30 pages • 1 hour read
Big Two-Hearted River
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Symbols & Motifs
The River
The river symbolizes a place of healing and regeneration for Nick. It represents purity, renewal, and a return to the basic elements of life. While the town of Seney and the surrounding landscape have been destroyed by fire, the river remains. Nick’s simple recognition, “The river was there” (Paragraph 2), suggests that, to him, the river represents that which is eternal and endures even as everything else seems to fall into chaos. Like the Christian ritual of baptism, Nick’s immersion in the river signifies his attempt to cleanse himself of the emotional wounds caused by war and reconnect with a simpler, more peaceful existence.
Kingfisher
A bird is traditionally a symbol of spiritual ascent, to be able to rise above temporal thoughts and cares. This specific bird is notable for its ability to dive beneath the surface of the water in pursuit of fish. This is a metaphor for what Nick needs to do to heal his trauma: He must go down into his unconscious to retrieve the memories hidden there so he can be whole. The kingfisher may also be an allusion to the medieval Arthurian story of the Fisher King. The Fisher King is the last king tasked with guarding the Holy Grail. The king has a wound that leaves him sick and his lands barren. Unable to do much else, he spends his time fishing while awaiting a knight who can heal him by going on a quest. Like the Fisher King, Nick has seen the land laid waste and is left with a deep psychological wound. He spends his time fishing, but in Nick’s case, the fishing may lead to healing.
The Burned Land and the Swamp
The burned-over land and the swamp bookend this narrative, the first a sad reminder of destruction, the latter a murky and unsettling emblem of Nick’s psyche. The black, sooty ruin of Seney represents the devastation of war and its effect on Nick’s well-being. The grasshoppers are covered with soot, much the same way that Nick himself is still covered with “soot” in the form of his painful memories from the war. His avoidance of the swamp suggests his reluctance to confront the darkest aspects of his past, to plumb the depths of his unconscious and confront the trauma that lies there.
Ritualistic Preparation of Camp and Fishing Gear
Nick’s ritualistic manner of setting up camp and his meticulous preparation of his fishing gear symbolize his attempt to regain control and establish order in his life. These actions serve as a form of therapy, providing structure and purpose amid chaos and uncertainty. Fishing serves as a metaphor for Nick’s internal journey. His careful and patient approach to fishing reflects his efforts to navigate his emotions and memories, seeking a sense of tranquility and stability.
The Trout
The trout that Nick catches can be seen as a metaphor for resilience and the elusive nature of healing. The trout’s struggle against being caught mirrors Nick’s own struggle for inner peace and stability. The fact that Nick releases the trout back into the river could symbolize his realization that some battles are not about conquest but about finding balance and letting go.
Nick’s Tent
Nick’s tent symbolizes a haven or a temporary sanctuary where he finds shelter from the outside world. It represents his attempt to create a space that is familiar and controlled, contrasting with the uncertainties and chaos he experienced during the war.
Two-Hearted River
To be two-hearted has a range of possible meanings, from “false heart,” or “deceitful,” to “ambivalent, or “conflicted” or even “bursting with emotion.” All of these make sense in the context of “Big Two-Hearted River.” On the one hand, Nick is desperately trying to keep his memories and emotions at bay. On the other hand, he has deeply conflicted feelings. People who survive a tragedy like war often experience “survivor’s guilt,” where they are at-once happy to have survived but feel guilty that they survived, and others did not. Finally, Nick seems to have intense emotions and feelings, perhaps another reason the story is called the Big Two-Hearted River.
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By Ernest Hemingway
