In the "Indian Camp"
What does Nick's father think of women in this extract?
Insignificant compared to men
Does this extract explicitly portray women?
No
Did Hemingway impact the gender roles in the US?
Yes
What was the primary traditional role of women?
To bear children, cook, clean etc.
In which part of the short story does Nick's father show that he believes women are insignificant?
'But her screams are not important. I don't hear them because they are not important.' or 'Ought to have a look at the proud father. They're usually the worst sufferers in these little affairs,'
Why doesn't this short story portray women?
The absence of women is extremely meaningful as the story takes place during the Spanish Civil War. This is typically a male-dominated field. --> War = male responsibility, Combat = male domain, Public duty = male role.
How did Hemingway impact the gender roles in the US?
He reinforced the idea that men could be vulnerable. This can be seen in 'The Old Man at the Bridge', where the old man can be seen to be incredibly remorseful, and expressively worrying about his 'pets'.
What was the primary traditional role of men?
To protect the family, earn money, fight for his country.
What does Hemingway's portrayal of women in this short story hint at?
He may have rather traditional views on women, or this is simply the norm in society at that specific time period (1920s-1950s)
What does this tell us about Hemingway's craft?
It shows us that while he may have introduced a drastically different approach to literature, in this short story specifically, he still applied the traditional gender roles at the time to his writing.
What does this say about Gender Roles?
Gender roles can always be manipulated and adapted to the changes in time, often influenced by role models in our world.
What did Hemingway think of the traditional gender roles in the US at that point in time?
He probably felt that the roles were far to rigid, and was suspected to be gender-fluid.