The Iceberg Theory Of Omission

The “Iceberg theory” or also referred to as the “theory of Omission” by Ernest Hemingway in my opinion should be the base or goal when writing a short story. The “iceberg theory” refers to when you look at an iceberg we only see the tip, the rest of the iceberg is under water and is massive in size. That’s how a short story should be written. Only writing what is key. Having the reader interpret one eight of the story and the other seven eights for the writer to present his work. Hemingway’s theory of Omission says; if a writer has enough knowledge and understanding of the topic he/she is writing about, they should get their point across in the simplest manner. When omission is present in the writer’s story, this gives the reader a chance to

Manny of those stories I believe use Hemingway’s “iceberg theory” or also referred to as the “theory of omission”. One story that uses Hemingway’s technique is “The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman came from her own life experience. The story first came out in the New England Magazine in 1891. A Boston physician criticized the story saying “Such a story ought not to be written, he said; it was enough to drive anyone mad to read it” (Pg#309). Charlotte Perkins said that “For many years I suffered from a server and continuous nervous breakdown tending to melancholia—and beyond (pg#309). That is what let her to write the story “Yellow

The reader can make this assumption from the quote, “John is a physician” (pg#:297), “My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing” (pg#:297). The story opens with them going off to vacation home for the summer that is described as “A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate” (pg#:297). This shows us that the characters somewhat live a “posh” life. Another example of the iceberg technique is when teeth marks on bedstead are discovered. This foreshadows the narrators own insanity and perhaps hinting that the narrator is not revealing everything about her behavior. When the narrator say “John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that”. (Pg#:297) We are directed to believe that her husband does not hold her opinion and ideas to a high concern. The narrator is seen as childish from John’s point of view. He talks and treats her as he in fact is talking to a child, which she despises him for doing that. In the end we are left to our imagination to take over. We don’t know what happens to the narrator or John. This omission in story gives the reader a chance to see things from their own perspective and interpret the story in their own