Research Proposal on "Process of Initiation in Hemingway's Indian Camp and Mansfield's the Garden Party"
Research Proposal 8 pages (2729 words) Sources: 4 Style: MLA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Indian Camp" and "The Garden Party"Initiation, or what can also be called a 'rite of passage', is a common theme in Ernest Hemmingway's "Indian Camp" and in Katherine Mansfield's "The Garden Party." Both of these stories center around a child who crosses a natural contour to confront the dichotomy of life and death on the other side.
Nick is a young boy who accompanies his father and his uncle to an Indian Camp to help deliver a baby. After the baby is delivered through a painful C-section, it is discovered that the woman's husband has committed suicide, thus forcing Nick to face the complexities of both life and death in a single experience.
Laura is a girl in early adolescence who has trouble distinguishing between the classes as her parents and siblings do. While planning for her garden party she hears of the tragic death of a husband and father that resided in the poor district nearby. When she wants to cancel the party due to the shocking news, her mother and sister act as if she is being ridiculous. However once the party is over, she delivers a basket of leftovers to the grieving family and has an enlightening moment when she sees the deceased man resting peacefully on the bed.
Both of these stories use symbolism and imagery, including the customary use of light and darkness, to illuminate and shadow the experience of the initiation. However there is a major difference between the experiences of Nick in "Indian Camp" and Laura in "The Garden Party"; that is, the children's reactions to the events they face.
Mordecai Marcus, in his article, "What is an Initiation Story?" presents the supposition of Le
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slie Fiedler that "An initiation is a fall through knowledge to maturity" (222). However, I intend to show that this supposition applies only to Laura, and that in Nick's case, his initiation ends rather in a "fall through knowledge to immaturity" since in the end, he fails to recognize the importance of the night's events and naively assumes that he will never die.download full paper ⤓
The notably diverse outcomes of these two initiation stories are demonstrated through the use of symbolism and imagery, as well as through the concurrent themes of life vs. death; innocence vs. insight and activeness vs. passiveness. Each story culminates in an epiphany, which according to Marcus is conventional in an initiation story. However while Laura's epiphany is based on truth, Nick's is ultimately rooted in a false sense of security. Therefore while both stories contain the traditional elements of an initiation story, Indian Camp is actually an anti-initiation story because unlike Laura who matures from her experience, Nick retreats back into his womb-like comfort zone.
2.0 Use of Symbolism and Imagery
Symbolism and imagery are used quite liberally in both "Indian Camp" and "The Garden Party." Although they are employed in very similar ways in both stories, the representations of the initiation experience are set apart by the progression of Laura and the regression of Nick.
2.1 Symbols of Initiation
The most notable similarity between these two stories in terms of symbolism and imagery is that each protagonists crosses a physical line that also represents their traversal of an imaginary line. In "Indian Camp" Nick first crosses a lake on the way to the camp. When he crosses the lake he "lay back with his father's arm around him" (7) indicating a sense of safety, security, youth and innocence. After experiencing the traumatic events of the evening and getting back into the boat with his father, he does not physically rest in his arms, but he remains in the same child-like state he was in when they originally crossed. This time however, his innocence and immaturity is symbolized by the circle he observes in the water made by a bass. The circle represents Nick's journey back to where he started, remaining essentially unaffected by his confrontation with life and death just moments earlier. Another indication that Nick remains in an almost womb-like state is the fact that "It felt warm in the sharp chill of the morning" (12), meaning that even when faced with the coldness of death, he still feels incubated, which causes him to naively assume that he will never die.
Laura, instead of crossing a lake, crosses a road on the way to the Scotts' house at the bottom of the hill. Laura's own residence at the top of the hill is symbolic of the elitism of her family, and the road that she crosses when entering the poorer part of town represents her passage from naivete to maturity. This line has always separated the rich from the book both literally and figuratively. Laura has never really understood why she is not supposed to care about the people in this part of town as much as she cares about the people on her side of the tracks. When she talks with the construction workers, she ponders why she is not hanging out with people like them, who are interested in stopping and smelling the flowers (i.e. appreciating the simple things in life), as opposed to the material and image-obsessed friends she has now. Her passage into maturity is clearly on the verge of takeoff even before she hears the news about the workman who was killed in an accident. However this passage cannot occur if she stays on her side of the road because everyone she knows on that side is far more close minded and self-centered than she is, even at her young age.
Mordecai Marcus quotes Carl Benson as saying that lines such as the road Laura crosses represent "the passage from egocentric youth to human solidarity." This is a journey that even Laura's parents have yet to make, as they are far more concerned with their own contentment than with others. Moreover, they could never come to view themselves as sharing unity with the lower classes. They may pity them enough to offer them "scraps from their party" (56). However, Laura is already far more mature than her parents in her ability to see that they are all just people. Crossing that road merely solidifies what she already knew in her heart.
The hat also symbolizes the progress of Laura's initiation. When her mother originally gives her the hat she is too distracted by the news of the death to focus on it. However after she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror and is told repeatedly by others how beautiful she looks in the hat, she decides to put the death out of her mind and just enjoy the party. This symbolizes the fact that she is still not fully mature and is able to retreat back into ignorant bliss at will, much like Nick does when he all but ignores the pain and tragedy going on around him. However when she goes to visit the Scotts, she is suddenly extremely aware of her hat, and all that it represents in regard to her lavish lifestyle as compared to the lifestyles of those that are staring at her. Her apology for the hat to the dead Mr. Scott signifies that she has matured enough to know what really matters in life, and in death; it is not how many beautiful things you have that matter, but rather how many people beautiful hearts with which you surround yourself.
2.2 The Imagery of Light and Darkness
The use of light and darkness is a common form of imagery in literature, but it can be used in several different ways. In some instances, light represents knowledge while darkness represents ignorance. At other times, light is representative of good, while darkness signifies evil. Light has also been known represent hope, with darkness signifying despair. Each of the stories discussed here use light and darkness in either some or all of these manners.
For example, in "The Garden Party" the world of the Sheridans is bright, shining, and heavenly, indicating that theirs is a life filled with hope, joy and goodness. The world of the Scotts, on the other hand, is dark and gloomy, signifying an atmosphere of despair. From the Sheridans' point-of-view (with the exception of Laurie), the poor villagers are also immoral and ignorant, which is why they assume that the deceased man was drunk when he had his accident despite there being no reports of this. Laura is the only one enlightened enough to realize the absurdity of such assumptions.
Light is also used as a symbol of goodness and innocence at the beginning of "The Garden Party" when the narrator is describing what a perfect day it is, and how "Only the blue was veiled with a haze of light gold, as it is sometimes in early summer" (46). As the party begins, the imagery of the arrival of the guests is also basking in light: "Wherever you looked there were couples strolling, bending to the flowers, greeting, moving on over the lawn. They were like… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Process of Initiation in Hemingway's Indian Camp and Mansfield's the Garden Party" Assignment:
“Dear *****,
the term paper is to be about the process of initiation of the protagonists of the two stories The Garden Party (Laura) by Katherine Mansfield and Indian Camp (Nick) by Ernest Hemingway.
The following points are the table of contents for the paper with a description of what each point should include:
1 Introduction
The thesis is that in both stories, the initiation is triggered by a shocking, traumatic experience the children go through, which is in Indian Camp the violence and suffering of childbirth and the confrontation with death (suicide) and in The Garden Party also the confrontation with the accidental death of a workman.
The stories both contain similar themes (death and life, innocence and ignorance) and symbols (initiation symbols, imagery of light and darkness) to describe the process of initiation BUT the way the initiation of the children is brought about and guided by the parents is different, as well as the stage of childhood they are in is a different one, and the children react and act differently in light of the events that take place and thus, the outcome at the end of the stories is an opposite one.
In the sources I will supply an essay by Mordecai Marcus. In the thesis, state that Mordecai's statement that "An initiation is a fall through knowledge to maturity" applies only to Laura, and in Nick's case, his initiation ends rather in a "fall through knowledge to immaturity" since i the end he fails to recognize the importance of the night's events and immaturely thinks that he would never die.
So please include this thesis in the Introduction, as well as a very brief content summary of both stories which should not be more than 3-4 sentences for each story. The summary should only already indicate that the stories move into a different direction, meaning to a different ending.
2 Use of Symbolism
2.1 Symbols of Initiation
Both stories feature a broad variety of imagery and symbols of initiation. Prove that the symbolism and imagery in The Garden Party clearly shows Laura's maturation and growth and that the symbolism in Indian Camp rather indicates Nick still wanting to remain in his childhood state.
For example
Indian Camp:
Crossing of the lake -> the path to lead Nick to his initiation.
The bass making a circle in the water -> Nick witnessed the circle of life and death but he didn't understand the real meaning of this knowledge, so it's like he only "went around in a circle" and is now right where he started, no progress has taken place.
Childbirth -> an important part of life but Nick looks away, thus refusing to be initiated into this important knowledge of the cycle of life.
In the end of the story Nick sits away from his father, unlike in the beginning where he was in his fathers arms -> this could show a growing independence from his father, but in the light of the interpretation that Indian Camp is more of an "anti-initiation" and Nick's "fall to immaturity" it could mean that he doesn't want his fathers guidance anymore, after his father took him to the camp to initiate him and it failed to have the desired effect. His father even apologizes for taking him along so Nick moves away from the person who tried to initiate him in the first place and withdraws back into his state of childishness with no adults trying to initiate him.
The Garden Party:
The hat -> the hat the mother gives Laura is her trying to impose the awareness of class onto her daughter and pass on to her the prejudices and ignorance about the lower class etc.
The lilies and the garden -> symbolise the state of innocence of Laura and the protected world that her parents and family have tried to keep her in, to prevent her from coming into contact with the outside world (the lower class) and thus, preventing her from fully maturing
the buttered bread/talking to the workmen -> signifies the beginning of Laura's maturation when she deals with the workmen by herself and sheds her initial embarrassment of holding a slice of buttered bread in front of them when she takes a bite out of it. THis shows that she is ready or prepared to be an adult or at least, adolescent.
The Road Down the Hill -> the threshold from childhood innocence to the knowledge that is imparted on her in the cottage. She goes this road alone, even though she is scared she takes her initiation into her own hands.
You are free to find more examples.
2.2 The Imagery of Light and Darkness
Please find examples of Light and Darkness Imagery in both stories and use them to symbolise the process of initiation or in Nick's case rather anti-initiation of the children. For example:
The Garden Party: the world of the Sheridans is bright, shining, and heavenly. The world of the Scotts, on the other hand, is dark, gloomy, and cimmerian -> the brightness symbolises Laura's innocence and protected childhood in which her parents keep her, and later she is venturing into the dark, unknown world of adulthood and the realities of life and death etc.
After the party, the imagery darkens although there are a few glimmers of light -> find examples and explain this, for example this signifies Laura's impending loss of innocence and her venturing out from her protected bubble into the outside world, which she is scared of. The outside world, the adult world, is not all bright and light like her childhood world, instead it is dark and gloomy but there are specks of lights too. It has both light and darkness, life and death, good sides and bad sides which are the important lessons that Laura learns during her initiation.
Indian Camp: Nick and his father start off their journey in the night -> in this case, the darkness signifies the lack of knowledge that surrounds Nick and his blindness to the events that take place in the shanty in the Indian camp. There are specks of light too such as the Indian's lantern and the woman who awaits them in the shanty is holding a lantern as well -> symbols for the knowledge that is tried to be handed down to Nick in the shanty.
When Nick and his father walk back to the boat it is "just beginning to be daylight" -> it is not yet made clear if Nick's initiation was successfull, whether he understood the events of the night and if he learned anything valuable from it and he asks his father questions
Then in the boat, the sun comes up over the hills and together with the idyllic picture of the lake that is painted in the end, this shows Nick's withdrawal into his childhood immaturity, he doesn't want to deal with the pain and suffering of life and death and the events he experienced, for him everything is light and innocent.
Please find more examples if possible.
3 Comparison of Themes
3.1 Life and Death
Start with a short introduction that understanding the cycle of life and death is an important lesson in the coming of age of children and a vital part to their initiation, which is why both stories contain this theme etc. Then focus on what both Nick and Laura learn from the experiences with death and dying.
For example
The Garden Party: Laura meets face to face with death, and the results of it will change her look on life forever. Laura has to accept the simultaneity of it all, death and life happen side by side and there is beauty in death, too.
Indian Camp: Nick deals with the pain and suffering of death (suicide) and the complications of childbirth, and if he accepted these things it would mean a destruction of his idea of a harmless and untouched world, and thus he represses it.
In this part, definitely find more examples and show the importance of the life and death motif in the children's thinking.
3.2 Innocence and Ignorance
Laura and Nick both haven't gained much experience outside their protected childhood bubble, they both start off in a state of innocence.
But in The Garden Party, Laura has to overcome her family's and especially her mother's ignorance to be able to understand life for herself. She has a moment of ignorance when she accepts the hat her mother gives her, the symbol of class, but she later apologises to the dead man for the hat. Please define here what she apologises about (her mother's ignorance and her temporary own ignorance etc.)
In Indian Camp, it is mainly Nicks own ignorance that he fails to overcome and that prevent him from seeing the importance of what he goes through. He closes his eyes and doesn't want to watch his father...
3.2 Activeness vs Passiveness
Explain here that Laura is actively seeking out her own maturation, and she goes through it alone when she leaves her family's house and goes to the cottage on her own. She is ready for her initiation, which was already indicated when she talked and supervised the workmen in the garden. Her family try to shield her from the outside world and from experiencing the reality of the world by only keeping her in their house on the hill and her mother trying to impose her worldview on her.
Nick on the other hand is much younger and taken by his father to the Indian camp. His father kind of forces the initition on him and Nick only endures it in a way. The attempts of his father to explain the events to him he answers with "I see" and "I know", which shows his naivite as well as his disinterest. He quickly loses interest and looks away, he is obviously passive. In contrast to Laura, he is offered knowledge on a silver plate but he reacts with ignorance and passiveness and thus, prevents his own growth and maturation.
4 The Epiphany
Both children have an epiphany in the end. Laura's is an awakening to a more mature perception of reality after her exposure to poverty and death at the carter's cottage (PLEASE ELOBORATE HERE, I'm having trouble wording the kind of realization she makes here at the end when she sees the dead man) and Nick is sure that he will never die.
Explain here that Laura's epiphany brings her to knowledge and maturity whereas Nick's is a "false epiphany" and a reversal to immaturity, since he doesn't want to face the inevitability of his own death etc.
5 Conclusion
Write a conclusion of the findings which should have proven that The Garden Party is an initiation story given the definition of Marcus that "fall through knowledge to maturity" and Indian Camp rather an Anti-Initiation story which shows a "fall into immaturity through a stubborn resistance of knowledge".
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It is important to me that you prove in this story why the one story is an initiation story and the other shows more signs of an anti-initiation story than that of an initiation story. I'm sorry I wrote so much, I just wanted to give you a general idea where the essay should lead to. I want you to show why the one iitiation is succesful and why the other is not basically, regarding the various symbols, themes, the way the initiation process is guided or not guided by the parents etc. If you have any questions about anything I wrote, please feel free to write me!
These will be the 3 documents I will provide via email:
Hemingway, Ernest. *****Indian Camp.***** Stories of Initiation. Stuttgart: Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, 2009. 7-12..
Mansfield, Katherine. *****The Garden Party.***** Stories of Initiation. Stuttgart: Ernst Klett Sprachen GmbH, 2009. 46-64.
Mordecai, Marcus. *****What is an Initiation Story?***** Journal
*****
How to Reference "Process of Initiation in Hemingway's Indian Camp and Mansfield's the Garden Party" Research Proposal in a Bibliography
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