Characterization of Nick

Nick is one of the main characters in the short story “The Three-Day Blow” by Ernest Hemingway, and the narrative generally follows his perspective. His outer characterization informs us that he ia nicknamed “Wemedge” (l. 12), that his father is a doctor, and that he broke up with his girlfriend Marjorie. Although we do not know his age, previous stories from the same collection suggest that he is a teenager, probably 17 or 18 years old.

Inner characterization

Nick’s inner characterization is constructed through his actions, his thoughts, and what he says during the conversation with Bill.

The fact that Nick picks a fallen apple from the orchard and that he thinks about the autumn weather hints at a certain melancholy: “The fruit had been picked and the fall wind blew through the bare trees. Nick stopped and picked up a Wagner apple from beside the road, shiny in the brown grass from the rain.” (ll. 2-4).

The fact that he and Bill decide to drink suggests that they are trying to act like men. However, they are also childish as they compete over who gets drunk first. Nick’s pride is revealed when he does not want to come across as drunker than his friend: “Also he wished to show he could hold his liquor and be practical. Even if his father had never touched a drop Bill was not going to get him drunk before he himself was drunk.” (ll. 164-166)

As the two of them begin discussing the baseball season, we realize that they both like the same team and that Nick suspects the games are rigged, which suggests he is quite realistic rather than naive: “ ‘There’s always more to it than we know about,’ Nick said.” (ll. 67)

The fact that the two friends discuss the books they read and their favorite authors, suggests that Nick is educated and has intellectual interests:

‘It’s a swell book. What I couldn’t ever understand was what good the sword would do. It would have to stay edge up all the time because if it went over flat you could roll right over it and it wouldn’t make any trouble.’ (ll. 100-102)

The two of them have different opinions on the books they have read, but Nick often accepts Bill’s ideas. They imagine what it would be like to meet the authors they talk about: “ ‘I wish he was here now,’ Nick said. ‘We’d take him fishing to the ’Voix tomorrow.’ ” (ll. 114-115)

The fact that Bill and Nick contradict each other over which author is better, Chesterton or Walpole, again...