Mitchell Tuck
Amy Johnson
LITR221
October 30, 2015
Critical Analysis of Big Two-Hearted River
Nature does a great job healing the mind and soul. Nick shows his connection with nature as he hikes away from civilization. Hemingway shows Nick’s connection with nature by sending him on a camping trip. Nick is a veteran returning from war suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The camping trip helps to heal nicks mind and soul. Nick returns to Michigan from World War I. Nick suffered from both physical and mental injuries during the war. Nick is seeking a way to heal himself. After he returns home he finds that his home town has burned down. Nick was returning home to heal himself with the rehabilitating nature of his green, full of life home town, by the river. Nick’s journey to self-healing starts here. He is searching for a way to put the war behind him, and bring himself back to a healthy emotional state. Nick feels he needs to separate himself from the rest of the world to accommodate this healing.
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He knew where he was from the position of the river."(Hemingway 1925) Nick did not need to plan out his route. Nick needed the freedom provided without using the map. He is able to be one with nature, and use nature’s healing properties. "He had made his camp. He was settled. Nothing could touch him. It was a good place to camp."(Hemingway 1925) This shows how happy Nick is when he makes his camp. After camp was made Nick proceeded to make his dinner; however, he choose to make it simple, because he is trying to return to the simpler ways of life. He hopes this simple life will relieve his stress and memories. After dinner Nick wanted coffee. This lead to him remembering his friend Hopkins. These past memories of friendship went a long way to help his mental health. It helped to show Nick that everything in his past was not