The document discusses how Ernest Hemingway's "iceberg theory" is present in his short story "In Another Country". Hemingway's iceberg theory refers to using short, objective sentences on the surface but leaving deeper meanings unstated for the reader to interpret. In "In Another Country", Hemingway applies this technique to depict a soldier's disillusionment with receiving an undeserved medal and society's need to believe in things, even if untrue. Overall, the document analyzes how Hemingway uses concise yet open-ended statements in the story that convey different messages about society and the individual in line with his iceberg theory of writing.
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In another country
1. Rausell 1
Álvaro Rausell
English 10
Mr. Christian Prendergast
How is Hemingway’s iceberg theory present in “In Another Country”?
When reflecting about American literature, it is of paramount importance to
recognize the impact Ernest Hemingway had on it. Great part of that influence lays on his
postulate, known as the Iceberg Theory. This states that, in an iceberg, there are seven
eighths of it underwater, for only one part that is shown. This was applied by Hemingway
by making only objective, short sentences and leaving the rest to be interpreted by the
reader. In the story “In another country”, in which an injured soldier sees himself facing the
disillusionment of an undeserved merit, Hemingway applies this innovative technique to
give another dimension to his statements, opening for further reflection by the lector.
During the development of the plot, Hemingway applies his theory to mark the
disillusionment the narrator feels about his prized, but nonexistent exploits. The merits he
obtained were materialized in the form of a medal, which, for him, it was given “because
[he] was an American” (Hemingway), and he felt that “[he] was not a hawk, although [he]
might seem a hawk to those who had never hunted” (Hemingway). This remarks that he
never felt like a real soldier, as a hero, as he had not done anything to deserve such
nominations. Together with his undeserved merit, the Iceberg Theory emphasizes the
frustration towards the man who lost his face, as he received no medal because “he had not
been at the front long enough to get any medals” (Hemingway). This adds up to the subject
of merits because, in the end: who was a hero, who was not, and who decided that? The
2. Rausell 2
man who lost his face fled to South America as a banker, in order to rebuild his life. He lost
everything he had in Europe because of the war, and he was not recognized by the mere
fact that he did not battle for long enough. On the other hand, the narrator stayed at the
front, without any remarkable consequence except for the slight injury that would
eventually heal.
Apart from those specific cases, Hemingway also depicts general traits of society
with the use of his postulate. One such traits is shown in the beginning of the story, when
“[the] doctor went to his office in a back room and brought a photograph which showed a
hand that had been withered almost as small as the major's” (Hemingway). Although
nothing in the story proved the veracity of those images, they were still meant to give
confidence to the patients. This exposes the people’s need to believe in something, being
either true or not, to gain hope and feel everything will be fine. Another attribute of society
is their feeling of self-distrust towards the unknown, which is exhibited when the narrator is
exposed to learning Italian grammar. In that moment, he felt “afraid to talk to him until [he]
had the grammar straight in [his] mind” (Hemingway), showing the insecurity he
experienced while not mastering the language. This is a general image of how people
behave when they are exposed to something new until they have mastered it.
Concluding, Ernest Hemingway was an innovator, for his open-ended literature and
his important contributions to the American Literature. He applied his major innovation, the
iceberg theory, was the crowning jewel for his great collection of texts. In his short story
“In another country”, he employs it by making open, yet concise, statements. They all give
different messages and images, being about society or the man itself. These simple
reflections have shown that the paramount influence of Hemingway in his texts;
![Rausell 1
Álvaro Rausell
English 10
Mr. Christian Prendergast
How is Hemingway’s iceberg theory present in “In Another Country”?
When reflecting about American literature, it is of paramount importance to
recognize the impact Ernest Hemingway had on it. Great part of that influence lays on his
postulate, known as the Iceberg Theory. This states that, in an iceberg, there are seven
eighths of it underwater, for only one part that is shown. This was applied by Hemingway
by making only objective, short sentences and leaving the rest to be interpreted by the
reader. In the story “In another country”, in which an injured soldier sees himself facing the
disillusionment of an undeserved merit, Hemingway applies this innovative technique to
give another dimension to his statements, opening for further reflection by the lector.
During the development of the plot, Hemingway applies his theory to mark the
disillusionment the narrator feels about his prized, but nonexistent exploits. The merits he
obtained were materialized in the form of a medal, which, for him, it was given “because
[he] was an American” (Hemingway), and he felt that “[he] was not a hawk, although [he]
might seem a hawk to those who had never hunted” (Hemingway). This remarks that he
never felt like a real soldier, as a hero, as he had not done anything to deserve such
nominations. Together with his undeserved merit, the Iceberg Theory emphasizes the
frustration towards the man who lost his face, as he received no medal because “he had not
been at the front long enough to get any medals” (Hemingway). This adds up to the subject
of merits because, in the end: who was a hero, who was not, and who decided that? The](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/inanothercountry-150522150002-lva1-app6892/85/In-another-country-1-320.jpg)
![Rausell 2
man who lost his face fled to South America as a banker, in order to rebuild his life. He lost
everything he had in Europe because of the war, and he was not recognized by the mere
fact that he did not battle for long enough. On the other hand, the narrator stayed at the
front, without any remarkable consequence except for the slight injury that would
eventually heal.
Apart from those specific cases, Hemingway also depicts general traits of society
with the use of his postulate. One such traits is shown in the beginning of the story, when
“[the] doctor went to his office in a back room and brought a photograph which showed a
hand that had been withered almost as small as the major's” (Hemingway). Although
nothing in the story proved the veracity of those images, they were still meant to give
confidence to the patients. This exposes the people’s need to believe in something, being
either true or not, to gain hope and feel everything will be fine. Another attribute of society
is their feeling of self-distrust towards the unknown, which is exhibited when the narrator is
exposed to learning Italian grammar. In that moment, he felt “afraid to talk to him until [he]
had the grammar straight in [his] mind” (Hemingway), showing the insecurity he
experienced while not mastering the language. This is a general image of how people
behave when they are exposed to something new until they have mastered it.
Concluding, Ernest Hemingway was an innovator, for his open-ended literature and
his important contributions to the American Literature. He applied his major innovation, the
iceberg theory, was the crowning jewel for his great collection of texts. In his short story
“In another country”, he employs it by making open, yet concise, statements. They all give
different messages and images, being about society or the man itself. These simple
reflections have shown that the paramount influence of Hemingway in his texts;](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)