The Iceberg.

Hemingway’s “Iceberg” Style, from a Paris Review interview:

“If it is any use to know it, I always try to write on the principle of the iceberg. There is seven-eighths of it underwater for every part that shows. Anything you know you can eliminate and it only strengthens your iceberg. It is the part that doesn't show. If a writer omits something because he does not know it then there is a hole in the story.”

Life’s about choices, choose one of the below:

Analytical Type:Prompt: In a 3 page essay, address the following prompt: Hemingway, above, states his “Iceberg” theory of writing. Apply this concept to our reading of The Sun Also Rises. Quote at least 3 examples of Hemingway’s “Iceberg” style, explaining the effectiveness of his style and the “hidden” meaning underneath the minimalist expression. In other words, describe 3 different areas where Hemingway uses understatement, and express an opinion on whether or not it is effective. Exemplary papers will explore the strength of Hemingway’s style, yet will offer a critique of the limits of the minimalist style.

Creative Type:Prompt: In 3 pages of creative prose (either creative non-fiction or fiction), mimic Hemingway’s writing style. Your subject matter does not have to match, but your style should. Use his “Iceberg” theory to explore a topic that holds weight, yet be careful to reveal everything to your reader. Use Hemingway-esk minimalist style and, to conclude your piece, in one paragraph of expository writing, explain your style. Great papers will mimic Hemingway’s prose, yet offer an interesting new context in which it can be explored. They will faintly acknowledge deeper truths without delving into explanatory details.

This assignment is worth: 40 points.

This assignment is due on: ________