Competing Values in Ernest Hemingway\'s \"In Our

¶ … competing values in Ernest Hemingway's "In Our Time"

This essay illustrates and explores how complicated it is to be a human, have relationships, and live in a world of complex and competing values. The essay specifically explores the chapters 'The End of Something' and 'The Three Day Blow.' One source used. MLA format.

In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway

In Our Time, first published in 1925, is a collection of short stories and vignettes about the years before, during and after World War I. This collection marked Ernest Hemingway's publishing debut and his fame. It is considered one of the most original short story collections in Twentieth Century literature. Many critics credit this book with introducing major developments into modern literature by Hemingway's sparse style, simple sentences with little or no emotional descriptions. Through the weave of stories he creates, readers gain key insights into Hemingway's later works, particularly one of his most famous character, Nick Adams (Hemingway 1995).

In the chapters, "The End of Something" and "The Three Day Blow," describes Nick coming face-to-face with not only the changing times of the world around him but the changes within himself. The kid from the Midwest came home from the war a different fellow. He had matured into manhood. The chapters are metaphoric in nature. Hemingway contrasts the end of the town as lumber mill town with the end of naivete and relationships. As the town is forced to search for a new identity, Nick also is searching for his identity like all young men do, especially when they've returned from the survival crash course of war (Hemingway 1995).

The fishing scene in "The End of Something" plays on words and the act of fishing with Nick and Marjorie's relationship. Marjorie keeps remarking how the fish are biting while Nick disputes her every comment. His nature is quiet and she senses that something is wrong. He's brooding and they eat in silence. He finally confesses that life isn't fun anymore, and that includes love. Marjorie leaves without a word (Hemingway 35). This scene is a classic breakup scene. The silence on one partner's part, insisting that nothing is wrong, and the confusion of the other trying to understand why the relationship isn't the same anymore. Both feel the loss of something but are unable to express just exactly what. Nick has changed, just as the town has changed. And surely as everything around her has changed, Marjorie has changed, although she is unaware of it. As with so many break-ups, Nick doesn't even know why he wants out of the relationship, he just knows he's bored with life in general (Hemingway 1995).

In "The Three Day Blow" Nick walks to Bill's house during the first of the autumn storms. While Nick's shoes are drying by the fire, the two of them start drinking and talking. They talk about books and sports and the drinking habits of their fathers. They are just like any two young men who are at the stage between adolescence and manhood. They talk about adult things but you get the feeling that they don't really know what they're talking about. They're just trying to sound grown-up. And that's what grown-up men do, they get drunk and talk about manly things (Hemingway 45).