Short Fiction · Chapter
The End of Something explained
Nick and Marjorie go fishing at the abandoned mill site in Hortons Bay.
What happens
Nick and Marjorie go fishing at the abandoned mill site in Hortons Bay. As they set night lines for trout, the mood shifts when Nick becomes distant and tells Marjorie that their relationship is no longer fun. After a tense exchange, Marjorie leaves by boat, and Nick remains by the fire, later joined by Bill.
Themes in this chapter
Post-War Trauma and Alienation
Nick's emotional numbness and sense of internal decay ('everything was gone to hell inside of me') echo the alienation common in Hemingway's post-war characters.
Masculinity and Sexual Anxiety
Nick's inability to articulate his feelings and his abrupt ending of the relationship reflect anxieties about intimacy and masculine identity.
Nature and the Cycle of Seasons
The abandoned mill and the moonlit lake serve as a backdrop to the end of a relationship, mirroring decay and change in the natural world.
Characters to notice
- Nick Adams
Nick rows the boat, sets the fishing lines, and initiates the breakup with Marjorie, expressing that everything feels 'gone to hell' inside him.
- Marjorie
Marjorie enjoys fishing with Nick, but becomes upset when Nick ends their relationship; she leaves by boat.
- Bill
Bill arrives after Marjorie leaves, asks Nick how he feels, and takes a sandwich from the lunch basket.
Key passages
“I feel as though everything was gone to hell inside of me.”
Nick feels that his inner world has collapsed or become meaningless.
This line captures Nick's emotional crisis and the theme of internal desolation.
“Isn't love any fun?”
Marjorie asks if love has lost its enjoyment.
Marjorie's question highlights the shift from shared pleasure to emotional distance.