“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.
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