The Themes and Symbols of Ernest Hemingway's After The Storm
After The Storm: A Short Story by Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway was one of the most influential and celebrated writers of the 20th century. He is best known for his novels, such as The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, but he also wrote many short stories that showcase his mastery of prose and his exploration of themes such as war, love, death, courage, and masculinity.
After The Storm Ernest Hemingway.pdf
One of his lesser-known short stories is After The Storm, which was first published in 1932 in a collection called Winner Take Nothing. It is a brief but powerful tale that depicts the aftermath of a hurricane in the Florida Keys, where a diver named Harry Morgan searches for a sunken treasure on a wrecked ship. In this article, we will summarize the story, analyze its themes and symbols, examine its literary devices and style, and discuss its historical and biographical context, moral and ethical implications, critical reception and legacy.
Introduction
Summary of the story
The story begins with Harry Morgan waking up on his boat after a storm has passed. He sees that the coast guard has left the area, and he decides to take advantage of the situation by diving for a treasure that he knows is hidden on a sunken ship nearby. He has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, ever since he heard from a dying sailor that there was a fortune in gold coins on board the ship.
He puts on his diving suit and helmet, and lowers himself into the water. He finds the ship easily, as it is marked by a buoy. He enters the ship through a hole in its side, and makes his way to the captain's cabin, where he expects to find the treasure. He sees a skeleton lying on a bed, holding a revolver. He ignores it and searches for a metal box that contains the gold coins. He finally locates it under a pile of clothes, but as he tries to lift it, he realizes that it is too heavy for him to carry alone.
He decides to go back to his boat and get some rope to tie around the box. He leaves the cabin and swims towards the exit hole. However, as he approaches it, he sees another diver coming in. He recognizes him as Johnson, a rival treasure hunter who has been following him for months. He realizes that Johnson must have seen him dive and followed him to the ship.
Harry panics and tries to escape, but Johnson blocks his way. They struggle underwater, fighting for their lives. Harry manages to grab Johnson's knife and stab him in the chest. Johnson lets go of Harry and sinks to the bottom of the ship. Harry swims out of the hole and reaches his boat. He takes off his helmet and breathes fresh air.
He feels relieved that he has killed Johnson and secured his claim to the treasure. He thinks about how he will spend his money and how he will be rich and happy. He decides to go back to the ship and get the box with the rope. He puts on his helmet again and lowers himself into the water.
However, as he nears the ship, he sees something that horrifies him. The buoy that marked the ship has been cut off by someone else. The ship has drifted away from its original position due to the current. Harry has no way of finding it again. He has lost the treasure forever.
He swims back to his boat, feeling devastated and hopeless. He curses himself for being greedy and foolish. He realizes that he has wasted his life chasing a dream that was never meant to be. He thinks about how he has killed a man for nothing, and how he will have to face the consequences of his crime. He wonders what he will do with his life now. He feels empty and alone.
Themes and symbols
The story explores several themes that are common in Hemingway's works, such as:
The futility of human endeavors: Harry Morgan is a typical Hemingway hero, who pursues a goal with determination and courage, but ultimately fails to achieve it due to forces beyond his control. He represents the human condition of striving for something meaningful and valuable, but being thwarted by fate, nature, or other people. His quest for the treasure is symbolic of his search for happiness and fulfillment, but he ends up losing everything he has worked for and risking everything he has left.
The destructive effects of greed: Harry Morgan is driven by his greed for the treasure, which blinds him to the dangers and costs of his actions. He ignores the moral and legal implications of stealing from a sunken ship, killing a rival diver, and lying to the coast guard. He also neglects his family and friends, who depend on him for their livelihood. He sacrifices his integrity and humanity for a materialistic and selfish goal, which ultimately proves to be elusive and worthless.
The contrast between appearance and reality: The story contrasts the surface appearance of things with their underlying reality, creating a sense of irony and disillusionment. For example, the storm that Harry Morgan waits for seems to be a blessing, as it clears the coast guard from the area and gives him a chance to dive for the treasure. However, it turns out to be a curse, as it also causes the ship to drift away from its original location and makes him lose the treasure. Similarly, the treasure that Harry Morgan seeks seems to be a source of wealth and happiness, but it turns out to be a source of trouble and misery. It is also ironic that Harry Morgan kills Johnson for the treasure, but ends up losing both the treasure and his life.
The story also uses several symbols to convey its themes and messages, such as:
The storm: The storm represents the unpredictable and uncontrollable forces of nature that affect human lives. It also symbolizes the turmoil and conflict that Harry Morgan faces in his quest for the treasure.
The ship: The ship represents the past and its secrets. It also symbolizes Harry Morgan's hopes and dreams, as well as his downfall.
The treasure: The treasure represents Harry Morgan's greed and obsession. It also symbolizes his false sense of value and happiness.
The skeleton: The skeleton represents death and decay. It also symbolizes the fate that awaits Harry Morgan if he continues to pursue the treasure.
Literary devices and style
Hemingway is known for his distinctive style of writing, which is characterized by simplicity, clarity, precision, and economy. He uses short sentences, simple words, concrete images, and minimal description. He avoids using adjectives, adverbs, metaphors, similes, or other figures of speech. He relies on dialogue, action, and implication to convey meaning and emotion. He follows the principle of "showing" rather than "telling".
Some of the literary devices that Hemingway uses in this story are:
Foreshadowing: Hemingway uses foreshadowing to hint at what will happen later in the story. For example, when Harry Morgan sees the coast guard leaving the area after the storm, he thinks: "This was what he had waited for." This foreshadows that he will dive for the treasure soon. Similarly, when Harry Morgan finds the skeleton on the ship, he thinks: "He wondered how long ago it had been." This foreshadows that he will die soon too.
Suspense: Hemingway creates suspense by withholding information from the reader or delaying its revelation. For example, he does not reveal what Harry Morgan is looking for on the ship until he finds it. He also does not reveal who Johnson is until he confronts Harry Morgan on the ship. He also does not reveal what happens to the ship until Harry Morgan tries to find it again.
Analysis and interpretation
Historical and biographical context
The story was written and published in 1932, during the Great Depression, a period of economic crisis and social unrest that affected millions of Americans. Hemingway himself was experiencing financial difficulties and personal troubles at the time. He had moved from Paris to Key West, Florida, with his second wife Pauline Pfeiffer, where he struggled to find inspiration and motivation for his writing. He also suffered from various injuries and illnesses that affected his physical and mental health.
The story reflects Hemingway's own interest and experience in diving and treasure hunting. He had learned to dive in Cuba in 1928, and had explored several shipwrecks in the Caribbean Sea. He had also heard stories of sunken treasures from local fishermen and sailors. He was fascinated by the idea of finding a fortune under the sea, and he incorporated it into his fiction.
The story also draws on Hemingway's personal history and background. He was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1899, to a doctor father and a musician mother. He grew up in a conservative and religious environment, where he developed a love for nature and adventure. He served as an ambulance driver in World War I, where he was wounded and awarded a medal for bravery. He worked as a journalist for various newspapers and magazines, covering wars, revolutions, bullfights, and other events. He married four times and had three sons. He traveled extensively around the world, living in different countries and cultures. He wrote several novels and short stories that earned him critical acclaim and popular success. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 for The Old Man and the Sea, and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 for his overall contribution to literature. He committed suicide in 1961, after suffering from depression, alcoholism, and chronic pain.
Moral and ethical implications
The story raises several moral and ethical questions that challenge the reader's judgment and values. For example:
Is it right or wrong to steal from a sunken ship? Harry Morgan believes that he has a right to claim the treasure that he finds on the ship, as he considers it abandoned property that belongs to no one. He does not care about the legal or moral implications of his actions, as he thinks that he deserves the reward for his efforts and risks. However, one could argue that stealing from a sunken ship is wrong, as it violates the law of salvage, which states that anyone who recovers property from a shipwreck must report it to the authorities and share it with the original owners or their heirs. Moreover, stealing from a sunken ship could be seen as disrespectful to the dead, as it disturbs their resting place and robs them of their belongings.
Is it justified or unjustified to kill for a treasure? Harry Morgan kills Johnson for the treasure, as he sees him as a threat and a competitor who wants to take away what he has worked for. He acts in self-defense and survival instinct, as he thinks that Johnson would kill him if he had the chance. However, one could argue that killing for a treasure is unjustified, as it violates the sanctity of human life and the principle of nonviolence. Moreover, killing for a treasure could be seen as futile and foolish, as it does not guarantee success or happiness.
Is it wise or foolish to pursue a treasure? Harry Morgan pursues the treasure, as he sees it as a source of wealth and happiness that would change his life for the better. He is motivated by his greed and ambition, as he wants to have more than what he has. However, one could argue that pursuing a treasure is foolish, as it is based on a false sense of value and happiness that does not last or satisfy. Moreover, pursuing a treasure could be seen as dangerous and harmful, as it exposes one to risks and costs that outweigh the benefits.
Critical reception and legacy
The story received mixed reviews from critics when it was first published in 1932. Some praised Hemingway's skillful use of language Here is the next part of the article: and style, his ability to create suspense and irony, and his depiction of human nature and psychology. Others criticized his lack of plot development, his unrealistic dialogue, his excessive violence, and his moral ambiguity. Some also accused him of plagiarism, as they claimed that he had borrowed the idea of the story from a novel by Joseph Conrad called The Rover, which also features a diver who searches for a treasure on a sunken ship after a storm.
The story has been analyzed by various critics from different perspectives, such as semiotic, psychoanalytic, feminist, postcolonial, and ecocritical. Some of the issues that have been discussed are the meaning and function of the symbols in the story, the role of the narrator and his unreliability, the influence of Hemingway's biography and historical context on his writing, the representation of gender and race relations in the story, and the environmental implications of diving and treasure hunting.
The story has also been adapted into other media forms, such as a screenplay by A. E. Hotchner in 2001, which was published along with Hemingway's original story and a commentary by Hotchner. The screenplay follows the story closely, but adds some scenes and characters to flesh out the plot and provide more background information. The screenplay has not been produced as a film yet.
The story is considered one of Hemingway's minor works, as it is not as widely read or studied as his other stories or novels. However, it still demonstrates his skill as a storyteller and his influence as a writer. It also reveals some of his personal views and experiences that shaped his literary vision.
Conclusion
Main points and takeaways
In conclusion, After The Storm is a short story by Ernest Hemingway that tells the story of Harry Morgan, a diver who searches for a treasure on a sunken ship after a storm. He finds the treasure but loses it when the ship drifts away due to the current. He also kills a rival diver who tries to take the treasure from him.
The story explores several themes that are common in Hemingway's works, such as the futility of human endeavors, the destructive effects of greed, and the contrast between appearance and reality. The story also uses several symbols to convey its themes and messages, such as the storm, the ship, the treasure, and the skeleton.
The story showcases Hemingway's distinctive style of writing, which is characterized by simplicity, clarity, precision, and economy. He uses short sentences, simple words, concrete images, and minimal description. He avoids using adjectives Here is the final part of the article: Recommendations for further reading
If you enjoyed reading After The Storm, you might also like to read some of Hemingway's other short stories that deal with similar themes and topics, such as:
The Snows of Kilimanjaro: This story tells the story of Harry, a writer who is dying of gangrene in Africa. He reflects on his life and his failures as a writer and a person.
The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber: This story tells the story of Francis Macomber, a wealthy but cowardly American who goes on a hunting safari in Africa with his wife and a professional hunter. He faces a crisis of courage and masculinity when he encounters a wounded lion.
The Killers: This story tells the story of Nick Adams, a young man who witnesses two hired killers who come to a diner to kill a former boxer named Ole Andreson. He tries to warn Ole, but finds him resigned to his fate.
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place: This story tells the story of two waiters who observe an old man who drinks alone at their cafe late at night. They discuss his loneliness and their own views on life and death.
Hills Like White Elephants: This story tells the story of an American man and a woman who are waiting for a train at a station in Spain. They have an indirect and tense conversation about whether or not to have an abortion.
You might also like to read some of Hemingway's novels that explore similar themes and topics, such as:
The Sun Also Rises: This novel tells the story of Jake Barnes, an American journalist who is impotent due to a war wound. He travels with a group of expatriates from Paris to Spain, where he is in love with Lady Brett Ashley, a beautiful but promiscuous woman who loves him but cannot be with him.
A Farewell to Arms: This novel tells the story of Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver who serves in the Italian army during World War I. He falls in love with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse who is pregnant with his child. They try to escape the war and find happiness together, but face tragedy and loss.
For Whom the Bell Tolls: This novel tells the story of Robert Jordan, an American teacher who volunteers as a dynamiter for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. He is assigned to blow up a bridge behind enemy lines, and meets Maria, a young woman who has been raped by the Fascists. He falls in love with her and tries to complete his mission.
The Old Man and the Sea: This novel tells the story of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman who has not caught a fish for 84 days. He goes out to sea alone and hooks a huge marlin that drags him far out into the ocean. He battles with the fish for three days and nights, and finally kills it. He tries to bring it back to shore, but it is attacked by sharks that eat most of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about After The Storm:
What is the significance of the title?
The title After The Storm refers to both the literal storm that causes the shipwreck and the figurative storm that Harry Morgan faces in his life. The storm represents both an opportunity and a challenge for Harry Morgan, as it gives him a chance to find the treasure but also exposes him to danger and disappointment. The title also suggests that there is always something that happens after the storm, whether it is good or bad.
What is Hemingway's iceberg theory?
Hemingway's iceberg theory is a literary technique that he developed and used in his writing. It is based on the idea that only a small part of an iceberg is visible above the water, while most of it is hidden below. Similarly, Hemingway only shows a small part of his story on the surface, while most of it is implied or suggested below. He leaves a lot of details, explanations, and emotions to the reader's imagination and interpretation. He believes that this way of writing makes his stories more powerful and realistic.
What is the moral of the story?
The moral of the story is that greed is a destructive and futile force that leads to unhappiness and ruin. Harry Morgan is driven by his greed for the treasure, which makes him ignore the law, morality, and humanity. He kills a man for the treasure, but loses it in the end. He realizes that he has wasted his life chasing a dream that was never meant to be. He learns that money cannot buy happiness, and that happiness comes from within.
What is the point of view of the story?
The point of view of the story is third-person limited omniscient. The narrator tells the story from Harry Morgan's perspective, but does not reveal his thoughts or feelings directly. The narrator only shows what Harry Morgan sees, hears, does, and says. The narrator also does not comment on or judge Harry Morgan's actions or motives. The narrator lets the reader form their own opinion and impression of Harry Morgan.
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