Schema

Schema

Schema is the experiences that the reader brings to the story. Ernest Hemingway’s “Indian Camp” tapped into the schema of the reader. While reading this story I was touched by many of Nick’s experiences because of my own past.

The first thing that touched my resources of memory was going with simply Nick being on an outing with his father. I recall many trips with my father. We went fishing as much as possible, because my father knew that was my favorite pastime. I was also proud when my father allowed me to be his “helper” even when it probably meant more work for my father. Nick went with his father, a physician, to assist an Indian with a difficult delivery. However, Nick did not seem very enthusiastic about being a helper with the delivery.

The birth of the Indian baby also brought back tender memories of my own children’s births. Some pictures will never leave your mind. The pain and joy of a birth is hard to capture. I cannot imagine witnessing an easy birth at such a young age, but to witness a cesarean section without any pain medicine would have been a very difficult thing to process to someone of any age. This definitely aged Nick quite a bit.

Unfortunately, the Indian father’s suicide also brought back memories. I have a dear friend who has attempted suicide several times; fortunately, he has not succeeded. Suicide is a terribly painful thing which effects everyone that the suicide victim touched during their life. Suicide can even effect strangers who just read about it or hear it on the news. Nick was changed forever with the witness of this event. I think that the pain of his baby being born was too much for the Indian to handle.

Ernest Hemingway captured both life and death in “Indian Camp.” He took the reader on a journey through Nick’s visit to an Indian Camp where Nick’s father took him to an Indian camp in order for him to experience childbirth, but Nick also witnessed the suicide of the father of the baby. In the beginning of the story, Nick was very childlike. He sat close to his father in the canoe. However, by the end of the story, Nick was distant and more closed. On the trip home, he sat away from his father in the canoe. We are forever changed by our experiences. I was changed by my trips with my father, the birth of my children, and my friend’s suicide attempts. Nick was changed by these same things.

References

Sipiora, Phillip. “Indian Camp.” Reading and Writing about Literature. Pearson
Education, Inc, 2002. 28-31.

Skeletons in the Closet

Skeletons in the Closet

Everyone has skeletons in their closets – something they have done which they are not proud. In “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charlie’s plans go awry because of his past life which he had left behind. Fitzgerald brings the reader the feelings which Charlie experiences throughout his writing. The reader experiences Charlie’s anxiety over approaching Marion about his daughter’s residency, joy over Marion’s decision to allow Honoria to reside with him, and his despair when Marion rescinded her decision regarding Honoria’s residency.

When the story opens, Charlie returns to Paris after deciding that he wants his daughter, Honoria, to live with him. Honoria has been residing in the home of Charlie’s sister in law and her family. Charlie’s a widower and feels responsible for his wife’s death. He is very anxious because he does not think that his sister in law, Marion will concede to Honoria residing with him. Marion also believes that Charlie is responsible for her sister’s death. Charlie had to convince Marian that he had changed his meandering ways and no longer went out drinking. The meeting with Marion was extremely tense; however, she did agree to consider the proposition.

Marion’s decision to allow Honoria to live with Charlie brought great joy to him and Honoria. They were both bubbling over with excitement. Unfortunately, the excitement was short-lived. Charlie’s former drinking buddies paid a visit to him while at Marion’s home. His friends had not reformed their lifestyle, as Charlie had. They were trying to convince Charlie to go out with them. Because of their intrusion, Marion rescinded her decision to allow Honoria to live with him. This left Charlie in deep despair. Although in his mind he still wanted to attempt to move Honoria into his home, he returned to his past watering holes.

Fitzgerald captured this roller coaster ride of emotions as Charlie experienced them. The reader could easily feel apathy for his gain and loss. The past has a way of catching up with everyone at some point no matter how fast they run from it. Once a person travels in unsavory circles, their peers try to keep them at their level. They view improvement as insult to their own lifestyles. People should guard their reputations as well as their actions in order to avoid it catching up with them.

References

Sipiora, Phillip. “Babylon Revisited.” Reading and Writing about Literature. Pearson
Education, Inc, 2002. 6-19.