Comments on: Hemingway’s "Indian Camp"

By: -(--(-[C]urtiS-)--)-

-(--(-[C]urtiS-)--)- — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:52:00 +0000

i think uncle groege raped the indian woman and then the other indians all know, thats why they laughed at him

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:25:00 +0000

You can find some more views on "Indian Camp" in Comments on Hemingway's "Indian Camp."

By: Hanan

Hanan — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:23:00 +0000

i read the story & i think that it assest many points & themes & it depends to how any reader may understand & interpret the story

i think we have the idea of mortality,& the cultural diferences between the white & the black americans & i think the husband sacrify byhimself to bring praise to his born baby his death symbolise his courage to rebell on the recism done by the whites

By: Stevenson Class

Stevenson Class — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:22:00 +0000

As to your Uncle George issues, my class would like to say, the bite, well, is a bite, she is in pain. Also, the uncle says, “you damn squaw bitch” without a smile, implying that he is clearly upset. In addition, the native american culture values the sharing of a ‘pipe.’ And, Uncle George feels a greater connection with the Native American culture because he is the one that chastizes the doctor for being so callous.

My class thinks your wrong.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:22:00 +0000

I find it interesting that anyone can say definitively that someone else’s interpretation of a piece of literature is “wrong.” How arrogant.

Much of what I admire about Hemingway is that he is anything but didactic: we have to work as readers to attempt to use all the evidence to figure out what happened in the story. Mr. Stevenson, your class’ interpretation is interesting, but it seems to ignore some of the evidence, specifically the ostensible suicide of the Indian woman’s husband, Uncle George’s handing out cigars, and Uncle George’s disappearance. If we are to see your class’ interpretation as right, it will have to account for all the evidence.

The “greater connection” is a good point, but I wonder if more cannot be read into that? Thanks for your comments, and keep reading.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:21:00 +0000

I have some different understanding of this “Indian Camp”.I have read some commentaries on this short story online,and most of them are about the Indian husband killed himself because he could not bear the pain of his wife,and he thought it was his fault, or because the white surgeon,Dr.Adams,said “her screaming is not important”,this is a sign of thoughless racism.But can this understanding of mine hold water? American Indians are very brave,we have no doubts on this point,and this Indian husband should not kill himself so easily.His wife,had suffered hard labor for more than two days,and her screaming had troubled the whole camp a lot,”All the old women in the camp had been helping her.The men had moved off up the road to sit in the dark and smoke out of the range of the noise she made…” Her husband,would feel sorry for the whole camp for this,and this might affect his baby’s future.The father died,or rather,killed himself,shortly before his baby was born,this is an exchange of life,death to birth,and he used this way to bring honor for his baby.We can’t deny that his way of committing suicide,by using a razor to cut his own throat from ear to ear,little by little, without making any sound,and no one was even aware of what he did at all,how much pain he had to bear for doing this? Isn’t his way very brave? If he died bravely,his baby would not be looked down on by the camp.

About Uncle George,I understand in this way.I don’t know whether he had an affair with the Indian woman or not,but I understand in this way:Nick,his father,and Uncle Georges,can be taken as “Holy Son,Holy Father,and Holy Ghost”.

I am not sure if my understanding has some reason or not,so please heip me.

By: Neil

Neil — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:20:00 +0000

Well, I think that the references to light and dark are directly proportional to the amount of tension in the setting. And I think that I could at least argue my point if it weren’t for the line at the end of the passage talking about the sun rising. Any advice?

By: Chase

Chase — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:20:00 +0000

The light and dark is a direct reference to Nick’s Ignorance and enlightenment. At the begining of the story, it is dark, and everytime Nick has an epiphany, there is a light in the stroy. At the end of the story, in Nick’s return from the Indian Camp, the sun is up, signifying Nick’s new found enlightenment on the subjects of Death, Cowardess, and Morality.

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:20:00 +0000

What are the signifigance of some of the characters’ sexist views in the story?

By: Neil

Neil — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:19:00 +0000

What are the refrences to light and dark in this passage symbolic of, if anything