A Day's Wait

Ernest Hemingway’s “A Day’s Wait” (published in 1933) is a brief yet poignant short story based on the real-life experience of Hemingway’s son, Jack. Although one of Hemingway’s shortest works, at a little over a thousand words, the story is frequently anthologized and is an excellent introduction to Hemingway’s themes and style. In particular, this piece examines themes like Heroic Fatalism, Bravery and Manliness, and Miscommunication and Lack of Communication.

This guide refers to the version included in Hemingway’s Winner Take Nothing, a short story anthology published in 1933.

“A Day’s Wait” is written in first person, conveying the story through the eyes of an unnamed narrator referred to as “Papa.” The story has just four characters, all of whom are referred to only by a nickname, profession, or species. The two main characters are Papa and his nine-year-old son, Schatz. “Schatz” is a German term of endearment that means “my treasure.” Its use is similar to “darling” or “honey” in English. The other two characters—a doctor and a dog—remain nameless, though the narrative reveals that the dog is a “young Irish Setter” (Line 50). The story indicates the presence of others only through the words “we” and “they.” This ambiguity typifies Hemingway’s style, which requires inference to fill in gaps.

“A Day’s Wait” opens as Schatz enters Papa’s room, where Papa and another unidentified person are in bed. The narrative notes that the boy looks sick and asks what the matter is. Schatz insists that he has a headache but is “all right.” Papa tells his son to go back to bed but later finds him downstairs, dressed and sitting by the fire in misery. After feeling the boy’s forehead, Papa tells Schatz again that he’s sick and to return to bed. Schatz reiterates that he’s “all right” but returns to his room.

However, Schatz isn’t all right. A doctor arrives, takes the boy’s temperature, and says that he has a fever of 102. The doctor and Papa return downstairs, where the doctor informs Papa that a “light epidemic of flu” (Line 23) is going around. He states that Schatz isn’t in danger as long as his fever doesn’t go over 104 and the flu doesn’t turn into pneumonia. The doctor leaves three prescriptions for the boy and instructions for Papa.

After the doctor leaves, Papa sits with Schatz, reading aloud from Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates. Papa notes that Schatz looks “detached” and “very strange” (Lines 30, 38) and isn’t attentive to the book; he tells the boy that he should sleep. Instead, Schatz stares at the foot of his bed, stating that he’d rather stay awake. He adds that his father doesn’t have to stay if it “bothers him.”

Assuming that Schatz’s words are a result of his feeling lightheaded, Papa gives the boy his medicine and goes out hunting with his Irish Setter. Unfortunately, the ground is covered with frozen sleet, causing both man and dog to slip repeatedly. Finally, he flushes out some quail, kills two, and goes home happy that he can hunt the others later.

When Papa arrives home, “they” (the nameless others) tell him that Schatz refuses to let anyone in his room to prevent infecting them with his illness. Papa goes in and takes his son’s temperature. His temperature has risen to 102.4, but when Schatz asks what his temperature is, Papa claims that it’s around 100. Schatz corrects him, saying it was 102, and Papa tells him not to worry about it. The boy claims he isn’t worried but can’t stop thinking. Papa replies that Schatz should take it easy. The boy argues that he is taking it easy but refuses to make eye contact.

Papa notes that Schatz seems to be “holding tight onto himself about something” (Lines 79-80). Then, Papa starts to read to the boy again. As before, Schatz clearly isn’t listening. When Papa stops reading, Schatz asks how long it’ll be until he dies. Papa says that he isn’t going to die. Schatz insists that he is because his temperature is 102, and when he was in school in France, he learned that one can’t live with a temperature over 44.

Papa realizes that Schatz has been waiting to die since the doctor’s visit at nine o’ clock that morning. Papa explains the difference between Celsius and Fahrenheit, comparing it to kilometers and miles, and reassures his son that he won’t die. As a result, the boy’s tight hold over himself slowly eases. The next day, Papa notes that Schatz is far more relaxed and cries easily.