Hemingway Essay: Nick Adams Stories
For this essay, you are going to have to incorporate information from at least three of the
stories read in class AND at least two additional stories you read on your own.
Additional Stories may be chosen from the following:
- “The Old Man at the Bridge” (78-80) – comes after “Big Two-Hearted River”
- “The Doctor and the Doctor’s Wife” (99-103) – comes after “Indian Camp”
- “The End of Something” (107-111) – comes after “The Killers”
- “The Three-Day Blow” (115-125) – comes after “The End of Something”
- “The Battler” (129-138) – comes after “Three-Day Blow”
- “In Another Country” (267-272) – comes after “A Way You’ll Never Be”
Skim the stories and choose which two you think will best supplement your argument. You
must also include at least one literary criticism article – this can be one given to you in class
or one found on your own.
This will be a character analysis of Nick Adams. You’re not just tracing his developmental
stages, but also WHY he develops/grows/reacts the way he does. You need to consider his
motivations, values, beliefs and personality. Use your notes on the Code Hero and
Hemingway’s life as categories for your body paragraphs. Your thesis statement should
establish the hypothesis you will prove with quotes (Ms. Simonds LOVES those!) and
inferences!
Tips:
-
Remember to start general with your intro paragraph and move into the specifics of
your argument.
Make sure you include multiple examples to prove your assertions. Don’t rely on
isolated incidents.
Remember to use MLA format for your heading, font and all quotes. Include a works
cited page for your sources.
Grade Requirements:
- To be considered for an A
o Intro, 4 body paragraphs, conclusion
o Examples from 2 additional stories and 3 assigned stories
o One lit crit article used
o Works Cited
- To be considered for a B
o Intro, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion
o Examples from 1 additional story and 3 assigned stories
o Works Cited
- To be considered for a C
o Intro, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion
o Examples from 3 assigned stories
o Works Cited
Remember, this is to be CONSIDERED for a grade, that doesn’t mean you’ll get it!!
Ideas….
Topic Suggestions
Possible Essay Maps
Thesis Ideas
Nick Adams’ development
Child, adolescent, adult
Nick as a reflection of
Hemingway’s experiences
Death, violence, fear
Nick as an apprentice who
becomes an exemplar
The problems Nick has
suffered and overcome
Death, loneliness, nada
Nick Adams grows from a
child, to an adolescent, to an
adult as a result of…
Hemingway used writing
stories about Nick Adams
to…
Nick Adams must struggle
against and overcome…
Nick Adams becomes an
exemplar because…
Hemingway is not as strong
as Nick Adams
Nick as the Code Hero
Nick Adams in an imperfect
Code Hero
Passivity, dependence on sex
and alcohol, inability to stop
thinking
Cowardice, insanity, suicide
Participates in life and seeks
challenges, endures suffering
and displays grace under
pressure
Cannot overcome inability
to stop thinking, struggles
against nada, displays grace
under pressure
Unlike Hemingway, Nick
Adams refuses to surrender
to nada, so his life does not
end in dissolution…
Because Nick Adams follows
the Code Hero, he becomes
an exemplar who…
Nick may not overcome his
fear of insanity or cowardice,
but he always…