A Man's Struggle to Heal Himself in Big Two-Hearted River
Ernest Hemingway's "Big Two-Hearted River"* is such a rich text that it has probably received more literary critical attention than many novels of several times its length. Hemingway's ardent use of intricate detail and his intentional, calculated use of short, simple sentences help to make "River" a treasure chest of critical ideas and possible interpretations. Historically, much of the criticism of "River" has examined the dark underlying themes of the story, such as the alleged omission of some preceding, devastating event and Nick's wounded spiritual and mental state. These sentences, such as "There was no town, nothing but the rails and the burned-over country," are representative of the abundance of similar language throughout the story and make it easy to understand why many critics focus on dark themes, devastation and mental instability. Without denying or dispelling any of the valid "dark" critiques, I intend to show that "River" may also be easily understood in a more positive light as an account of one man's struggle to heal himself by returning to what he knows and loves.
The intense detail that abounds within the story makes an easy job for the deconstructionist. The intricate descriptions of Nick's actions are susceptible to deconstructive criticism, as may be seen in James Twitchell's "The Swamp in Hemingway's 'Big Two-Hearted River." Twitchell focuses on the physical improbability of the swamp existing adjacent to the river as it is described in the story. A swamp is an area where the water moves very slowly, if at all; however, Nick describes the river as being lined with boulders, having a pebbly bottom, and "fast moving water" (209). Twitchell po...
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Hemingway’s narrative technique, then, is characterized by a curt style that emphasizes objectivity through highly selected details, flat and neutral diction, and simple declarative sentences capable of ironic understatements; by naturalistic presentation of actions and facts, with no attempt of any kind by the author to influence the reader; by heavy reliance on dramatic dialogue of clipped, scrappy forms for building plot and character; and by a sense of connection between some different stories so that a general understanding of all is indispensable to a better understanding of each. He thus makes the surface details suggest rather than tell everything they have to tell, hence the strength of his “iceberg.” His short stories, accordingly, deserve the reader’s second or even third reading.
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Regular soda is a drink that contains lots of sugar, man-made chemicals, and no nutritional value. An article states that “The calories in regular soda are coming entirely from added sugar, and you're not getting any value in terms of vitamins or minerals, or even good quality carbohydrate” (McMillian). This shows
" The Hemingway Review. 15.1 (Fall 1995): p. 27. Literature Resource Center -.
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The birth of Coca Cola began in May 1886 when the first coke formula was invented. It was invented by a pharmacist who lived in Atlanta, Georgia called John Pemberton as drink at soda fountains. The name of the drink “Coca Cola” was a suggestion given by Pemberton’s bookkeeper Frank Robinson (Bellis). Pemberton wanted his invention to bring him commercial success, however, Coke did not do well in its early years (Martin). The man died in August 1888. After Pemberton’s death, a business man named Asa Candler bought his formula for $2300 and rescued his Coke business (Bellis). In 1891, Candler became the sole owner of Coca-Cola (Martin). Coca-Cola became one of the most popular fountain drinks in America by the late 1890s (Bellis). However, Pemberton would never see this commercial success he had been looking for during his lifetime since his life ended in 1888 before Coca-Cola became popular. After the 1960s, soda fountains became less popular and coke began to be sold in bottles. On April 23, 1985, the “New Coke” formula was released (Bellis). The Coke we drink today is the “New Coke” that comes in bottles.
Baker, Sheridan. "Hemingway?s Two-Hearted River." The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: Critical Essays. Ed. Jackson, J. Benson. Durham: Duke UP, 1975. 158.
Through the characters' dialogue, Hemingway explores the emptiness generated by pleasure-seeking actions. Throughout the beginning of the story, Hemingway describes the trivial topics that the two characters discuss. The debate about the life-changing issue of the woman's ...
Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. Eds. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2010. 113-117. Print.
It has been a long time, the name Coca Cola can almost be regarded as a symbol of consumers’ culture of Americans and people around the world with its interesting history. With a history of over 100 years of existence, Coca Cola was first founded by pharmacist John Stithy Pemberton who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He created Coca Cola to be like a painkiller, healing to treat his war injury. S.Pemberton says “Coke also can cure headache, nervousness, depression and addictions.” As understood by the American people at that time, People believed that Coke is an oral drug. Meanwhile, Coke had a new face when the recipe of Coca Cola was completed by accident. A bar employee, Jacobs, confused the Coca Cola syrup and mixed it with soda water instead of ordinary recipe of John Stithy Pemberton and as the result, Jacobs corrected Pemberton's formula. Nowadays, Coca Cola brand is a top selling soft drink and everyone in the world loves it, but everything has two sides to it. Although Coke is the current popular beverage it still has harmful health risks if we consume too much.