Like Father Like Son?
“Fathers and Sons” from Hemingway’s “Nick Adams Stories” was one of my favorite short stories written by Hemingway that we read. It is interesting to see what Nick thinks about his father while he’s driving to go quail hunting with his son. It is also a bit pathetic that he forgets that his son is in the car with him. It is interesting when Nick says that he cannot write about his father because too many people are still alive who know him, but he goes on the describe his father as a nervous, sentimental, cruel, and abused man who died in a trap. Hemingway wrote “The Nick Adams Stories” as somewhat of an autobiography. Hemingway’s father committed suicide, much like Nick’s did. Nick’s father had an influence on his life that Nick received as both a good and bad influence. There are times when he is grateful that his father taught him how to hunt and fish, he even tells his son that his dad (Nick’s dad) is a better shot than he (Nick) is. However, there were a couple of peculiar things about Nick’s father. Most noticeable was his gross misconception and depravity about what sex is. Nick realizes this because at one point in his youth he was hooking up with Trudy, a lot. Despite his father’s advice that masturbation leads to blindness and the other ridiculous things that he says, Nick still cares deeply for his father.
Reading this short story made me think about what I would tell my future son what his grandfather was like, if he never has the chance to meet him. The good thing is that I would not have to suppress bad memories about my father from my son. My father, like Nick’s, taught me how to both hunt and fish. When it comes to hunting, I am a pretty good shot however my father is better than I am. He instilled in me a love of music, as he was a Director of Instrumental Music for 36 years. He taught me how to properly tie a “Full Windsor” when wearing a tie. I would tell my son that my father had deep blue eyes that instantly gained trust and that he was a hard worker and passed that on to me. That’s what I would say.
It definitely is an interesting thought to think about how you will tell your kids about their grandparents if they don't have the chance to meet. I also thought that Nick and his father had a better relationship than Nick actually remembers in the car ride. I do agree however, that when if I were to tell my kids what their grandparents were like, only flattering words would come out of my mouth.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, I'll also be able to tell my kids how great my father was. The interesting thing to think about when reading this story is what one would tell their son if their father were as harsh and abusive as Nick's father. I don't know if I could bring myself to tell my son how horrible his grandfather was if I were put in such a situation. I think I'd probably do as Nick did and focus on the good, however difficult that may be.
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