Essay Review: Indian Camp by Ernest Hemingway

The following sample essay on “Indian Camp” is a review of a short story written by Ernest Hemingway. The essay consists of questions and answers about the text.

What can we conclude from the story about conditions in the Indian camp?

In the Indian camp a woman is having hard time in labour for the past two days. When nick, his father and his uncle get there the woman is screaming in the bed and an old woman is helping her while her husband is smoking and is annoyed by the noise.

The conditions in the Indian camp seem unsanitary and the labour is difficult. There was no light and instead they were using lantern at night. That was one of the reason for masking the operation difficult and taking longer than it usually would take. We can conclude that the conditions in the Indian camp were harsh and difficult.

Why do you think the doctor said the womans screams are not important? Why didnt the doctor want to touch the blanket?

I think the doctor said the womans screams are not important because if he becomes emotionally detached it will help him to perform a difficult operation in an intense situation.

Also as a doctor he has seen other women go through the same pain. Thats why he took it as a normal reaction and focused more on the operation. Since the conditions were unhygienic the doctor asked for a hot water so he could sterelized his equipments before performing the operation.

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The doctor didnt want to touch the blanket because he had just washed his handsand he did not want to be contaminated.

What evidence do we have that the inhabitants of the camp are victims of marginalisation and racist attitudes?

The husband of woman did not want his baby to be operate by white man. When Dr. Adams tells that her screams are not important it shows he does not care about the woman, then the Indian husband in the upper bunk rolls over against the wall. The attitude and treatment of doctor towards the woman is an evidence of racist attitudes.

Why did the doctor take his son along to the camp? What caused him to regret this decision?

Doctor took his son along the camp because he wanted his son to have an experience. He wanted his son to learn and understand about some of lifes realities. When the doctor was performing the operation the husband takes his own life. Doctor tries to hide him from the sight but Nick was already standing form where had the clear view of the man. He regrated his decision because his son witnessed an unintentional death and the caesarean operation. Nick leaves the Indian camp shaking on the way he retreats into his dads arms.

How did the doctors mood change over the course of the experience? How does this affect the way he interacts with Nick?

At first when the doctor reaches camp he realises the camp is unhygienic. He tells an old women to boil the water and sanitises his equipments before performing the operation. He also find out the legs of baby is coming out first instead of head. When the doctor successfully delivers the baby he Is relaxed but right afterthat he finds out that the husband had killed himself which stresses the doctor as his son also witnesses the death.

What feelings in the reader does Hemingway generate around birth and death in this story? In what ways are birth and death connected in the way the story is written?

Birth and death can be connected in many ways as both of them are painful, bloody and brutal. The story establishes the similar feelings in the readers mind about birth and death. Delivering baby is painful and even more complicated in this case because the baby is born in breech position. Doctor operates with knife and without anesthestic making the pain extreme. When the operation is over the doctor finds out the husband killed himself his throat had been cut from ear to ear. The reason for his death is not specified but it is liked that the birth and death both are violent and painful.

From whose perspective do you think this story is told? How does this influence the way we, as readers, experience the story?

I think the story is told from third persons prespective. This influences the way we read because the point of view is limited to Nick because we see thingd through his eyes. The information about his feelings are unclear and we did not get direct inforamtions. But compare to othert characters in the story Nicks feelings and thoughts are mentioned more.