Themes and message

The main themes in the story “The Sea Change” by Ernest Hemingway are sexuality, identity, acceptance and inner transformation…

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The message of the story

The message of the short story is not explicit. Fitting the minimalist style of writing, the conclusi…

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Sexuality

The author explores the theme of sexuality throughout the story.

At the beginning, we are introduced to a young couple, Phil and an unnamed girl, who are having a heated discussion. Although this is not clear from the start, we soon learn that the reason for the conflict is their break-up; the girl is attracted to a woma…

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Identity

The theme of identity is explored in the story especially by following the character of Phil who experiences a transformation by the end of the story. 

At the beginning, we have the two characters, Phil and the girl, who are in opposition to each other. They seem to argue over their break-up, but the deeper meaning of their dialogue is connected to the characters’ identities and, more specifically, to their sexual identities.

The girl’s identity is revealed through the dialogue: a…