Two Different Styles of being indirect

                While both Earnest Hemingway and Alice Munro are both masterful writers with a subtle way of discussing relevant matters without actually mentioning the true subject. They have very different ways of achieving this. While neither one ever states the actual subject of the short stories they have different ways of getting the reader to figure it out.

                Earnest Hemingway uses a very informal style of dictation throughout the story letting the characters dialect tell the story in a very intimate fashion. The couples, the American and Jig, are at a train station in Spain and are conversation gives the reader the sense they are close. Early in the story we read, “I might have,” the man said.” Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” This gives the reader the impression that the two are a couple. Later in the story Jig says, “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?” which may be acceptable in a conversation but not common practice in writing.

                While Alice Munro uses a more neutral style of dictation, her style is similar in the fact that she never really reveals the true subject matter but hints around at it through the actions of her characters. Munro’s use of contractions is a tell tell sign of a neutral style when the girls are talking, “Jesus, we’ll freeze are legs off.” Or when the boys are talking, “Where is it. I don’t see no boat.” Showing a very laid back way of talking.

                Hemingway’s uses of subtlety by letting the characters explain the entire story while never actually mentioning the actual subject matter. For instance they never mention what the procedure is just, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,” the man said. “It’s not really an operation at all.” Then later Jig says, “And afterward they were all happy.” Talking about people she knew that had the operation and were happier after. He also spends less time describing the setting and lets the characters do more to set the mood then the setting.

                Munro seems to let the characters actions demonstrate their characteristics rather than to explain in detail much about the five kids. In the early part of the story we see that the children come from poorer families in the description of the house they go too to fix the boat. She also lets the characters actions demonstrate the way they were raised. When Eva has to heat the tar Munro writes, ““Please may I put the pot on the stove?” said Eva, who was brought up to talk politely to parents, even wash-and-iron ladies.” Munro also uses a very subtle form of indirect irony in her story. If you take Eva, for example, early in the story the reader sees her attraction to the boy Clayton when Munro states, “and who for some reason especially wanted to make a good impression on Clayton’s mother.” Then later in the story stands in front of Clayton naked and lets him spit water all over her breasts just to go on and say, “I hate them anyways. I really do. Don’t you hate them?” To me she is trying to hide her attraction to him while seeking Carol’s approval.