Essay on Indian camp
An essay on Indian Camp by Ernest Hemingway
Nick is a humble, sweet, and empathic boy who is introduced to the truths that one can find in life. He sees the world from a perspective that diverges with the perception that adults have of life. He has no worries at all, except knowing the destination of the trip they so suddenly had to make, and no responsibilities. The author does not concede Nick any special privileges other than the fact that his father accompanies him.
He could be considered to be a bit naive, which sometimes is a consequence of innocence.
In contrast to Nick, his dad is more discreet and prudent, because he is an adult. He is affectionate with his boy, and is very assertive when it is needed. He does not tell Nick more than what is necessary about the trip, to avoid making him nervous. This is observed when he says, “there’s an Indian lady very sick” [p. 12, l. 14] which is a pedagogic way of explaining to a child that a woman is in labour and is having lots of pain. He is addressed as “the doctor” by all characters in exception of his son, who just calls him dad. There is no direct description of his physical or personal characteristics; but judging from the way he cares about Nick and the way he speaks to his brother makes one interpret him as a white middle-aged man. There is no sign of Nick’s mother, and no female figure is mentioned by the father or by the son. The doctor seems to be very self-confident, something that he exaggerates and turns it to arrogance.
In “Indian Camp”, one of the possible themes is fatherhood. Nick’s father teaches nick a lot during the trip about birth, which is seen when he says, “You see, Nick, Babies are supposed to be born head first but sometimes they’re not. When they’re not they make a lot of trouble for everybody. Maybe I’ll have to operate on this lady. We’ll know in a while” [p.2 l. 25].
Nick is a humble, sweet, and empathic boy who is introduced to the truths that one can find in life. He sees the world from a perspective that diverges with the perception that adults have of life. He has no worries at all, except knowing the destination of the trip they so suddenly had to make, and no responsibilities. The author does not concede Nick any special privileges other than the fact that his father accompanies him.
He could be considered to be a bit naive, which sometimes is a consequence of innocence.
In contrast to Nick, his dad is more discreet and prudent, because he is an adult. He is affectionate with his boy, and is very assertive when it is needed. He does not tell Nick more than what is necessary about the trip, to avoid making him nervous. This is observed when he says, “there’s an Indian lady very sick” [p. 12, l. 14] which is a pedagogic way of explaining to a child that a woman is in labour and is having lots of pain. He is addressed as “the doctor” by all characters in exception of his son, who just calls him dad. There is no direct description of his physical or personal characteristics; but judging from the way he cares about Nick and the way he speaks to his brother makes one interpret him as a white middle-aged man. There is no sign of Nick’s mother, and no female figure is mentioned by the father or by the son. The doctor seems to be very self-confident, something that he exaggerates and turns it to arrogance.
In “Indian Camp”, one of the possible themes is fatherhood. Nick’s father teaches nick a lot during the trip about birth, which is seen when he says, “You see, Nick, Babies are supposed to be born head first but sometimes they’re not. When they’re not they make a lot of trouble for everybody. Maybe I’ll have to operate on this lady. We’ll know in a while” [p.2 l. 25].