Dear class,

Thanks for your work this week! As we look ahead, note two things on the horizon: 1) we’re moving into the 20th century next week, and 2) your Essay 1 deadline is approaching in early October.  I recommend spending at least 1 hour on starting the essay this weekend.

For the other 2 hours of prep time, read the Hemingway stories, blog (group 6) or comment, and review your class notes.  Instead of reading questions this time, I’m asking you to generate your own, based on the first few sentences of “Indian Camp”:

At the lake there was another rowboat drawn. The two Indians stood waiting.  Nick and his father got in the stern of the boat and the Indians shoved the camp boat off and got in to row Uncle George.

Write down some questions that these sentences raise, either about what happens in the rest of the story (e.g. the development of plot, setting, characters), or about Hemingway’s interests as a writer.  (Think about whether these sentences suggest thematic interests, or a particular style.)  Be prepared to discuss these questions at the beginning of class.  We will use this passage to discuss how to structure your analysis.

Blog instructions for Group 6:

1. Connect: Without giving too much away, “Indian Camp” involves representations of Native American characters.  compare “Indian Camp” to another story from the syllabus that features Native Americans, “Young Goodman Brown.”  What kind of attitude does each author take toward America’s historical treatment of indigenous peoples?  (Do they care?)

2. Create: imagine you’re Nick as a young adult, and you’ve just read either one of our Stephen Crane stories or one of the Kate Chopin stories.  Write a letter to your dad about how the story you’ve just read (“Story of an Hour”? “Men In The Storm”?) might you of what happened “that day at Indian camp.”  Don’t just refer to events, but to your emotions on that day.  Use quotations. As always with Create, include a brief explanation at the end.  The point here is to reflect on how Nick might resemble characters/personalities from the Crane or Chopin stories.

3. Clue: pick two quotations (other than the first few lines of “Indian Camp”) and explain how they offer a window into Hemingway’s signature style.  Explain why you think Hemingway chooses to leave certain details out, and include others.