Nick

Nick is the main character of the short story “The End of Something” by Ernest Hemingway. His outer characterization is not presented, so it is difficult to pinpoint his exact age. However, the story shows that Nick remembers the time when the mill was functioning (l. 35) – which was 10 years before the time of the story. This suggests that Nick is probably a young man who has seen the mill as a child. 

Nick’s inner characterization shows that he is distant when he is with Marjorie. When Marjorie describes the mill in romantic terms, comparing it to “a castle” (l. 37), Nick remains silent and ignores her (l. 39). This hints that Nick and Marjorie might have different ways of seeing things, which could make them incompatible. The story’s ending reveals that Nick is distant because he had already planned to break up with Marjorie. His attitude is also mirrored in the way he and Marjorie sit together “without touching each other” (l. 144) an...