Indian Camp Essay

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Indian Camp – essay Throughout the 20th century, many different writing techniques and styles were invented and used by the pioneers of the time for example Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway is especially known for using the iceberg technique, which distinguished itself from all other styles at the time. The technique got its name from the fact that most of an iceberg is hidden under water. This means that the iceberg technique hides several themes and symbols be-tween the lines of the text. Therefore, the reader has to dig deep into the text in order to interpret what Hemingway’s actual message is. Referring to “the theory of omission”, as this writing technique is also called, Ernest Hemingway once said, “If you leave out important things that you know about, the story is strengthened.” This is exactly what characterizes Indian Camp (1926). Details are deliberately left out and the dialogues are very essential when it comes to setting the mood in the text. Several themes and messages are hidden in the physical as well as the social settings. Hidden, like most of an iceberg under water. In the text Indian Camp it is never told that Nick and his father are related to the character Uncle George and furthermore it doesn’t emerge that they are actually white people. The reader assumes this, because Hemingway in his writing tells it to the reader, by using Uncle with George’s name. That is why Indian Camp is a great example of how Hemingway uses the Iceberg Technique. The idea of the technique is that you must write minimalistic and only reveal the most important infor-mation – for instance he disdained the wordiness of Victorian prose. He leaves only a bit of the sto-ry exposed to the reader so he must assume and conclude his or her own thoughts to make the story complete, “A writer should show only the tip of what may be a huge conflict” as Hemingway
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