logo

30 pages 1 hour read

Indian Camp

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1924

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Important Quotes

Quotation Mark Icon

“Uncle George gave both the Indians cigars.”


(Page 15)

What seems to be an insignificant gesture provides a possible interpretation of the story. New fathers frequently give out cigars to celebrate the birth of a new child, so Uncle George giving the men implies that he is the father of the child they have come to deliver. However, the text never directly states this, leaving the child’s paternity open to interpretation.

Quotation Mark Icon

“‘This lady is going to have a baby, Nick,’ he said.

‘I know,’ said Nick.

‘You don’t know,’ said his father. ‘Listen to me. What she is going through is called being in labor. The baby wants to be born and she wants it to be born. All her muscles are trying to get the baby born. That is what is happening when she screams.’

‘I see,’ Nick said.”


(Page 16)

This exchange of dialogue between Nick and Dr. Adams reveals the characterization of the father and son. Instead of waiting for a narrator to tell us the characters’ mindsets as they row into the camp, the dialogue shows Dr. Adams’s knowledge and impatience, as well as Nick’s eagerness to please his father.

Quotation Mark Icon

“‘No. I haven’t any anæsthetic,’ his father said. ‘But her screams are not important. I don’t hear them because they are not important.’”


(Page 16)

This bit of dialogue characterizes Dr. Adams. Instead of the well-prepared and caring doctor he tries to portray himself as, he reveals that he is unequipped (lacking anesthetic) and uncaring, dismissing the woman’s screams as unimportant.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 30 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools