Hemingway’s Short Stories: Reflections on Teaching, Reading, and Understanding

Encapsulating all of Hemingway’s interests, his short stories are essential for understanding him.

Sometimes characterised as the most significant author since Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway was an acknowledged master of the short story, with his groundbreaking style and its apparent simplicity and honesty changing the nature of English prose fiction. While in the early 1920s, some mainstream editors seemed baffled by their subtlety, today his stories are mainstays in the classroom, taught at all levels from secondary school through university graduate courses.

In this collection, 13 master teachers from all levels discuss these and other aspects of his work, demonstrating how they motivate students to appreciate what Hemingway is doing. In the process, the collection argues, one can put to rest the stereotyped view of the author as a macho adventurer and, rather, see how Hemingway proves to be uniquely sensitive to his world. The authors discuss both the most commonly taught and significantly less-taught stories that illustrate Hemingway’s concerns. Each has a unique point of departure, each a rich and unique background to bring to both students and interested readers.

For further study or for use specifically by teachers, the volume includes classroom exercises and resources, teaching points, and commonly encountered issues.