"My Old Man" by Ernest Hemingway

Prologue, Written by Me. When I was young, I thought my dad was the best man in the world. And maybe he is, but I don't think so anymore. I don't like him anymore. I can't even stand to be in the same room with him. Sure, I'll miss him when he's gone, and I'll remember the good memories. He never hurt me physically, and he provided well for me. I don't want to complain. But something changed. Maybe it was me, maybe it was him, or maybe it was just the world evolving and us growing apart. I wish we grew together. I used to see a hero when I looked at my old man. Now? I'm not sure what I see. My own story with my own father reminded me of the following story, written by Ernest Hemingway, about a boy named Joe and his father…But, first a little more about the context of the story. Ernest Hemingway had a complex and often troubled relationship with his father, Clarence Edmonds Hemingway, a doctor. Initially, their relationship was quite positive, as Clarence was deeply involved in teaching young Ernest about nature, hunting, fishing, and outdoor skills—activities that influenced Hemingway’s writing, particularly his love for adventure and the natural world. However, as Hemingway grew older, tensions developed between them. Clarence was a strict disciplinarian, religious, and held conservative values, while Ernest became more rebellious and independent, especially after he returned from World War I. Ernest’s growing ambition as a writer and his increasingly bohemian lifestyle further strained their bond. Hemingway often viewed his father as weak, particularly because of his father's struggles with depression and financial difficulties. In 1928, Clarence tragically committed suicide, which deeply affected Hemingway. Although Hemingway had a complicated and sometimes critical view of his father, his death left a lasting mark on him. Some scholars believe that this contributed to Hemingway’s recurring themes of disillusionment, masculinity, and death in his work. There are also parallels between Clarence’s suicide and Hemingway’s own suicide in 1961, suggesting a deep, unresolved emotional connection to his father's fate. Now to the short story. A story of a hero father, an idealized persona in the young man's life. And how those admirations may have become shattered the more Joe learned about his father. But, maybe he still remained his hero, in a lot of ways. On to the story, My Old Man, by Ernest Hemingway.