Analytical essay – Indian camp

Growing up is a part of life we all have to go through, in this particular part of life we learn a whole lot about us self. It is in that part of life we grow up and choose who we want to be and get our identity, and which path you want to follow. There are so many opportunities in this world and the act of choosing the right way makes you a more individual human being.

This is one of the key themes in the short story The Indian Camp by Ernest Hemingway. In the story we follow the main protagonist Nick on his way to an Indian camp with his father where they are going to help an Indian woman in the birth of her child. These events force Nick into his journey of adulthood.

The short story, Indian camp, revolves around a whole lot of things but most central is life and death, and part of the life cycle, is realising that death is real. And that is what Nick realises in his rite of passage. In the story we see Nick going from being an innocent child to being a more mature and open minded individual. We also see him opening his eyes, and realising that life is a lot more than just fun and games.

There are a lot of themes in the story, but some of them include; father and son relationship, and maybe more importantly the loss of innocence. Nick naturally wants to be a part of whatever his dad is doing, as well as showing an interest in the work the father does. The father also wants to give his child an insight, to what he’s doing, even when his job shows its harsher sides.
The theme loss of innocence is seen because Nicks finds out that life is not all sunshine and rainbows, as one would say. Nick experiences something that not all children experience, and that way his view of life is dramatically changed.

Nick: Is a curious young boy, 8-10 years of age, quite little sensitive, which is seen in the story when the father says Nick can look away if he wants to. Nick is the center of this story, Nick finds a lot of comfort in his father, and he certainly trusts him.

Father: Is a caring father, who loves his son, though he seems firm when it comes to his work life, he is a doctor. We get the feeling that it was the father who wanted Nick to come along with him. We see it that way because the father constantly explains what is happening, and also he tells Nick to look away if the whole ordeal becomes too much to.

Uncle George: It seems to us, the reader that Uncle George already has a relationship with the other Indians, since he gives them some cigarettes, and tells some jokes they. Also we get the feel, that he might be the father of the baby.

The young Indian: The young Indian seems to be at good friend to George, since they are chatting and joking while the birth is going on.

The father of the newborn baby: He kills himself at the end of the story. Why he does that might seem unclear at first, but we do have some suspicion. If we work with the theory that Uncle George is the father of the child, the father might have found this shameful.

The story contains a lot of details. Although the sentences are very short. It’s written in 3. Person, but also in a way from Nick’s point of view. There are a lot of hard words, but the text is written in a simple manner, and it can easily be understood, as long as your vocabulary is decent. Despite the simple text, there are still a lot of hidden secrets between the lines. The story certainly is not for children, because of the though themes and events.

It seems that Nick and his dad have a very good relationship, but we do experience some change in their relationship, because of the fact that they sat in two different boats on the way back home from the Indian camp.

The end of this story is quite shocking, and it leaves us with many questions unanswered. Like why did the man commit suicide? Why didn’t the lady react to that? Why is the father so cold-hearted, and reacts as if nothing happened? Or like it was something he expected? The story ends very openly, and with a lot more to be told.