What Is Nick's Transition From Indian Camp To Big Two-Hearted River

From Indian Camp to Big Two-Hearted River: Part I by Ernest Hemingway, Nick Adams undergoes a dramatic transformation from a naive, thoughtful young boy to a ragged, worn-torn man. In Indian Camp, Nick accompanies his father and uncle to an Indian village where his father must help a woman give birth. Nick’s father attempts to teach Nick about his work as a doctor and the ideal male behavior because he wants Nick to follow in his footsteps as Nick comes of age. In Big Two-Hearted River: Part I, Nick returns to his hometown, which seems abandoned and run down, from war. War changes Nick’s perception of his town and the world, as Nick is no longer the same carefree and sensitive boy he was in Indian Camp. Nick’s transition from boy to man is immense as he goes from being an immature boy, educated and mentored by his father, to a war veteran who has traveled around Europe and has gained freedom and worldliness.

In Indian Camp, Hemingway portrays Nick as an innocent and sensitive young boy who is being taught about masculinity and white male behavior from his father and uncle. At the beginning of

With his last question, Nick confronts the idea of death by asking his father, “is dying hard” (70). Nick’s innocence and his still pure personality are portrayed by these questions, which his now silent, masculine father does not seem to want to entertain. Nick then says, “he felt quite sure that he would never die” (70). Nick’s immaturity is again depicted here, as he does not have a full grasp on the concept of death being inevitable. Throughout the short story, Nick’s father is focused on teaching Nick about being a doctor and having a strong sense of masculinity. Nick remains a naïve boy with an undeveloped personality though because he does not share his father’s interests and has not had many eye opening experiences, having been sheltered by his