Indian Camp Analysis Essay Example

man's suicide. The father suggests the man may not have been able to emotionally cope and Nick inquires if this is a common occurrence.

Despite Nick's inquiry about the difficulty of dying, his father denies permission. According to him, it is likely a simple process. Nick, the main character and roughly twelve years old, is his son, and like his father, he aspires to become a doctor.

Nick's experience as an intern is not enjoyable, even though he tells his father otherwise. During a woman's sewing procedure, Nick looks away and shows no interest in his work. This could be autobiographical since Hemingway's father was a doctor and he himself did not pursue the profession. To avoid disappointing his father and to prove his masculinity, Nick lies to him. Masculinity is a significant theme in the story where a typically female act of childbirth is turned into a male-dominated situation. The death of the male Indian affects Nick deeply.

The story depicts Nick's first brush with mortality. He queries his father whether suicide is a common occurrence and whether death is difficult. Despite his mature inquiries, Nick clings to a childlike belief that he will never perish. Such contradictions mark his journey from childhood to adulthood.