Although it did not begin to receive a great deal of attention until the mid-1900s, the literary criticism of feminism has origins as far back as the 1700s. At the time, women were beginning to receive more attention for the work that they were doing. Feminism, as a literary theory, examines the ways that literature reinforces or combats the oppression of women in society as a whole. While examining how culture is inherently patriarchal, feminism looks to cement the importance of women into traditional literature. When viewed through a feminist lens, Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “The Three Day Blow,” explores the fact that masculinity and femininity are merely performances which people put on conceal their true feelings. Hemingway’s short
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The fact that he carries the wood while still holding his drink is greatly exaggerated, as if he were working extremely hard to complete this task. Nick “wished to show he could hold his liquor and be practical” (3). Being practical, in this case multi-tasking, is something that may be commonly affiliated with men. Nick emphasizes his efforts to be practical, as if acting in this way does not come naturally to him. Perhaps by doing this, Nick feels like he is acting in a manly way, thereby drawing attention away from a feminine side that he may be trying to hide from his …show more content…
At the beginning of the story, the coat is mentioned when Nick puts an apple in his pocket. Again, at the end, Nick “put[s] on his Mackinaw coat” before going hunting with Bill (5). Mackinaw coats are heavy jackets originally worn by American lumberjacks, a profession firmly associated with men. The inclusion of Nick’s Mackinaw coat could be a representation of a “coat” of masculinity that he puts on each time he goes out into public. When Nick removes his coat at the start of the story, he and Bill have a good time “[sitting] in front of the fire and [drinking] the Irish whiskey and water,” which is not the most masculine activity they could be doing (1). To act truly manly, Nick and Bill would have abandoned the cozy feeling of the fire and drank the whiskey hard. When Nick puts his coat back on to leave the cottage, however, it is to go hunting with Bill and his father, a past-time commonly reserved for men. Therefore, Nick’s Mackinaw coat serves as a representation for the masculine behavior that he desperately tries to display to
The fact that he carries the wood while still holding his drink is greatly exaggerated, as if he were working extremely hard to complete this task. Nick “wished to show he could hold his liquor and be practical” (3). Being practical, in this case multi-tasking, is something that may be commonly affiliated with men. Nick emphasizes his efforts to be practical, as if acting in this way does not come naturally to him. Perhaps by doing this, Nick feels like he is acting in a manly way, thereby drawing attention away from a feminine side that he may be trying to hide from his …show more content…
At the beginning of the story, the coat is mentioned when Nick puts an apple in his pocket. Again, at the end, Nick “put[s] on his Mackinaw coat” before going hunting with Bill (5). Mackinaw coats are heavy jackets originally worn by American lumberjacks, a profession firmly associated with men. The inclusion of Nick’s Mackinaw coat could be a representation of a “coat” of masculinity that he puts on each time he goes out into public. When Nick removes his coat at the start of the story, he and Bill have a good time “[sitting] in front of the fire and [drinking] the Irish whiskey and water,” which is not the most masculine activity they could be doing (1). To act truly manly, Nick and Bill would have abandoned the cozy feeling of the fire and drank the whiskey hard. When Nick puts his coat back on to leave the cottage, however, it is to go hunting with Bill and his father, a past-time commonly reserved for men. Therefore, Nick’s Mackinaw coat serves as a representation for the masculine behavior that he desperately tries to display to