How Did Ernest Hemingway Use Masculinity?

Ernest Hemingway’s writing was often influenced by his own life. During his life Hemingway struggled with his masculinity. In his Nick Adams stories the theme of masculinity is explored. Nick, like Hemingway, struggles with the constant need to be masculine. In these stories, Nick avoids the topics of his future and the war because of his need to be masculine. These topics inspire fear and the feeling of inferiority in Nick and masculinity includes neither fear nor inferiority. This is prominently featured in “The End of Something,” “The Three Day Blow,” “Cross-Country Snow,” “Big Two-Hearted River: Part 1,” and “Big Two-Hearted River: Part 2.” In the short story “The End of Something,” Nick avoids his future with Marjorie by ending their relationship. Nick accuses Marjorie of being a know-it-all, which annoys him and causes him to feel inferior to her. He also fears his future with her because he believes that settling down with her will cause him to miss out on the adventure he …show more content…
While Nick and George are making conversation after skiing, a pregnant waitress causes Nick to think about what his future holds for him back in the states. When they both see the waitress George steers the conversation toward what the future holds for Nick with Helen being pregnant. Nick avoids this topic with discomfort evident in his tone; George asks if Nick will go back to the states, he gives an unenthusiastic “I guess so” as an answer. Nick avoids this topic because he doesn’t want to leave the fun Switzerland has to offer him and he fears his responsibility to Helen. He views settling down with Helen as emasculating to him because he feels he will be stripped of the life he has in Switzerland. He views skiing as a masculine act he will never be able to fulfill once he goes back to the states. He fears that settling down with Helen will take away parts of his