the forest. Where once he was an individual trying to fathom the importance of life (and death) in the world, Nick in "Two-Hearted River" achieves understanding and wisdom through nature. As he traveled into the town of Seney, Hemingway symbolically illustrates to his readers Nick's journey as the character's gradual retreat from human society, with his back facing civilization and forward ahead, is Nature awaiting him (209-210).

A there was something mysterious and homelike. Nick was happy... He had not been unhappy all day" (215). The author's illustration of Nick's candid feelings and thoughts while communing with Nature tells the readers how Nick is for nature, just as all humans are for nature, too. Nick being happy despite the lack of material comfort in the forest shows how modern people like him can live and survive with nature, simply because humans are one with Nature, even came from it.

Perhaps the only reminder Nick has of his 'previous life' as a modern man is the presence of canned food on his trip; eating beans and spaghetti and drinking coffee in the forest seemed paradoxical yet funny, given the kind of environment Nick was in during the time (215-6). Furthermore, his thoughts about his friend Hopkins reflect further how he is finally turning his back to modern society. Hopkins, representing the successful individual of the 20th century, disappeared in Nick's life when he "never saw him [Hopkins] again" (217).

Indeed, it is reflected in Nick's attitude and behavior in his journey that he is gradually getting accustomed to living life with nature. An important insight that "Two-Hearted River" tell us readers is not only happiness in finding one's true self, but also the achievement of contentment or satisfaction in life (228). This insight is vital since modern society is depicted as a dynamic institution that is constantly inventing and re-inventing things that, instead of making humans contented, will only further humanity's ambitions, needs, and wants in life.