Big Two-Hearted River Essay

Big Two-Hearted River is a two- helping short tosh by Ernest Hemingway about a returning passs fishing trip. The chronicle is composed entirely out of description of what Nick Adams, the protagonist and totally character in the chronicle, is doing while on his fishing trip. Although it is not explicitly stated in the short story, it can be inferred that Nick Adams is a war veteran returning to his hometown to try to enjoy his life as he used to before the war.The story may seem null at first and may appear as mere descriptions of all action and models of the character, but a closer look would reveal that the story is like an iceberghiding the majority of what the author is really severe to say. Deciphering the Story A good deal of reading between the lines would have got to be d champion in interpreting Hemingways short story, for a casual, non-critical reader would not find any meat in the narration of the story. The short story suffers from excessive amounts of descrip tion.Every detail of the environment and actions is describe vividly. Hemingway does this so much in the story to the point that it al approximately gets boring. Yet, below the surface of the descriptions lies the storys significance. The whole thing about describing in excess may have been intentional. Hemingway may have intended this to file how distracted the mind of Nick isNick is unable to focus on anything except to react on what is upon him. Probably, the only time when he has thought of an idea outside of fishing is when he recalls his memories of Hopkins.He could remember an communication channel about it with Hopkins, but not which side he had taken (Hemingway 4). The part where Nick thinks about Hopkins show clues that they have been to the war. Hopkins went away when the telegram came. That was on the Black River. It took eight days for the telegram to reach him. Hopkins gave away his 22caliber Colt automatic pistol to Nick (Hemingway 5). The telegram that Hopkins rec eived was credibly a telegram saying that he has been drafted in the army, like most men of proper age during the war. Hopkins probably died in the war because they neer saw him again.Symbolism in the story best describes the hidden meaning of the short story. The grasshoppers Nick found symbolize the soldiers and their condition during the war. The grasshopper was foulThey were all blackthey had all turned black from living in the burned-over land (Hemingway 2). The black grasshoppers symbolize the soldiers who all wear the same uniform, and when they returned home, they either find out that their towns have been decimated or they have been per humankindently marred by the traumas of the war, or if they are unlucky enough, both.Nick said to one of the grasshoppers clinging on to his sock, Fly away somewhere (Hemingway 2). It symbolizes what Nick is actually doing at the riverhe is trying to escape the traumas of the war. One particular line in the story symbolizes the condition of the soldiers at war. They flew when they hopped. At first they made one flight and stayed stiff when they landed, as though they were dead (Hemingway 5). The grasshoppers represent the soldiersoldiers are flown in battle, but the horrors of war shock them.Conclusion The story appears to be nothing but a description of what a man is doing in his fishing trip, but like an ice berg, about 90% of its mass, or in this case, meaning, is not seen because it is hidden beneath the narration. Only curtail clues and close reading of the text would reveal the rest of story that gives it significance. nominate Cited Hemingway, Ernest. The Big Two-Hearted River. Olearyweb. com. 28 Apr. 2009 .