In this fictional story by Ernest Hemingway, I would like to take part in focusing on several different parts of the story, according to the outline of the textual analysis of the plot.
Starting with the beginning of the story, we get a very good description of the exposition. By first introducing us to where the story is happening, with a quick subtle introduction of the characters. This is done by immediately starting the story with the characters doing an action. By the narrator saying, that Nick and his Father got in the stern of the boat.
Besides the narrator telling us that Nick, Uncle George and Nick´s father are in the boat, we also know of their heading in the very first conversation. This is heard when Nick asks his father where they are headed. The reply from Nick´s father also reveals why they are heading to the Indian camp.
At the Indian camp, we also get a clue of when and what time of the day the story is taking place. The clue can be found when the narrator mentions that a young Indian women is carrying a lantern. This probably means that it´s quite dark, perhaps even night-time. Although this is only an assumption and cannot be proven.
The first complication in the story begins with Nick´s father mentioning that they´re heading to a very sick Indian women. This lets us know what their objective is; letting us know that there will be one or several different conflicts when they arrive. The first complication starts in the beginning of the story, which is also a part of the exposition.
A couple of different crises dramatically escalate the situation, until the climax is reached. Most of the crises happens when Nick´s father performs the operation with Nick standing nearby. It is important to say that the crises in this story are mainly focused on Nick and his reactions to the operation, and less focused on the operation and the condition of the sick woman. Although the sick woman is still an important part of the story.
When all of the characters had entered the shanty, the first crisis appears. This is when Nick asks his father if it is possible to give the woman in labour some medicine, to stop her screaming. Unfortunately, the father did not have the required medicine and the screaming continues. Nick´s reaction to this does not seem positive as he feels sympathy for the screaming woman and wants her to stop screaming.
The next crisis in the story is to intensify the situation, this is when the father realised the baby was upside down in the mother, which creates another conflict with the baby being born.
When the sick woman bites Uncle George, he swears at the sick woman. This makes the situation even worse, meaning that others also take injury.
The last and the most dramatic crisis before the climax, is Nick´s reaction right after the child being born. Even though Nick is required to hold the basin for his father, he looks away every chance he gets. A good example could be when Nick´s father asks if Nick likes being an intern, with Nick answering he does, but showing the complete opposite by looking away.
Of course, this is a very confusing signal by showing two things at once, but despite Nick only being a child, it probably means that he is uncomfortable with the situation.
Before the climax is reached, the dramatic escalation takes a hold. This is noticeable as everybody in the shanty starts cleaning up after the birth.
The climax in the story is reached when Nick gets a good look of the dead husband. The father tips the dead Indians head back and Nick gets a clear view of the dead Indian husband. The dad’s first reaction is to get Nick out of the shanty, escorted by Uncle George.
The reason that this is the climax of the story, is that the story is about Nick´s experience during the labour. All of the crises leading up to the climax have the same thing in common, which is the dad approving Nick experiencing the labour. However, when the dad sees the dead husband, his first reaction is to get nick out of the shanty as quick as possible. This climax does not last for a very long time, but is crucial for Nick, as this changes him.
As an outcome of Nick experiencing a labour and a dead husband, Nick is definitely a dynamic character in the story. This can be read at the ending of the story, between the conversation Nick and his father has. In the conversation, the father apologies for bringing Nick along to see the dead husband. Many questions were asked, such as “Do many men kill themselves?” and “Is dying hard daddy?” All these questions are Nick’s focus, which leads to Nick almost feeling immortal. As Nick is now sure that it is very hard to die and death can only be accomplished, if you choose to kill yourself. This means Nick feels immortal at the very end of the story, where he sits in the stern of boat alone. This is comparable to the start of the story, where Nick sits with his father in boat, but this time with the fathers arm wrapped around Nick. Experiencing the dead husband has changed Nick to some degree.
The story is built up on two different themes. The first one being childbirth, as the subject of the story is helping a woman in labour. The whole childbirth situation leads up to the climax of the story.
The second theme in the story is fear of death. This is reflected on Nick thoughts and reactions in the story. At the ending of the story, Nick speaks out and asks questions. This is where we realise Nick is asking questions about death, which means that most of the story, Nick´s reactions and thoughts have been about fearing death.
The reason Ernest Hemmingway wrote this story is that he had fears that his own pregnant wife would not survive her labour. As due to the fact that Hemmingway was not present when his child was born, he had “overcome” himself with fear when he realised he would not make it back in time to assist his wife. From the experience of his own, he wrote the story “Indian Camp” a few months later.