My Old Man (short story)

"My Old Man" is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in 1923 as part of the collection In Our Time. The story is narrated by Joe Butler, the son of a horse jockey. Through Joe's innocent and impressionable perspective, the narrative explores themes of disillusionment, loss of innocence, and the corrupted world of horse racing.

The story follows Joe and his father as they travel through Europe, primarily France and Italy, following the racing circuit. Joe idolizes his father, believing him to be a skilled and honorable jockey. However, as Joe matures, he begins to understand the less-than-savory aspects of horse racing, including fixing races and the exploitation of jockeys.

The story culminates in a race where Joe's father is suspected of throwing the race. He later dies in a fall during another race, leaving Joe to grapple with the conflicting narratives surrounding his father's character. The ambiguity of whether Joe's father was truly guilty of fixing races is central to the story's themes. Joe's disillusionment represents a loss of innocence as he confronts the complex and often morally ambiguous world inhabited by his "old man."