Discussion starters
- Smith tells us that this story was the last of the collection to be written (with the exception of "Smyrna," which we have already noted), yet Hemingway chose to put it here, rather than at the end, where he originally placed it ("Big Two-Hearted River" came after "Three-Day Blow" in this arrangement). What benefit is gained from placing the story at this point in the collection?
- Several critics have suggested that this is a story of sexual awakening for Nick, that the central revelation of Ad's reported incest and Ad's relationship with Bugs are what awaken Nick to the ugly things of the adult world. Is this a sexually oriented story?
Critical Sources:
- Benson, Jackson J., ed. The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: Critical Essays. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 1975. On reserve.
- Gerogiannis, Nicholas. "Nick Adams on the Road: 'The Battler' as Hemingway's Man on the Hill." In Benson 176-88.
- Reynolds, Michael S., ed. Critical Essays on Ernest Hemingway's In Our Time. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1983. On reserve.
- Smith, Paul. A Reader's Guide to the Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1989. On reserve.