Ernest Hemingway and His World

Quote

“It is the fusion of sensitive and original artist and big-muscled man of action that has made Ernest Hemingway one of the large international myths of the twentieth century. This myth is rendered intriguing and compelling through the presence, in personality and art alike, of an ambiguous attitude towards life and death, of a self-doubt safari, of a genuine morbidity whose roots are knotty and resistant to the digger.” – Anthony Burgess (Page 7)

This quote describes the very definition of Ernest Hemingway himself. This is not only what people view of him, but represents his inner self as well.

Connections

1. Almost all, if not all, of Hemingway’s life experiences have contributed to the creation of his works. There were several instances of his involvement with World War I that contributed to works such as the Gestalt of A Farewell to Arms. Hemingway worked with the Red Cross and experienced war in the country of Italy. In one of the various battles he witnessed, Hemingway was injured. He was sent to the Ospedale Croce Rossa Americana located in Milan. There he fell in love with one of the nurses named Sister Agnes Hannah von Kurowsky. It is said that these experiences contributed to the works stated above. It was also during this time that Hemingway began developing his distinct views on death.

2. Hemingway’s life experiences heavily contributed to his one of his first major publications, The Sun Also Rises. His experiences in Paris and Spain helped set the scene for the novel, while the people Hemingway was involved with developed the characters in the story. The Pamplona fiesta of 1925 was the main inspiration for the events in the book. Some of the individuals he was with during this period in time are directly correlated with characters in the novel. Jake Barnes, the main character in The Sun Also Rises, is actually a representation of Hemingway himself. This connection is significant due to the characteristics of Jake, including his sexual inability. Robert Cohn, a side friend of Jake Barnes, represented Harold Loeb. Lady Brett, the woman who Jake was in love with, represented Lady Duff. It was interesting to see how explicit the connections were.

3. Another connection that I found interesting was in regards to how Hemingway titled his novels. Truth be told he often stole the names from somewhere else. For one example he took the title of his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls from the Oxford Book of English Prose. For a second example, his novel A Farewell to Arms is actually the title of a poem by a man named George Peele. Peele was considered a modern Shakespeare during that time, yet Hemingway’s dominance of the writing world protected him from being called out on his thievery.

Visual Representation

This is a photograph of the young Ernest Hemingway in his uniform while he was serving with the Red Cross. Underneath his image of a writer, Hemingway was considered to be quite and handsome, strongly built man. His success as a writer only made him more so desirable to women. Hemingway was six feet tall, considered a warrior, a hunter, and a fisherman.

Questions

Why did Hemingway commit suicide? Did his overworked mind distort his view of himself? Which wife did Hemingway truly love the most, was it his first? Did his image contribute to his desire to be with more than one woman? What would the writing world be like today if he was still alive?

Reflection

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this biography on Ernest Hemingway. The author wrote informatively but somehow created it to be interesting. One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the length of it. It was short and to the point, never overanalyzing but never under analyzing anything. I also liked the inclusion of images to help get a better feel for what was being said in the text. I recommend that others read this biography because it is interesting, yet informative, with just the right of analysis.

As I Lay Dying

Quote

“Jewel’s mother is a horse,” Darl said.
“Then mine can be a fish, can’t it, Darl?” I said.
“Then what is your ma, Darl?” I said.
“I haven’t got ere one,” Darl said. “Because if I had one, it is was. And if it was, it cant be is. Can it?”(Section 24)

In beginning to analyze this quote, one must understand that the perspective is written from the youngest son Vardaman Bundren. Vardaman is presented as a particularly imaginative fellow and connects the death of his mother, Addie Bundren, to the death of a fish. At first, the connection made by the youngest son seemed quite juvenile but his observation allowed the two characters to discuss one of the main themes found in this book, As I Lay Dying. This theme can be described as, the questioning of existence, what is reality, and what is imaginative. This quote focuses more on the questioning of existence and the reality of death. Both of these characters cannot cope with the death of their mother either because of linguistic confusion or objective interchangeability. This quote is important to the novel as a whole because of its presentation of the theme previously described that reoccurs throughout the book.

Connections

1. There was a reoccurring theme in As I Lay Dying that can be describes as a lack of communication between the characters but an abundance of emotions and thought within themselves. While reading the novel, I noticed that there were many monologues from different characters’ inner thought process. While the characters did not say much to others around them, they had much to say within themselves. It seems as if the characters felt too vulnerable to share what they were feeling or thinking inside, so they just kept it to themselves. This may have seemed logical to them, but it proved to lead to many misunderstandings and mis communications. The following is an example of Anse’s, inner monologue.

"I have heard men cuss their luck, and right, for they were sinful men. But I do not say it's a curse on me, because I have done no wrong to be cussed by. I am not religious, I reckon. But peace is my heart: I know it is. I have done things but neither better nor worse than them that pretend otherlike, and I know that Old Marster will care for me as for ere a sparrow that falls. But is seems hard that a man in his need could be so flouted by a road."(pg. 37)

In looking at this quote, one must understand that among others Anse did not share these thoughts. In reality, Anse did not share any of these thoughts with the people he was with and even went so far as to talk about something completely different. They were discussing things that were not remotely close to what he was thinking inside his head, and were not close to what should be discussed.

2. There was one thing I noticed that kept recurring throughout this novel. I noticed that there was a substantial amount of heroism. Countless acts of bravery and stamina were displayed throughout the whole of this novel and yet, they were all mostly made fun of. It was if these acts of bravery and heroism were a joke. These acts were presented as a joke because of their questionable purposes. For example, the overarching quest for the characters in As I Lay Dying was to bury Addie in the town of Jefferson. However, towards the end of the book Addie’s husband, Anse, makes the whole quest seem ironic and fake. The following quote displays the irony.

“It’s Cash and Jewel and Vardaman and Dewey Dell,” pa says, kind of hangdog and proud too, with his teeth and all, even if he wouldn’t look at us. “Meet Mrs Bundren,” he says. (pg. 271)

Ironic? I think so. The ultimate goal of this journey was to bury his wife, not to get a new one; not to mention new teeth. It seems as if his character had some alternative purpose that he finally achieved. It seems as if the overall act of heroism, which was the baseline of the novel, was a lie and full of ulterior motives.

3. While reading As I Lay Dying, I noticed a connection to one of Hemmingway’s other novels, The Sun Also Rises. In As I Lay Dying, Hemmingway depicts the character, Dewey Dell Bundren as a sexually independent woman gone wrong. He shows that she went wrong in getting pregnant and desperately searching for some means of abortion. In The Sun Also Rises, Hemmingway also displays this sexually independent woman in the character called Brett. Brett, in a sense, is also a sexually independent woman gone wrong in her inability to be with the man she truly loves, Jake. As I see it, Hemmingway had a significant problem with sexually independent women like these. It is my belief that he might have even perceived all women as sexually derailed. This is true because he also depicted the mother, Addie, as sexually mishandled in her affair with the minister, Whitfield. Hemmingway’s depiction of the women might be something born out of experiences in his own life and are thus reflected in his writing. It will be interesting to read a biography on him to see if this is the case.

Visual Representation

This image represents one of the main characters, Addie. It is an accurate representation of her for several reasons. First, the body position of the woman in the picture suggests some sort of haunting disenchantment or disappointment, which is a trait in the character of Addie. Second, the demon resting on the woman’s chest could represent the loss of love and distress Addie felt in her life. Third, I feel as if the white gown the woman is wearing represents the absolute undying love Addie had for her bastard son Jewel. It seems as if the gown is the last shining hope in the aggravation of Addie’s role in the novel.

Questions

Why does Jewel show such little emotion towards his mother in front of other people? Is it because he does not know how to accurately express them? Would not her be able to accurately express them if he cared for her so much? Is the lack of communication between the characters in the novel a representation of poor education? Does Hemmingway suggest through this novel that education is essential to life? What experiences have led Hemmingway to depict woman in somewhat of a harsh light?

Reflection

Overall, I really enjoyed reading As I Lay Dying. At times it was difficult to read because of the way the characters discussed things amongst themselves or in their head. They were supposed to be poorly educated and so that is why it was difficult at times. However, I enjoyed this style of writing at the same time because you got an accurate feel for what the characters were truly like and how Hemmingway wanted to portray them. I enjoyed the overall irony and dark comical sense to this novel. It was somewhat depressing in a way, but absolutely hilarious at the same time. I highly recommend that others read this book because it is a classic example of Hemmingway’s genius and an overall great read.

The Sun Also Rises

Quote

{Cohn} “I can’t stand it to think my life is going so fast and I’m not really living it.”

{Jake} “Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bull-fighters.” (pg. 18)

This excerpt of dialogue captures an aspect of one of the most important themes in the book. Throughout the entirety of The Sun Also Rises, Hemmingway depicts what he calls the Lost Generation. This Lost Generation is made up of men and women who were heavily affected by World War I. The Lost Generation can be described as, aimless and without any moral implications from before the war. The war has negatively affected their ability to, essentially, live with purpose. So, due to this feeling of aimlessness, many of these men and women found themselves without clear purpose in their lives. This concept frustrates them beyond belief, as exemplified in this quote, and leads them down a path of foolish indulgence. The character, Cohn is a prime example of this aimlessness and loss of purpose.

Connections

1. Throughout the whole of the book, Hemmingway weaved a theme of male vulnerability. This theme is showed through Jake, one of the main characters, in his inability to perform the sexual act due to an injury from the war. Jake not only feels like less of a man because of this simple loss of function but also because Brett, another main character and the woman he is in love with, will not enter a relationship with him because of it. An example of this is first shown through Jake’s interaction with the prostitute called Georgette. This excerpt of conversation shows the excuse he gives her in protecting himself from ridicule.

“She touched me with one hand and I put her hand away.

“Never mind.”

“What’s the matter? You sick?”

“Yes.”” He is clearly trying not to draw attention to his dysfunction and feels ashamed by it, leading him to make up some excuse about being sick. While sexual dysfunction is not my connection to the real world, loss of masculinity is certain present in our world today. Many men do not know what it means to be masculine, or perhaps they do what it means, and pass it off as undignified nonsense. It is my observation that many men do not fight for things anymore. (i.e. relationships, job opportunities, etc.). Many have become passive, won’t pursue anything that doesn’t hit them over the head, and lack inner strength.

2. "Oh, Jake," Brett said, "We could have had such a damned good time together." Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me.

"Yes," I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?" (pg. 251)

This quote stood out to me while I was reading the final pages of The Sun Also Rises. The quote comes at the time when Brett is left by here once pursuing lover, Romero. Jake comes for her to Madrid and they have this conversation. It stood out to me for several reasons. For one, I thought it was another example of how Jake felt un-masculine, because he was kind of there as a backup. The main reason this quote stood out to me, however, is because of what Jake says in the last line “Isn’t it pretty to think so?” This has a direct connection to a humanist issue we all face at least once in our lives. Sometimes, it is hard to live in the present, and we focus too much on the past, which can result in serious traumatic depression. Often times we wonder, well, what if? What if this happened? What if it turned out this way? In reality, this is no way to live life. We have to keep moving forward in order not to miss out on what life might be offering us in the moment. I often have to remind myself of this and make it a goal to not dwell heavily in the past.

3. Another somewhat undertone theme I noticed while reading this book was the misuse and abuse of sex. This is shown through almost all of the characters in the book including Georgette, Brett, Mike, Romero, Cohn, and even Jake and some points in the book. It was interesting to see that Hemingway included this as part of the Lost Generation. It is my belief that this misuse of sex is also a theme in our generation today. Sex was designed to be an intimate connection between husband and wife. This is how it was preserved, until the morals began to fade away, possibility even due to what Hemingway describes at the Lost Generation. Most of our generation is truly lost when it comes to sex. While some have figured it to be an expression of love between two people, others simply do it for pleasure or for some other unknown reason. Even when sex is shared between two people that love each other (outside of marriage), there is no guarantee that they will be together forever and can be psychologically devastating if the two split. Overall, sex in our generation is taken way out of context and has been abused similar to the Lost Generation described in Hemingway’s book.

Visual Representation

This image is an accurate description of how several of the characters are feeling in the book. Throughout the entirety of this book, I pictured apocalyptic emotions from each of the characters. Destroyed. Withered. Run down. Lost. Desperate. Dark. “You are all a lost generation.” – Gertrude Stein in conversation is presented at the front of this book. This image is of a lost generation and a sense of defiled hope.

Questions

In what ways are present times like the Lost Generation? Why does the character Brett seem to have more inner strength then Jake? Is Brett a symbol of feminism? How does one help a Lost Generation? How can humans become less lost? How can Americans become less like the Lost Generation? Are we forever lost?

Reflection

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Sun Also Rises for several reasons. First, I enjoy Hemingway’s use of dialogue throughout the book. He uses dialogue quite often, which is something I am not use to in a writer but find it depicts the story in a more vivid and realistic way. Second, it was interesting to read about themes like the Lost Generation and the misuse of sex and compare to modern times in America. I recommend this book for all readers. It is highly interesting to discover the parallels between the themes in this book and the themes in our world today. The book is fairly simple to read, making it available to readers on all levels.