For the first week of class, read the following stories by Hemingway:

"Indian Camp"
"The Killers"
"The Doctor and the Doctor's Wife"
"In Another Country"
"Big Two-Hearted River"
 

Think about the endings of each of these stories.  Notice how they seem to extend past what would seem to be the normal end of the plot.  For example in "The Killers," after Nick has already warned Ole Anderson and Anderson has decided not to flee any more--the story continues.  First there is the seemingly inane conversation with Mrs. Hirsch/not Mrs. Hirsch, and then a slighlty less inane conversation with the owner of the restaurant (whose advice is "not to think about it"--what kind of advice is that?)

Well, what's going on in these extended endings?  Why does the author include them?  Are they integral to the effect of the story's art?  (Hint: if they're in there, then the answer must be integral).  If so, how?  What are these stories about really?
'Write about three pages double-spaced, referring with quotes to the stories, and covering--in your own order--most of the following questions.
 

Some suggested helpful questions:

1.  Why is it that in most of the stories, the action is not happening to Nick, but to someone else?

2.  What is Nick's role in the stories?

3.  How is he changing in the stories?

4.  As you develop some ideas about Nick's role in the stories, then think about what is going on at the level of the writer's art.  Why would Hemingway write in this fashion?  What is the author exploring?

        a. Think about the fact that in most of the stories there is no direct action, or the action is mostly off-stage.  For instance,
            Nick is watching the childbirth in "Indian Camp" and recalling the war in "In Another Country" (in which he
            had no major role).   What then is the artist exploring?

        b. Why are so many of Nick's perceptions misperceptions?  (He thinks Ole will run; he thinks the boarding house is
            run by Mrs. Hirsch).
 

5. Once you develop some ideas abou the intent of the author, think about how the style works together with the intention to create a work as tightly compressed as a poem.
 

1.  Why is it that in most of the stories, the action is not happening to Nick, but to someone else? 2.  What is Nick's role in the stories? 3.  How is he changing in the stories?

 
 
Have fun!
 

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