’s “Big Two-Hearted River” Essay, Research Paper
Nick and the River
by Kirk Wintermute
In Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Big Two-Hearted
River,” there are very few obvious relationships. But the
relationship that is most important to the story is that of the
main character, Nick, and the river itself. Nick’s feelings
towards the river extend beyond the banks and the waters to
its inhabitants. While Nick may not actually speak to the river
during the story, he does relate to it and show definite
feelings of contentment and fondness towards it throughout
the story.
As the story begins, Nick walks through the burned-out
town of Seney and immediately he approaches the river. As
he looks down on the water, Nick shows more emotion than
usual: “It was a long time since Nick had looked into a
stream and seen trout. They were very satisfactory.” While
Nick shows little to no emotion when he walks through an
entire town burned to the ground, he is rather moved as he
sees the trout in the stream: “Nick’s heart tightened as the
trout moved. He felt all the old feeling.”
Another instance where Nick’s feelings are expressed in
an uncharacteristic manner is when, after making camp on the
river, Nick awakens with excitement at the thought of going
fishing on his first day: “The river was clear and smoothly
fast in the early morning. Nick was excited. He was excited
by the early morning and the river.” This is out of character
for Nick, because he does not seem like the sort of person
who is easily excited at all. On the contrary, he seems to be a
generally sullen and unexcited type of person.
Also, fishing on the river appears to be one of the few
things in Nick’s life that makes him genuinely happy and
content. As he trods down to the river on his first day of
fishing on his trip, weighed down by all kinds of gear, from a
flour bag, to his fly rod, to a bottle of grasshoppers, Nick is
cheerful: “Nick felt awkward and professionally happy with all
his equipment hanging from him. The grasshopper bottle
swung against his chest. In his shirt the breast pockets
bulged against him with his lunch and his fly book.” Fishing
appears to be one of the few things in Nick’s life in which he
can take joy in.
In conclusion, Nick has very definite feelings of devotion
for the river. Nick has a chance to actually display his
emotions and perhaps to indulge in them when he is on the
river where he loves to be. Nick cherishes the river as a place
he can go to be isolated and be wholly content and happy.