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The Three-Day Blow
Nick Adams walks through an orchard on his way to Bill's house, picking up a fallen apple. When Nick arrives, the two boys stand together on the porch, discussing the weather. They predict that the wind will blow hard for three days .
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1925
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About the author
Ernest Hemingway
2,181 books32.2k followersErnest Miller Hemingway was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Best known for an economical, understated style that significantly influenced later 20th-century writers, he is often romanticized for his adventurous lifestyle, and outspoken and blunt public image. Most of Hemingway's works were published between the mid-1920s and mid-1950s, including seven novels, six short-story collections and two non-fiction works. His writings have become classics of American literature; he was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature, while three of his novels, four short-story collections and three nonfiction works were published posthumously.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.
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September 14, 2022
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. His economical and understated style -which he termed the iceberg theory- had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his adventurous lifestyle and the public image brought him admiration from later generations.
Ernest was the second child in the family to bear a strong resemblance to his sister Marceline. Until the age of three, her mother dressed him as a girl and kept his hair long. Maybe that’s why Thanatos was so strong in Hemingway’s adulthood. As an adult, he turned to bullfighting, fishing and hunting; and eventually killed himself with a shotgun.
Today Hemingway is known as the father of modern literature. In classic literature, everything is said to every tedious detail and writers use many ornaments to beautify the text. But the modern literature stands quite opposite. As you may know, Hemingway was a journalist. The journalists are the generation of neat and straightforward writings that are devoid of all the unnecessary elements and unnecessary adverbs, adjectives, any modifiers or descriptions and so on. So he inserted the journalistic method into the fictional world that ended up to born his iceberg theory. In this method, what is said is only the summit of the mountain and the rest is up to the reader to precept —which requires reading between the lines.
In this style, we have a definite part (hatched with red) and an indefinite part that the audience needs to infer or elicit from what is written.
It is worth mentioning in response to the .disinteresteds., that some writers are neurotic, they may cry or be in a very bad mood, which William Faulkner calls “The agony — and sweat of the human spirit.” Just because a reader doesn’t understand the concept the writer tries to talk about in their own way, doesn’t depress the writer’s ability.
In order to fully understand this story of Hemingway, we need to have a small introduction to Sigmund Freud’s theory of consciousness and Ego.
According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.
So in other words, ego postpones the pleasure and sublimes the need —this process is called sublimation, so that this desire is both satisfied and has no consequence for us. In contrast, id elevates pleasure and reduces pain. Common sense plays a different role; for example, a child has this feeling but it’s not acquired.
Id is an abstract classification in the unconscious. It’s just like a child, it wants some pleasure principality that avoids pain and increases pleasure. The super-ego, on the other hand, is based on rules and regulations and as you see, the majority of it is conscious (but a small part of it is unconscious) —which are those internalized rules and laws that we observe what we are aware of. So super-ego is strict and has hard discipline. It’s about dos and don’ts, told by social faculties like family, school, church, society, university, etc. Now between the two extremes of id and super-ego, there’s a mediator, Ego, that is both conscious and unconscious, the bigger part in conscious. Ego tries to make a kind of balance between what we desire and what we must observe. It regulates, so it either postponed the pleasure or it finds some kind of substitution to gratify some of our needs that are not accepted.
Now, let’s take a look at the story itself. In the plot of “The Three-Day Blow”, we have three main characters, one of whom is absent throughout the story.
In the following, here’s the diagram of the characters in the story.
In the 24 short stories written by Ernest Hemingway, Nick Adam is a recurring character who, according to many critics, was a symbol of Hemingway’s alter ego. As mentioned earlier, Hemingway’s writing style is like an iceberg; a small part of which can be seen, and it is the audience that must find the hidden signs of the dimensions of the characters in the story.
What is considered a sign in the story in order of importance can be as follows:
First— Apple: symbol of sin and temptation (a reference to the story of Adam and Eve) can be also known as a fresh start. So what we gather is him, having temptation towards girls -especially the girl he had just broken up with.
Second— Growth Timber: When Nick realises he might be able to get Marjorie back, he suddenly feels a palpable sense of relief. He looks at the growth timber and says that he can fix it up with her —or any other girl at that point. It’s the beginning and he’s hopeful.
Third— Dried Apricot: He is desperate to give a second life to his lost relationship. He is trying to fix it. He can’t and he knows it; but nothing takes his hope away —at least not for now.
From the other side, he is drawn to a sinister side. He can sense the presence of an invisible wall -an obstacle in his way- that doesn’t allow him to get back to Marjorie. Therefore, when he picks the apple up, he hides it in his pocket. He could’ve picked any apple. He could also pick many (as there are lots of apples and apple trees in Michigan, where the story is to happen) and take them to Bill perhaps “look Bill I brought apples” or some kind. But his super-ego forbids him from doing so, because he doesn’t want to share.
We also find out in this story that:
- Bill is the boss
- Bill makes Nick drink
- Bill is dominant
Other elements of the story include the following:
Alcohol: The unconscious guard is forced to surrender by consuming alcohol.
Fire: Symbol of passion; looking through it by wine glass can represent a new perspective he is advancing.
Mirror: A symbol of connection with one’s appearance or arrogance or concealment of what is obvious.
Fishing: Fishing has a feminine signification in this case. Hemingway assimilates women to fish which Nick tries to trawl —Marjorie or any other girl.
The 1916 Baseball Game: A baseball game has been mentioned in the story —which had actually happened in 1916. Considering the fact that Nick is Hemingway’s alter-ego, and that he was born in 1899, in that year Nick and Bill are about 17 years old. Personally, I could’ve never guessed that on my own without this calculation. The conversation, all the chattering about everything, drinking and talking about women is so misleading that it’s hard to relate to these two teenagers. We can even say Hemingway’s story contains allusions to the toxic masculinity that has always caused cases. At such a young age, two teenage boys in the process of growing up are acting like adults and drinking alcohol and trying to show off their manly-hood —that they are true men.
Bill versus Nick: There are two major powers our psychic or unconscious and the world (according to mythology) is governed by: Eros and Thanatos. Eros is the god of life and passion to live; the tendency to survive and create; everything we take care of and do in order to live. Thanatos, on the other hand, is known as the god of death and destruction. It emits a desire for aggression, annihilation and everything related to the dark side. It has also been defined as a strong inclination toward causing harm to self or others (Like Sadism or Masochism). As much as Nick tries to optimist and pull himself up, Bill is pulling him down.
Books: The books mentioned in the story -the books that boys were reading- were the very same books that Hemingway himself was in the course of reading at the time he was writing. Also, Bill was the name of his very close friend whom he used to discuss these books with. So Hemingway using real events like the baseball game or real books and real names like Bill, indicates the fact that Hemingway insists it’s not all about Nick and Bill; it’s about our generation. It’s not impartial but it’s completely judgmental.
Lost Generation: In literature, the “Lost Generation” refers to a group of writers and poets who were men and women in the 1920s after World War I. All were non-American. In general, immigration of groups of intellectuals, writers, painters and Avant-garde and modern artists from around the world, especially from the United States and other parts of Europe to Paris. These artists had some kind of a bohemian life due to the consequences of war on finances. By pointing this out, Hemingway tries to tell us that it’s bigger than fiction. It’s about lives.
Fun Fact: “The Three-Day Blow” is a sequel to another short story by Hemingway called “The End Of Something”. There’s a village, quite deserted in the story that people have left and only a few have remained. Among them are Marjorie and Nick who are in a relationship at the time. Marjorie, somehow, feels something with her feminine intuition and asks Nick “is something wrong with our relationship?” And Nick, unable to answer, says nothing. He keeps silent and then Marjorie leaves him. Because she thinks that “he” is not happy with her. Nick does nothing to keep her or avoid her from leaving. In the end, Bill, as a minor character, enters the scene and sees Nick. He finds out that Marjorie has just left him and he insists that “it was you. You did it to yourself. It was your fault.”
Not that this story is meaningless on its own, but the meaning is completed when you put these two together. Why would Hemingway put a character at the end of his story in a way that would be unimportant and easy to omit? Then maybe Bill is much more important in “The End Of Something” and we can prove this theory by analyzing “The Three-Day Blow”. Bill, not an unaware but the puppeteer character, was controlling the acts from behind the scene in a way. In a kind of brainwashing system, the method is to alter the perspective of the subject in a way that they wouldn’t know if it’s someone else trying to modify their conduct. They think it’s their own idea and it’s “them” archiving that conclusion.
Although Bill improvised Nick into leaving Marjorie because he’s an opportunist and will use every chance in his way, he won’t succeed. Because Nick, as discussed before has hope. He’s hopeful to get back to Marjorie and reconstruct the relationship.
But who is the winner after all? The answer is “we can’t say”! It’s a lost-win situation for all the characters. Marjorie won because, despite her absence, she was all the boys were thinking and talking about. Without knowing, she was a threat to Nick and Bill’s bromance and was such a tense point of the whole story. But she can also lose, because we hear nothing of her side, her silence weights too much on the process of the story. She didn’t get any chance to speak for herself or defend her actions without being judged. Nick, loses when he surrenders to his friend Bill, but also wins when he decides to revive at the end. Bill, wins when overcoming Marjorie and winning his friend over but Nick’s decision doesn’t let it last longer.
So among all these wins and loses, we have a situation, described for us. It’s life; a long process of being and acting —to which Hemingway wouldn’t like to give an alternative ending. Our three characters are young and nothing in their life is for sure. Are they in a phase only? Will Bill stop acting too desperate about his bromance with Nick? Will he not see her as a threat to his position with Nick? Will Nick fix it up with Marjorie? Or will he find another girl? Will then again Bill improvise her too? Will Nick become aware of Bill’s doing and resist? Will he ever get along with his internal contrasts? All these questions will shroud indefinitely because they should. It’s an exposition of a situation and that’s all. Hemingway does not like to close it.
Bill is not real: This theory, causes the story to be a multilayer. As we know, Nick is Hemingway’s alter-ego. If all these conversations are not between two real friends, but Nick and himself only, then Bill is actually Nick’s alter-ego. Bill represents the dark self in Nick and the ceaseless narration whispering in his mind. For similar short stories, we can name “The Secret Sharer” by Joseph Conrad and “William Wilson” by Edgar Allan Poe.
The House: The house in which two friends spent time can be a symbol of a safe zone —in which they had created an atmosphere of ease and some kind of a matrix that nothing gets out and inside. A world that isn’t quite real. Bill, and then Nick when he gets inside, don’t want to -or find it hard to- leave (Pay attention to Bill when he comes out to greet Nick. He doesn’t come much further than the porch.)
Nick—a lover: During the story, so many things, mostly Bill, cause Nick to abandon his ex-girlfriend and move on. But in the end, not only he didn’t get over his beloved, but he’s also hopeful to get back to her. This can support the theory of him being an innate lover that can’t not love. Loving is his nature and he can’t overcome or turnover his intrinsicality. Therefore Bill, his opposite pole, tries to suck it out of him and blend Nick into the world of his own. If so, Bill appears as the resistant character who does not want to change and will do anything to prevent his friend from stepping out of the zone either.
The Three-Day Blow: the three-day blow is a short wind that lasts no longer than three days only; yet, it’s very, very destructive and calamitous. A break-up with a girl in teenage time might not seem like a serious thing but to Nick, it was devastating. We see him psych out and crash down over Marjorie and like those dried apricots he tries to revive and come back to life again.
But also, the three-day blow can be related to the three blows in the story:
1. The blow outside of the cottage —the storm.
2. The blow that is happening in Nick’s life.
3. And the third, when he goes out and he believes that he can make it up with Marjorie again.
and after that, all the problems can just blow away...
Ernest was the second child in the family to bear a strong resemblance to his sister Marceline. Until the age of three, her mother dressed him as a girl and kept his hair long. Maybe that’s why Thanatos was so strong in Hemingway’s adulthood. As an adult, he turned to bullfighting, fishing and hunting; and eventually killed himself with a shotgun.
Today Hemingway is known as the father of modern literature. In classic literature, everything is said to every tedious detail and writers use many ornaments to beautify the text. But the modern literature stands quite opposite. As you may know, Hemingway was a journalist. The journalists are the generation of neat and straightforward writings that are devoid of all the unnecessary elements and unnecessary adverbs, adjectives, any modifiers or descriptions and so on. So he inserted the journalistic method into the fictional world that ended up to born his iceberg theory. In this method, what is said is only the summit of the mountain and the rest is up to the reader to precept —which requires reading between the lines.
In this style, we have a definite part (hatched with red) and an indefinite part that the audience needs to infer or elicit from what is written.
It is worth mentioning in response to the .disinteresteds., that some writers are neurotic, they may cry or be in a very bad mood, which William Faulkner calls “The agony — and sweat of the human spirit.” Just because a reader doesn’t understand the concept the writer tries to talk about in their own way, doesn’t depress the writer’s ability.
In order to fully understand this story of Hemingway, we need to have a small introduction to Sigmund Freud’s theory of consciousness and Ego.
According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.
So in other words, ego postpones the pleasure and sublimes the need —this process is called sublimation, so that this desire is both satisfied and has no consequence for us. In contrast, id elevates pleasure and reduces pain. Common sense plays a different role; for example, a child has this feeling but it’s not acquired.
Id is an abstract classification in the unconscious. It’s just like a child, it wants some pleasure principality that avoids pain and increases pleasure. The super-ego, on the other hand, is based on rules and regulations and as you see, the majority of it is conscious (but a small part of it is unconscious) —which are those internalized rules and laws that we observe what we are aware of. So super-ego is strict and has hard discipline. It’s about dos and don’ts, told by social faculties like family, school, church, society, university, etc. Now between the two extremes of id and super-ego, there’s a mediator, Ego, that is both conscious and unconscious, the bigger part in conscious. Ego tries to make a kind of balance between what we desire and what we must observe. It regulates, so it either postponed the pleasure or it finds some kind of substitution to gratify some of our needs that are not accepted.
Now, let’s take a look at the story itself. In the plot of “The Three-Day Blow”, we have three main characters, one of whom is absent throughout the story.
In the following, here’s the diagram of the characters in the story.
In the 24 short stories written by Ernest Hemingway, Nick Adam is a recurring character who, according to many critics, was a symbol of Hemingway’s alter ego. As mentioned earlier, Hemingway’s writing style is like an iceberg; a small part of which can be seen, and it is the audience that must find the hidden signs of the dimensions of the characters in the story.
What is considered a sign in the story in order of importance can be as follows:
First— Apple: symbol of sin and temptation (a reference to the story of Adam and Eve) can be also known as a fresh start. So what we gather is him, having temptation towards girls -especially the girl he had just broken up with.
Second— Growth Timber: When Nick realises he might be able to get Marjorie back, he suddenly feels a palpable sense of relief. He looks at the growth timber and says that he can fix it up with her —or any other girl at that point. It’s the beginning and he’s hopeful.
Third— Dried Apricot: He is desperate to give a second life to his lost relationship. He is trying to fix it. He can’t and he knows it; but nothing takes his hope away —at least not for now.
From the other side, he is drawn to a sinister side. He can sense the presence of an invisible wall -an obstacle in his way- that doesn’t allow him to get back to Marjorie. Therefore, when he picks the apple up, he hides it in his pocket. He could’ve picked any apple. He could also pick many (as there are lots of apples and apple trees in Michigan, where the story is to happen) and take them to Bill perhaps “look Bill I brought apples” or some kind. But his super-ego forbids him from doing so, because he doesn’t want to share.
We also find out in this story that:
- Bill is the boss
- Bill makes Nick drink
- Bill is dominant
Other elements of the story include the following:
Alcohol: The unconscious guard is forced to surrender by consuming alcohol.
Fire: Symbol of passion; looking through it by wine glass can represent a new perspective he is advancing.
Mirror: A symbol of connection with one’s appearance or arrogance or concealment of what is obvious.
Fishing: Fishing has a feminine signification in this case. Hemingway assimilates women to fish which Nick tries to trawl —Marjorie or any other girl.
The 1916 Baseball Game: A baseball game has been mentioned in the story —which had actually happened in 1916. Considering the fact that Nick is Hemingway’s alter-ego, and that he was born in 1899, in that year Nick and Bill are about 17 years old. Personally, I could’ve never guessed that on my own without this calculation. The conversation, all the chattering about everything, drinking and talking about women is so misleading that it’s hard to relate to these two teenagers. We can even say Hemingway’s story contains allusions to the toxic masculinity that has always caused cases. At such a young age, two teenage boys in the process of growing up are acting like adults and drinking alcohol and trying to show off their manly-hood —that they are true men.
Bill versus Nick: There are two major powers our psychic or unconscious and the world (according to mythology) is governed by: Eros and Thanatos. Eros is the god of life and passion to live; the tendency to survive and create; everything we take care of and do in order to live. Thanatos, on the other hand, is known as the god of death and destruction. It emits a desire for aggression, annihilation and everything related to the dark side. It has also been defined as a strong inclination toward causing harm to self or others (Like Sadism or Masochism). As much as Nick tries to optimist and pull himself up, Bill is pulling him down.
Books: The books mentioned in the story -the books that boys were reading- were the very same books that Hemingway himself was in the course of reading at the time he was writing. Also, Bill was the name of his very close friend whom he used to discuss these books with. So Hemingway using real events like the baseball game or real books and real names like Bill, indicates the fact that Hemingway insists it’s not all about Nick and Bill; it’s about our generation. It’s not impartial but it’s completely judgmental.
Lost Generation: In literature, the “Lost Generation” refers to a group of writers and poets who were men and women in the 1920s after World War I. All were non-American. In general, immigration of groups of intellectuals, writers, painters and Avant-garde and modern artists from around the world, especially from the United States and other parts of Europe to Paris. These artists had some kind of a bohemian life due to the consequences of war on finances. By pointing this out, Hemingway tries to tell us that it’s bigger than fiction. It’s about lives.
Fun Fact: “The Three-Day Blow” is a sequel to another short story by Hemingway called “The End Of Something”. There’s a village, quite deserted in the story that people have left and only a few have remained. Among them are Marjorie and Nick who are in a relationship at the time. Marjorie, somehow, feels something with her feminine intuition and asks Nick “is something wrong with our relationship?” And Nick, unable to answer, says nothing. He keeps silent and then Marjorie leaves him. Because she thinks that “he” is not happy with her. Nick does nothing to keep her or avoid her from leaving. In the end, Bill, as a minor character, enters the scene and sees Nick. He finds out that Marjorie has just left him and he insists that “it was you. You did it to yourself. It was your fault.”
Not that this story is meaningless on its own, but the meaning is completed when you put these two together. Why would Hemingway put a character at the end of his story in a way that would be unimportant and easy to omit? Then maybe Bill is much more important in “The End Of Something” and we can prove this theory by analyzing “The Three-Day Blow”. Bill, not an unaware but the puppeteer character, was controlling the acts from behind the scene in a way. In a kind of brainwashing system, the method is to alter the perspective of the subject in a way that they wouldn’t know if it’s someone else trying to modify their conduct. They think it’s their own idea and it’s “them” archiving that conclusion.
Although Bill improvised Nick into leaving Marjorie because he’s an opportunist and will use every chance in his way, he won’t succeed. Because Nick, as discussed before has hope. He’s hopeful to get back to Marjorie and reconstruct the relationship.
But who is the winner after all? The answer is “we can’t say”! It’s a lost-win situation for all the characters. Marjorie won because, despite her absence, she was all the boys were thinking and talking about. Without knowing, she was a threat to Nick and Bill’s bromance and was such a tense point of the whole story. But she can also lose, because we hear nothing of her side, her silence weights too much on the process of the story. She didn’t get any chance to speak for herself or defend her actions without being judged. Nick, loses when he surrenders to his friend Bill, but also wins when he decides to revive at the end. Bill, wins when overcoming Marjorie and winning his friend over but Nick’s decision doesn’t let it last longer.
So among all these wins and loses, we have a situation, described for us. It’s life; a long process of being and acting —to which Hemingway wouldn’t like to give an alternative ending. Our three characters are young and nothing in their life is for sure. Are they in a phase only? Will Bill stop acting too desperate about his bromance with Nick? Will he not see her as a threat to his position with Nick? Will Nick fix it up with Marjorie? Or will he find another girl? Will then again Bill improvise her too? Will Nick become aware of Bill’s doing and resist? Will he ever get along with his internal contrasts? All these questions will shroud indefinitely because they should. It’s an exposition of a situation and that’s all. Hemingway does not like to close it.
Bill is not real: This theory, causes the story to be a multilayer. As we know, Nick is Hemingway’s alter-ego. If all these conversations are not between two real friends, but Nick and himself only, then Bill is actually Nick’s alter-ego. Bill represents the dark self in Nick and the ceaseless narration whispering in his mind. For similar short stories, we can name “The Secret Sharer” by Joseph Conrad and “William Wilson” by Edgar Allan Poe.
The House: The house in which two friends spent time can be a symbol of a safe zone —in which they had created an atmosphere of ease and some kind of a matrix that nothing gets out and inside. A world that isn’t quite real. Bill, and then Nick when he gets inside, don’t want to -or find it hard to- leave (Pay attention to Bill when he comes out to greet Nick. He doesn’t come much further than the porch.)
Nick—a lover: During the story, so many things, mostly Bill, cause Nick to abandon his ex-girlfriend and move on. But in the end, not only he didn’t get over his beloved, but he’s also hopeful to get back to her. This can support the theory of him being an innate lover that can’t not love. Loving is his nature and he can’t overcome or turnover his intrinsicality. Therefore Bill, his opposite pole, tries to suck it out of him and blend Nick into the world of his own. If so, Bill appears as the resistant character who does not want to change and will do anything to prevent his friend from stepping out of the zone either.
The Three-Day Blow: the three-day blow is a short wind that lasts no longer than three days only; yet, it’s very, very destructive and calamitous. A break-up with a girl in teenage time might not seem like a serious thing but to Nick, it was devastating. We see him psych out and crash down over Marjorie and like those dried apricots he tries to revive and come back to life again.
But also, the three-day blow can be related to the three blows in the story:
1. The blow outside of the cottage —the storm.
2. The blow that is happening in Nick’s life.
3. And the third, when he goes out and he believes that he can make it up with Marjorie again.
and after that, all the problems can just blow away...
November 23, 2016
Another boring story from Ernest Hemingway, this time about two boys who drink together in the woods. One of the boys just broke up with his girlfriend for no reason, and the other boy convinces him to repress his feelings because he thinks women have no meaning or importance. I wish Hemingway allowed his male characters to experience their emotions instead of submerging them in substances and sexism. Not recommended, because I know you have better things to read.
January 9, 2024
3.50 ⭐️ (rnd up) — This short-story is not one of the masters finest, but it remains poignant, engaging & contains many of the key ingredients of some of his true gems. Two young men drinking in the Woods, following one’s recent domestic break-up, it’s a coming of age in wisdom, perhaps — although I can’t help but feel it’s autobiographically inclined.
Whilst lacking a certain bite, perhaps especially on its conclusion, it does all the while serve as an almost simplistic but timeless allegory for human pondering, emotional sensibility as well as the impact of perspective, third-party awareness in matters of privity etc
Most of all though, It reads well and is laden with Hemingway’s bare-bones prose, which will never get old. Being early Hemingway, it’s again not his absolute finest but in context of the ‘Nick’ series it does take on extra purpose and poignancy when one is aware of the larger picture.
Whilst lacking a certain bite, perhaps especially on its conclusion, it does all the while serve as an almost simplistic but timeless allegory for human pondering, emotional sensibility as well as the impact of perspective, third-party awareness in matters of privity etc
Most of all though, It reads well and is laden with Hemingway’s bare-bones prose, which will never get old. Being early Hemingway, it’s again not his absolute finest but in context of the ‘Nick’ series it does take on extra purpose and poignancy when one is aware of the larger picture.
May 26, 2016
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and sometimes a reader just enjoys a story. Ignore the deeps, and get drunk and go outside to watch the storm.
June 21, 2021
مکالمه کسل کننده دو دوست ! ۲ ستاره هم فقط بخاطر همینگوی نه خود کتاب
درست کتاب قیمت پایینی داره ولی ارزش خرید نداره.
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November 20, 2025هربار میگم از این مجموعه بیست تومنیا نمیخرم اما انگار معتاد کنندهان و آدم میگه با بیست تومن که آدمس هم نمیدن حداقل یچیزی خونده باشم. جالب بود حداقل من حرف همینگوی رو میفهمم و در حد نمایشنامه ده بیست صفحهای ها فاجعه نبود.
🔖آبان ۱۴۰۴
🔖آبان ۱۴۰۴
May 24, 2020
Not Hemingway at his best for me.
June 8, 2020
.
و همانا همچنان این زیباترین داستان کوتاهیست که خواندهام. کالبدی غریب، اما یگانگی روح، در من و نیک.
و همانا همچنان این زیباترین داستان کوتاهیست که خواندهام. کالبدی غریب، اما یگانگی روح، در من و نیک.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2016
Nothing going on in this story. Just two guys hanging out and having a conversation. He makes an allusion to wind blowing leaves off a tree, like the end of a relationship. Some deep thing like that but just a built scene with no action.
June 17, 2016
Now, to start out with, I’m just going to flat out say that I do not like Ernest Hemingway. I minored in English Literature in college and came into contact with many people, including a few professors (meaning that I was forced to read his writing), who loved his writing…or at least were pretending that they did. I, however, could never quite get there with his stories. I knew right away that I should have skipped this story in this compilation and should not have even thought of subjecting myself to another one of Hemingway’s attempts at literature.
Okay, so now you’re probably asking yourself why I am so against Hemingway. Well, let me tell you why. I’m against him because he was against me – women in general. Okay, it’s not only that. It’s that he was a drunken, misogynistic, sexist asshole who’s writing is bland, dry, and boring. Many men, and women, think that Hemingway was this dashing, rugged man who wrote and drank in sophistication (the true American backwoods boy). But, I can tell you, that was not the case. He didn’t care about anyone or anything except his booze and wrote floozy stories that are so read and admired today that it makes me a bit sick to my stomach.
Anyway, I’m supposed to be writing a review. Right. On with it, then.
This is a story about two teenage boys who decide to get drunk for no particular reason (go figure). One has just broken up with his long-term girlfriend and is struggling with if he should call her, try and apologize, and attempt to make-up. But, the other boy talks him out of it, saying that women don’t mean anything anyway and that all this guy needs is him and some booze (again, go figure). So, they get drunk on the second guy’s (the one not heartbroken) dad’s, who happens to be out hunting, liquor. It ends with these two drunk teenagers – sorry not sorry spoiler alert – grabbing their guns to go out and join the father who’s hunting. Sounds like a really smart idea, right? Someone’s probably going to get shot. Whatever.
So, from my first few paragraphs you can probably already tell what I’m going to say about the writing. I’m not a fan. Hemingway has written another bland story. It really wouldn’t hurt him to add some spice to his life, but he’s too busy getting drunk and continuing to write mediocre stories instead of attempting to grow as an author. Okay, I really need to stop getting sidetracked.
The characters are boring and lack depth. There’s really nothing beyond wanting to get drunk in the one boy who convinces his friend to get drunk. In the heartbroken boy there’s a bit more of a personality. We can see that he is indeed struggling a bit with this breakup. But, since he comes to the conclusion that this girl will be at his beck and call whenever he decides to call and try and fix their relationship, he puts her out of his mind and focusses on getting drunk. It all comes back to just getting drunk. Which, in it’s own can be a way of healing, but knowing Hemingway, it’s not.
The story is very short, only about 4 pages, and never fully takes off. There’s no rising action, climax, or falling action. It’s all pretty even. And, I mean, I guess the climax is that they’re going out with guns and will probably end up shooting something or someone they’re not supposed to, because, even though each one insists they’re not actually drunk, they’re both sloshed.
Welp. I should probably end my review now. I probably shouldn’t have even attempted to write this in the first place. I’m honestly not trying to offend anyone. These are all my personal opinions, and, I mean – I’m not happy about it – but if you want to like Hemingway, you go ahead and like him. I can’t stop you. I’ve put in my 2 cents. It’s out there. I may have saved someone from reading a pointless story. That’s the end of this. I’m done for the day.
Okay, so now you’re probably asking yourself why I am so against Hemingway. Well, let me tell you why. I’m against him because he was against me – women in general. Okay, it’s not only that. It’s that he was a drunken, misogynistic, sexist asshole who’s writing is bland, dry, and boring. Many men, and women, think that Hemingway was this dashing, rugged man who wrote and drank in sophistication (the true American backwoods boy). But, I can tell you, that was not the case. He didn’t care about anyone or anything except his booze and wrote floozy stories that are so read and admired today that it makes me a bit sick to my stomach.
Anyway, I’m supposed to be writing a review. Right. On with it, then.
This is a story about two teenage boys who decide to get drunk for no particular reason (go figure). One has just broken up with his long-term girlfriend and is struggling with if he should call her, try and apologize, and attempt to make-up. But, the other boy talks him out of it, saying that women don’t mean anything anyway and that all this guy needs is him and some booze (again, go figure). So, they get drunk on the second guy’s (the one not heartbroken) dad’s, who happens to be out hunting, liquor. It ends with these two drunk teenagers – sorry not sorry spoiler alert – grabbing their guns to go out and join the father who’s hunting. Sounds like a really smart idea, right? Someone’s probably going to get shot. Whatever.
So, from my first few paragraphs you can probably already tell what I’m going to say about the writing. I’m not a fan. Hemingway has written another bland story. It really wouldn’t hurt him to add some spice to his life, but he’s too busy getting drunk and continuing to write mediocre stories instead of attempting to grow as an author. Okay, I really need to stop getting sidetracked.
The characters are boring and lack depth. There’s really nothing beyond wanting to get drunk in the one boy who convinces his friend to get drunk. In the heartbroken boy there’s a bit more of a personality. We can see that he is indeed struggling a bit with this breakup. But, since he comes to the conclusion that this girl will be at his beck and call whenever he decides to call and try and fix their relationship, he puts her out of his mind and focusses on getting drunk. It all comes back to just getting drunk. Which, in it’s own can be a way of healing, but knowing Hemingway, it’s not.
The story is very short, only about 4 pages, and never fully takes off. There’s no rising action, climax, or falling action. It’s all pretty even. And, I mean, I guess the climax is that they’re going out with guns and will probably end up shooting something or someone they’re not supposed to, because, even though each one insists they’re not actually drunk, they’re both sloshed.
Welp. I should probably end my review now. I probably shouldn’t have even attempted to write this in the first place. I’m honestly not trying to offend anyone. These are all my personal opinions, and, I mean – I’m not happy about it – but if you want to like Hemingway, you go ahead and like him. I can’t stop you. I’ve put in my 2 cents. It’s out there. I may have saved someone from reading a pointless story. That’s the end of this. I’m done for the day.
September 13, 2023
This is one of the "Nick Adams" stories, although in this one we are never given Nick's last name. As a whole, the Nick Adams stories feel like an opportunity for Hemingway to write about personal things, such as literature, writers, drinking, and fishing.
Much of the story here is given through dialog; this element is notably strong here, and very well done.
Much of the story here is given through dialog; this element is notably strong here, and very well done.
August 16, 2020
Смысл произведений Хэмингуэя, как всегда, от меня ускользает.
December 10, 2016
One rainy autumn afternoon, Nick hikes up in the north Michigan woods to meet his friend Bill. Talking and drinking, they finally discuss Nick's breaking off his romantic relationship with Marjorie. Bill dogmatically insists that Nick did the right thing. A woman, he insists, will ruin a man; a married man is "done for." Nick listens but realizes that he is still free to flirt with the idea of finding the right woman to marry eventually. He is far from being converted to Bill's almost misogynistic view of women.
As Nick hikes upward, approaching the cabin, Hemingway precisely places him in the narrative, and his sharp attention to details is characteristic of Hemingway's early prose as well as his later, long narratives. Nick picks up a "Wagner apple." He puts it in the pocket of his "Mackinaw coat."
Almost immediately, Bill offers Nick a drink — and from this point onward, we watch and listen as the two young men get increasingly drunk. Bill is clearly in charge. Because of the cold, rainy autumn weather, he chides Nick for not wearing any socks and goes upstairs to get him some. He also cautions Nick about denting the fireplace screen with his feet (biographers have often noted Hemingway's big feet. Knowing his fondness for inserting autobiographical material, this small, telling detail very likely happened).
Besides the reference to big feet, Bill calls Nick "Wemedge," a nickname Hemingway chose for himself. The two guys settle into a not-quite-comfortable camaraderie, joshing about baseball. Bill is careful to keep their talk light, for the moment.
The tension between the two young men, however, is unrelieved by liquor or by the talk of baseball; the two begin discussing books. Biographers have noted that when Hemingway wrote this short story, he and his friend Bill Smith were reading the same books that Hemingway mentions here in the story. Again, Bill must take charge, controlling the flow of conversation. Frustrated by the small talk, Bill suggests getting drunk.
Finally, Bill shifts to the real subject: Nick's breaking off with Marjorie. We see now that it was Bill who talked Nick into breaking up with her. Bill begins railing against the whole notion of marriage. Women, he contends, ruin a man; a married man is "done for." Sitting quietly, Nick realizes how much he lost when he broke off with Marjorie. His guilt is keen. Bill feels no guilt for his part in the breaking-up. "So long as it's over that's all that matters," he pronounces. Further, Bill cautions Nick to watch himself and not succumb to temptation again.
Nick, however, realizes that all is not over. The notion of there being danger in falling for Marjorie, or any other woman, is still possible. He hasn't cut himself off from the possibility of romance. The danger intrigues him; he's thrilled with the concept that danger isn't a bad thing.
Marjorie threatened Bill's friendship with Nick, which Bill admits: Had Nick not broken off with Marjorie, he would already have been living in Charlevoix to be near her. Hunting, fishing, and drinking, according to Bill, are more important than getting married. Nick, however, felt anchored somehow with Marjorie, as if life had a purpose and a pattern.
At the end of the story, he's doubly exhilarated: He's happy to be hunting with Bill, and he's excited that a relationship with a woman, even if it might seem to trap him, is always waiting for him. The emotions he has because of this new insight are bracing.
As Nick hikes upward, approaching the cabin, Hemingway precisely places him in the narrative, and his sharp attention to details is characteristic of Hemingway's early prose as well as his later, long narratives. Nick picks up a "Wagner apple." He puts it in the pocket of his "Mackinaw coat."
Almost immediately, Bill offers Nick a drink — and from this point onward, we watch and listen as the two young men get increasingly drunk. Bill is clearly in charge. Because of the cold, rainy autumn weather, he chides Nick for not wearing any socks and goes upstairs to get him some. He also cautions Nick about denting the fireplace screen with his feet (biographers have often noted Hemingway's big feet. Knowing his fondness for inserting autobiographical material, this small, telling detail very likely happened).
Besides the reference to big feet, Bill calls Nick "Wemedge," a nickname Hemingway chose for himself. The two guys settle into a not-quite-comfortable camaraderie, joshing about baseball. Bill is careful to keep their talk light, for the moment.
The tension between the two young men, however, is unrelieved by liquor or by the talk of baseball; the two begin discussing books. Biographers have noted that when Hemingway wrote this short story, he and his friend Bill Smith were reading the same books that Hemingway mentions here in the story. Again, Bill must take charge, controlling the flow of conversation. Frustrated by the small talk, Bill suggests getting drunk.
Finally, Bill shifts to the real subject: Nick's breaking off with Marjorie. We see now that it was Bill who talked Nick into breaking up with her. Bill begins railing against the whole notion of marriage. Women, he contends, ruin a man; a married man is "done for." Sitting quietly, Nick realizes how much he lost when he broke off with Marjorie. His guilt is keen. Bill feels no guilt for his part in the breaking-up. "So long as it's over that's all that matters," he pronounces. Further, Bill cautions Nick to watch himself and not succumb to temptation again.
Nick, however, realizes that all is not over. The notion of there being danger in falling for Marjorie, or any other woman, is still possible. He hasn't cut himself off from the possibility of romance. The danger intrigues him; he's thrilled with the concept that danger isn't a bad thing.
Marjorie threatened Bill's friendship with Nick, which Bill admits: Had Nick not broken off with Marjorie, he would already have been living in Charlevoix to be near her. Hunting, fishing, and drinking, according to Bill, are more important than getting married. Nick, however, felt anchored somehow with Marjorie, as if life had a purpose and a pattern.
At the end of the story, he's doubly exhilarated: He's happy to be hunting with Bill, and he's excited that a relationship with a woman, even if it might seem to trap him, is always waiting for him. The emotions he has because of this new insight are bracing.
August 29, 2016
Understanding the particular stage in life that Nick is at makes this piece. The 3-day wind parallels the inner emotional turmoil he's been feeling since the break-up. The drink gets the tongue wagging with his buddy as a means to hide his pain. Discussing Walpole/Chesterton, the Cards, fishing and going hunting are all a distraction for Nick. The barren landscape mirrors his dispassion. He's broken. He has yet to understand how to handle women. Great story for any male in his late 20's adjusting to the demands and natural calling of a serious relationship.
April 18, 2022
اولین تجربهی من از کتاب کوچک داستان. باد سهروزه عالی بود. مکالمهی فراتر از اندیشه بین دو آدم مست. عجب حرفهایی زدهشد و همهچیز چطور از یاد رفت. بهقدری واقعی که تنها خوانندگان مست بتوانند نظر کارشناسانهای بدهند. آه از عمق شب و نادانی. این کتاب را فراموش نکن. این پانزده شانزده صفحه را فراموش نکن.
۲۹ فروردین ۱۴۰۱، کافه کافکا
۲۹ فروردین ۱۴۰۱، کافه کافکا
December 1, 2018
I think there comes a point in every man's life where we try to be stronger than we really are. Pretend like there is no problems. Hold back our emotions. But then a storm comes along and we can't hold back anymore. Then we fall back to who we truly are. Hemingway captured this perfectly here.
February 17, 2017
I'm only giving an extra star because of the fun I had acting it out loud with my boyfriend. We assumed Bill and Nick to be pretty drunk :D
December 31, 2024
بعد از دیدن فیلم نیمهشب در پاریس (چقدر فیلم گوگولی و خوبیه🥹) دیدم عه چه زشت تاحالا از همینگوی چیزی نخوندم، خلاصه این شد که تصمیم گرفتم در حد یه داستان کوتاهم شده با قلمش یکم آشنا بشم تا بعد که برم سراغ کتابای دیگه...
عجیب و جالب بود!
عجیب و جالب بود!
November 2, 2021
Overall it was very underwhelming, the only enjoyable part was the marriage argument
"They (married men) get this sort of fat married look. They are done for."
"They (married men) get this sort of fat married look. They are done for."
April 23, 2023
((یهو همه چی تموم شد . نمیدونم چرا. هیچ کاریش نمی تونستم بکنم. درس مثل این باد سه روزه که میآد و همه برگا رو میریزه زمین.))
March 20, 2022
Hemingway's "The Three-Day Blow" is another Nick story, continuing from "The End of Something" where he ends a relationship with his girlfriend/fiance. Is this the same Nick from the "Indian Camp"? I think so because his father is a doctor, but I thought Nick much younger in that story. In this story Nick is drinking a fair amount of alcohol.
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“Maybe,” Bill agreed. “There’s always more to it than we know about,” Nick said.
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“Richard Feverel.”
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Forest Lovers?”
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Fortitude?”
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“The Dark Forest,”
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Flying Inn?”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
Nick and his friend Bill discuss books and sports. Nick seems to kind of regret his break up but then when really thinking about it is afraid that he might be tempted to go back to Margie. The feeling of breaking up and the real feeling of questioning, makes thus seem so real.
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“That’s right,” said Nick. “I guess he’s a better guy than Walpole.” “Oh, he’s a better guy, all right,” Bill said. “But Walpole’s a better writer.” “I don’t know,” Nick said. “Chesterton’s a classic.”
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“Walpole’s a classic, too,” Bill insisted. “I wish we had them both here,” Nick said. “We’d take them both fishing to the ’Voix tomorrow.” “Let’s get drunk,” Bill said. “All right,” Nick agreed. “My old man won’t care,” Bill said. “Are you sure?” said Nick. “I know it,” Bill said. “I’m a little drunk now,” Nick said. “You aren’t drunk,” Bill said. He got up from the floor and reached for the whisky bottle. Nick
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held out his glass. His eyes fixed on it while Bill poured. Bill poured the glass half full of whisky. “Put in your own water,” he said. “There’s just one more shot.” “Got any more?” Nick asked. “There’s plenty more but dad only likes me to drink what’s open.” “Sure,” said Nick. “He says opening bottles is what makes drunkards,” Bill explained. “That’s right,” said Nick. He was impressed. He had never thought of that before. He had always thought
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it was solitary drinking that made drunkards. “How is your dad?” he asked respectfully. “He’s all right,” Bill said. “He gets a little wild sometimes.” “He’s a swell guy,” Nick said. He poured water into his glass out of the pitcher. It mixed slowly with the whisky. There was more whisky than water. “You bet your life he is,” Bill said. “My old man’s all right,” Nick said. “You’re damn right he is,” said Bill.
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“He claims he’s never taken a drink in his life,” Nick said, as though announcing a scientific fact. “Well, he’s a doctor. My old man’s a painter. That’s different.” “He’s missed a lot,” Nick said sadly. “You can’t tell,” Bill said. “Everything’s got its compensations.” “He says he’s missed a lot himself,” Nick confessed. “Well, dad’s had a tough time,” Bill said. “It all evens up,” Nick said.
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“You were very wise, Wemedge,” Bill said. “What do you mean?” asked Nick. “To bust off that Marge business,” Bill said. “I guess so,” said Nick.
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“It was the only thing to do. If you hadn’t, by now you’d be back home working trying to get enough money to get married.” Nick said nothing. “Once a man’s married he’s absolutely bitched,” Bill went on. “He hasn’t got anything more. Nothing. Not a damn thing. He’s done for. You’ve seen the guys that get married.” Nick said nothing. “You can tell them,” Bill said. “They get this sort of fat married look. They’re done for.”
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“Sure,” said Nick. “It was probably bad busting it off,” Bill said. “But you always fall for somebody else and then it’s all right. Fall for them but don’t let them ruin you.” “Yes,” said Nick. “If you’d have married her you would have had to marry the whole family. Remember her mother and that guy she married.” Nick nodded. “Imagine having them around the house all the time and going to Sunday dinners at their house, and
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having them over to dinner and her telling Marge all the time what to do and how to act.” Nick sat quiet. “You came out of it damned well,” Bill said. “Now she can marry somebody of her own sort and settle down and be happy. You can’t mix oil and water and you can’t mix that sort of thing any more than if I’d marry Ida that works for Strattons. She’d probably like it, too.” Nick said nothing. The liquor had all died out of him and left him alone. Bill wasn’t there. He wasn’t
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sitting in front of the fire or going fishing tomorrow with Bill and his dad or anything. He wasn’t drunk. It was all gone. All he knew was that he had once had Marjorie and that he had lost her. She was gone and he had sent her away. That was all that mattered. He might never see her again. Probably he never would. It was all gone, finished.
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“All of a sudden everything was over,” Nick said. “I don’t know why it was. I couldn’t help it. Just like when the three-day blows come now and rip all the leaves off the trees.” “Well, it’s over. That’s the point,” Bill said. “It was my fault,” Nick said. “It doesn’t make any difference whose fault it was,” Bill said. “No, I suppose not,” Nick said. The big thing was that Marjorie was gone and that probably he would never see her again. He had
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talked to her about how they would go to Italy together and the fun they would have. Places they would be together. It was all gone now. “So long as it’s over that’s all that matters,” Bill said. “I tell you, Wemedge, I was worried while it was going on. You played it right. I understand her mother is sore as hell. She told a lot of people you were engaged.” “We weren’t engaged,” Nick said. “It was all around that you were.” “I can’t help it,” Nick said. “We weren’t.”
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“Weren’t you going to get married?” Bill asked. “Yes. But we weren’t engaged,” Nick said. “What’s the difference?” Bill asked judicially. “I don’t know. There’s a difference.” “I don’t see it,” said Bill.
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“All of a sudden it was over,” Nick said. “I oughtn’t to talk about it.” “You aren’t,” Bill said. “I talked about it and now I’m through. We won’t ever speak about it again. You don’t want to think about it. You might get back into it again.” Nick had not thought about that. It had seemed so absolute. That was
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a thought. That made him feel better. “Sure,” he said. “There’s always that danger.” He felt happy now. There was not anything that was irrevocable. He might go into town Saturday night. Today was Thursday. “There’s always a chance,” he said. “You’ll have to watch yourself,” Bill said. “I’ll watch myself,” he said. He felt happy. Nothing was finished. Nothing was ever lost. He
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would go into town on Saturday. He felt lighter, as he had felt before Bill started to talk about it. There was always a way out.
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Outside now the Marge business was no longer so tragic. It was not even very important. The wind blew everything like that away.
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“Maybe,” Bill agreed. “There’s always more to it than we know about,” Nick said.
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“Richard Feverel.”
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Forest Lovers?”
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Fortitude?”
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“The Dark Forest,”
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Flying Inn?”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
Nick and his friend Bill discuss books and sports. Nick seems to kind of regret his break up but then when really thinking about it is afraid that he might be tempted to go back to Margie. The feeling of breaking up and the real feeling of questioning, makes thus seem so real.
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“That’s right,” said Nick. “I guess he’s a better guy than Walpole.” “Oh, he’s a better guy, all right,” Bill said. “But Walpole’s a better writer.” “I don’t know,” Nick said. “Chesterton’s a classic.”
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“Walpole’s a classic, too,” Bill insisted. “I wish we had them both here,” Nick said. “We’d take them both fishing to the ’Voix tomorrow.” “Let’s get drunk,” Bill said. “All right,” Nick agreed. “My old man won’t care,” Bill said. “Are you sure?” said Nick. “I know it,” Bill said. “I’m a little drunk now,” Nick said. “You aren’t drunk,” Bill said. He got up from the floor and reached for the whisky bottle. Nick
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held out his glass. His eyes fixed on it while Bill poured. Bill poured the glass half full of whisky. “Put in your own water,” he said. “There’s just one more shot.” “Got any more?” Nick asked. “There’s plenty more but dad only likes me to drink what’s open.” “Sure,” said Nick. “He says opening bottles is what makes drunkards,” Bill explained. “That’s right,” said Nick. He was impressed. He had never thought of that before. He had always thought
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it was solitary drinking that made drunkards. “How is your dad?” he asked respectfully. “He’s all right,” Bill said. “He gets a little wild sometimes.” “He’s a swell guy,” Nick said. He poured water into his glass out of the pitcher. It mixed slowly with the whisky. There was more whisky than water. “You bet your life he is,” Bill said. “My old man’s all right,” Nick said. “You’re damn right he is,” said Bill.
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“He claims he’s never taken a drink in his life,” Nick said, as though announcing a scientific fact. “Well, he’s a doctor. My old man’s a painter. That’s different.” “He’s missed a lot,” Nick said sadly. “You can’t tell,” Bill said. “Everything’s got its compensations.” “He says he’s missed a lot himself,” Nick confessed. “Well, dad’s had a tough time,” Bill said. “It all evens up,” Nick said.
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“You were very wise, Wemedge,” Bill said. “What do you mean?” asked Nick. “To bust off that Marge business,” Bill said. “I guess so,” said Nick.
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“It was the only thing to do. If you hadn’t, by now you’d be back home working trying to get enough money to get married.” Nick said nothing. “Once a man’s married he’s absolutely bitched,” Bill went on. “He hasn’t got anything more. Nothing. Not a damn thing. He’s done for. You’ve seen the guys that get married.” Nick said nothing. “You can tell them,” Bill said. “They get this sort of fat married look. They’re done for.”
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“Sure,” said Nick. “It was probably bad busting it off,” Bill said. “But you always fall for somebody else and then it’s all right. Fall for them but don’t let them ruin you.” “Yes,” said Nick. “If you’d have married her you would have had to marry the whole family. Remember her mother and that guy she married.” Nick nodded. “Imagine having them around the house all the time and going to Sunday dinners at their house, and
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having them over to dinner and her telling Marge all the time what to do and how to act.” Nick sat quiet. “You came out of it damned well,” Bill said. “Now she can marry somebody of her own sort and settle down and be happy. You can’t mix oil and water and you can’t mix that sort of thing any more than if I’d marry Ida that works for Strattons. She’d probably like it, too.” Nick said nothing. The liquor had all died out of him and left him alone. Bill wasn’t there. He wasn’t
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sitting in front of the fire or going fishing tomorrow with Bill and his dad or anything. He wasn’t drunk. It was all gone. All he knew was that he had once had Marjorie and that he had lost her. She was gone and he had sent her away. That was all that mattered. He might never see her again. Probably he never would. It was all gone, finished.
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“All of a sudden everything was over,” Nick said. “I don’t know why it was. I couldn’t help it. Just like when the three-day blows come now and rip all the leaves off the trees.” “Well, it’s over. That’s the point,” Bill said. “It was my fault,” Nick said. “It doesn’t make any difference whose fault it was,” Bill said. “No, I suppose not,” Nick said. The big thing was that Marjorie was gone and that probably he would never see her again. He had
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talked to her about how they would go to Italy together and the fun they would have. Places they would be together. It was all gone now. “So long as it’s over that’s all that matters,” Bill said. “I tell you, Wemedge, I was worried while it was going on. You played it right. I understand her mother is sore as hell. She told a lot of people you were engaged.” “We weren’t engaged,” Nick said. “It was all around that you were.” “I can’t help it,” Nick said. “We weren’t.”
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“Weren’t you going to get married?” Bill asked. “Yes. But we weren’t engaged,” Nick said. “What’s the difference?” Bill asked judicially. “I don’t know. There’s a difference.” “I don’t see it,” said Bill.
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“All of a sudden it was over,” Nick said. “I oughtn’t to talk about it.” “You aren’t,” Bill said. “I talked about it and now I’m through. We won’t ever speak about it again. You don’t want to think about it. You might get back into it again.” Nick had not thought about that. It had seemed so absolute. That was
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a thought. That made him feel better. “Sure,” he said. “There’s always that danger.” He felt happy now. There was not anything that was irrevocable. He might go into town Saturday night. Today was Thursday. “There’s always a chance,” he said. “You’ll have to watch yourself,” Bill said. “I’ll watch myself,” he said. He felt happy. Nothing was finished. Nothing was ever lost. He
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would go into town on Saturday. He felt lighter, as he had felt before Bill started to talk about it. There was always a way out.
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Outside now the Marge business was no longer so tragic. It was not even very important. The wind blew everything like that away.
July 25, 2024
Men yapping about how marriage ruins men etc
December 22, 2024
There’s no way to make a story solely about straight men, interesting.
Read
November 24, 2025"باد میتوانست هرچیزی را با خود ببرد."
نقل قول کتاب که یاد شعر : " باد ما را با خود خواهد برد" افتادم.
همینگوی خوندن توی پاییز میچسبه.
نقل قول کتاب که یاد شعر : " باد ما را با خود خواهد برد" افتادم.
همینگوی خوندن توی پاییز میچسبه.
December 13, 2025
Review forthcoming
June 8, 2019
Simple but profound. Restored my faith in short stories. Was disappointed after reading a highly anticipated Chekhov short. Hemingways’s 3 Day Blow was insightful — powerful glimpse into the mind of an alcoholic, of men on their way to becoming addicted, of the justification and setting the scene for how it happens without the heavy handed moral posturing that is often associated with this kind of narrative. It was great.
Update:
Some people might not be a fan of this kind of narrative. Be aware when you get into it that this story is not plot driven. If you’re a fan of “things happening”, a fan of sci-fi or fantasy or whatever else... this story is not that. It is not meant to be that for people seeking that kind of thing. Look for your roller coaster plot elsewhere.
Now if you’re the kind of person who enjoys understanding people, listening to their life stories, people watching, figuring them out, a Marc Maron podcast enthusiast .... this story is right up your alley.
Update:
Some people might not be a fan of this kind of narrative. Be aware when you get into it that this story is not plot driven. If you’re a fan of “things happening”, a fan of sci-fi or fantasy or whatever else... this story is not that. It is not meant to be that for people seeking that kind of thing. Look for your roller coaster plot elsewhere.
Now if you’re the kind of person who enjoys understanding people, listening to their life stories, people watching, figuring them out, a Marc Maron podcast enthusiast .... this story is right up your alley.
December 18, 2013
There's always that time, in that place, where the wind will blow strong for three days, ripping off the leaves from trees. It just happens.
Nick lost his love, and he wonders why, but it just happened.
Nick lost his love, and he wonders why, but it just happened.
October 30, 2019
talk about sexist!
August 12, 2025
Bruh I hate seeing summaries online, they never make any sense. I think this story is about two slightly different loser guys who lost their girlfriends and are trying to make eachother feel better. They start off in an isolated cottage up a hill, away from an orchard, a lake, and a forest surrounding them. The wind blows hard (supposedly for three days) and they are like isolated in a bubble of their own thoughts. Bro isn’t even wearing socks he had to borrow some and they often sleep together in the same room with Bill’s dad lol. Dad is out at the lake, shooting. It seems like 3 single guys (omg three guys, three day blow!). I just think that the ending is not a high note. Nick thinks that it’s nice to imagine there will be a chance in the future to be with Marg again. The wind symbolizes how possibilities of time passing can keep things moving and that it helps remove the static finality of a relationship ending. However, it is literally signified in the title that this is a “three-day blow”!! It’s temporary!! These ideas that you can repair what is already gone is simply for these few days that you are with your friend Bill. Thursday to Saturday is literally three days time (I think) that means it could all be over within three days (or maybe 3 days is all he needs to come about with the change). Sorry, I actually like that idea better, the three days could last until the end of Saturday, which could be the wind symbolizing this is the time where change could take place. I just think wind, visually, looks like nothing. It’s just air. There is no substance, you can feel the change, but it’s almost imaginary. I like that. I really think that this is the dumb guys talking. Not once did he say a quality about Marg that he misses or admires. It was just her mom sucks and I wanted to go to Italy with her, but he was just upset that he lost her. That’s a quality I think would have shown if he was worth a good man or not. Also, he just got drunk with his friend without admitting anything, there was no communication, just Bill spewing ideas at him and Nick thinking they are his own. Also, that scene in the mirror was interesting. It’s like his drunkenness affects his perception or himself, and that his face is not his own but his smile and wink means that while he is still young, change is possible? Also, knocking over the pan full of apricots in water was interesting, he picked some up but some left under the stove, it’s like he’s clumsy and thinks highly of himself. He just feels like a huge doofus to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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