Sex, Death, and the Father in Hemingway’s Nick Adams Stories

Abstract

The craft and structure of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories helped develop a model for what the modern short story looked like. Arguably Hemingway’s most recognizable character, Nick Adams, also serves as an archetype for a modern character. Through the course of some two dozen stories the reader is exposed to the nuance of human development through the life of Nick Adams. Often Nick’s journey and his progression from boy to man is paralleled with that of Hemingway, critics calling attention to several similarities between the writer and his creation. Also, the idea that the short stories can be read together in a novel-like form helps the reader grasp the painstaking detail and attention that Hemingway invested in Nick. Another way that the stories can be interpreted is through the form and style of European art that inspired Hemingway to revolutionize his style. Many details are shared between the art and Hemingway’s stories. The nature of relationships, revealed through extensive inner monologues and terse dialogue, mirrors the themes that prevalent artists were depicting in their works. Narrowing the focus to examine the relationship between Nick and his father, and the way that bond impacted his views of sexuality and death, a textual analysis, followed by an investigation of specific pieces from artists Cézanne and Goya will be examined to show the breadth of Hemingway’s influences, as well as the importance of accurately depicting the cyclical relationship between fathers and sons.