“Big Two-Hearted River” begins with Nick getting off a train in what looks like the middle of nowhere. When a character leaves the hustle and bustle of other people's company and heads for a sojourn in the woods, we know that Nature-with-a-capital-N is going to be a key player. Nick is always interacting with the natural world in this story: with the river, the grasshoppers, the trout… heck, even the swamp is important. Nature allows Nick to explore his feelings without the meddling interference of other people. It also, in a way, lets him ease back into a simpler life that we sense he’s been missing. After all, what’s more natural than nature?
Questions About Man and the Natural World
- This might seem obvious, but what actually counts as “nature” in the story? For instance, does the burnt town count, or is it something different? Does fishing and camping count? How do these things interact with “pure” nature?
- What is nature’s role in the story? How does Nick interact with it? Is nature set against anything?
- Does nature ever cause Nick to become anxious? When? What might this tell us about Nick’s feelings?
- Can you think of other works where nature is used in ways similar to how it’s used in “Big Two-Hearted River”?
Chew on This
Nature is vital to the story because it allows us to directly experience Nick’s raw emotions.
Nick’s healing doesn’t come from nature, but from isolation.