Thoughts of War in Big Two Hearted River by Ernest Hemingway

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In Big Two Hearted River, Ernest Hemingway used his own experiences he had during the war and the issues he had when injured in the war. As soon as Nick stepped off the train the reader could feel the disappointment that Nick had and the understanding that he was a troubled soul. At the same time this was Nick’s way to treat himself by staying close to nature and the simpler things in life. No matter how happy Nick would get he would continue to have flashbacks of things he has done and friends he has lost along the way. Throughout the short story by Hemingway, Nick will continue to move through his problems from the war by camping and catch his food from the river and the reader will be able to see Nicks pain and happiness. When Nick looks at the burnt town and all the black ash everywhere not a building standing but old burnt down wood. The only thing that still stood was the old Mansion hotel and it was still destroyed. Hemingway used the town to help the reader understand that this is Nick’s new beginning in life. The example that he used is simple (fresh start). Just like nature would have done if it burned a forest down, it would rebuild itself. Hemingway continues to write about Nick being happy with the things he saw. After Nick found his camp site and made a fire he decided to eat. Hemingway explains what Nick had eat and explained what Nick was thinking about when he deicide to make coffee. Back in the war Nick had a friend by the name of Hopkins. Hopkins was a big coffee drinker and Nick was not so when Nick deicide to make coffee it reminded him of an argument that Hopkins and Nick had gotten into about which way coffee is suppose to be made. “He could not remember which way he made coffee. He could remember an... ... middle of paper ... ...Nick’s hand was shaky. He reeled in slowly. The thrill had been too much. He felt, vaguely, a little sick, as though it would be better to sit down.” (Hemingway 1925) After the event with the fish Nick was tired from the rush and the happiness. Nick moved on to catch two other fish and cleans them to eat later. “Nick cleaned them, slitting them from the vent to the tip of the jaw. All the insides and the gills and tongue came out in one piece. They were both males; long gray-white strips of milt, smooth and clean. All the insides clean and compact, coming out all together. Nick tossed the offal ashore for the minks to find.” (Hemingway 1925) Throughout the cleaning Nick motions come out in different ways. When he cleaning the fish he realizes that his thoughts of unhappiness and being cleaned as well and as the days go on so will Nick and his motions with it.

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