Ernest Hemingway Coming Of Age Analysis

The great writer James joyce once said I think a child should be allowed to take his father 's or mother 's name at will on coming of age. Paternity is a legal fiction. This quote ties into the theme of Hemingway 's coming of age in Indian camp. The character nick is just a young boy who is forced by his father to go and watch an indian women give birth. This women had been screaming in pain for days while her husband sits and smokes his cigar saying derogatory things such as calling her a “squaw bitch”. This incident is not something a kid should be looking at . Showing examples of racism and sexism as well.

Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park Illinois. He had four wives which means for weddings. He also had three

Indian camp not only portrays examples of maturity and coming of age but also many examples of sexism. Women were below men during these times . For example one example of sexism in indian camp is when the woman cries out during birth in pain . Following the cry for help Nick asks his dad “oh daddy can 't you give her something to make her stop screaming”.Nick’s dad responds with “no i haven 't any anesthetic but her screams are not important”. This is very important because say nick was the one there lying in pain his dad would have done anything to help him. But of course since it is a women lying there in pain during these times they were not nearly as important as men were. The fact that there was no medicine around and this woman was having a painful birth is awful . Not to mention all the men around her enjoying there times smoking

Last but not least throughout Hemingway 's Indian camp a lot of racism occurs. The lady whom is giving birth in indian camp happens to be an indian women . She is discriminated against a lot not only by her own kind but especially by uncle George. For example when Nick 's dad starts to operate on the women Uncle George and then three indian men held the women still forcibly. She then bit Uncle George in the arm . And instead of comforting the women uncle George then proceeds to say “Damn Squa bitch”. This is a very derogatory term for san indian women. If the man was to lay there in pain Uncle George still would have said squaws because her is a racist.

Hemingway 's indian camp is a whole rollercoaster of examples of coming of age . racism . and sexism . The story can be portrayed in many different ways . For example coming of age of nick when he sees the birth at such a young age and does anything to help .Also sexism when the women is on the floor and the men are all smoking cigars and having a good time . Finally racism when uncle George calls the poor indian women a damn squaw bitch. Sadly Hemingway did wind up taking his own life by sticking a shot gun up to his chin and blowing his own brains out #RIP