The central theme of Hemingway’s work revolves around heroism, with his novels touching on subjects such as fishing, hunting, bullfighting, and war. However, it is the concept of death that heavily influences his writing. Hemingway’s novels explore heroes’ struggles and their perception of death. Being a hero entails taking greater risks and daring more than others, increasing the possibility of encountering death and failure. Hemingway’s favorite characters are those who embrace death and its risks, as he stated in Connolly (p.226). To understand why Hemingway centers his novels around the theme of death, one must examine how the concept impacted his personal life. In 1928, Hemingway tragically lost his father to suicide. Many believed that his father’s misfortunes were not entirely his fault and speculated that fear would be the next theme explored by Hemingway. Throughout his childhood, Hemingway remained discontented and only found surface compatibility with his parents. His mother pushed him towards church music while his father introduced him to fishing at three years old and gave him a rifle at ten. Hemingway’s first novel “In Our Time” reflects this personal struggle through the character Nick Adams’ perspective.In a particular short story by Hemingway from In Our Time, Nick Adams is told by a doctor that his mother wishes to see him. In response, Nick expresses his desire to accompany the doctor (Connolly, p.226).
“…I am aware of a location where black squirrels can be found,” the protagonist mentioned. “Very well,” his father responded. “We should visit that place.” This concluding dialogue in the chapter titled “The Doctor and the Doctor’s Wife” in Hemingway’s In Our Time showcases the author’s ongoing conflict in choosing between following his mother’s musical path or his father’s pursuits of fishing and hunting. In Hemingway’s novel, In Our Time, Nick Adams is crafted as a character to represent the author himself. Nick’s youth mirrors Hemingway’s own untamed and nomadic lifestyle, encountering violence and malevolence along his journey. He spends summers with Native Americans in Michigan, experiencing life at its most raw form, just as Hemingway does. Hemingway, not particularly attached to his family or school, ran away from home twice and lived as a drifter, taking odd jobs on farms and in restaurants while traveling on freight trains. Like Hemingway, Nick witnesses a doctor-father performing a Caesarian operation using a jack knife. He also has an early sexual awakening after encountering an Indian girl with specific physical attributes. Nick also engages in acts of violence by dissecting freshly caught trout for bait to catch more trout – living within a realm of animal sacrifice. These experiences serve as Nick’s initiation into manhood while revealing his mixed emotions towards his father’s vulnerabilities.
Nick has mixed feelings towards the doctor and his father. He values the doctor’s influence but is unhappy with his father’s shortcomings in relationships and conservative views on sex.
Hemingway depicts a variety of characters in his writing, including battered prize fighters, hired killers, eviscerated bullfighters, injured soldiers, hunters of wild creatures, and deep-sea fishermen. Despite their encounters with death, Hemingway portrays these characters as heroes. He once stated that he prefers characters who confront death and accept its risks. To comprehend why Hemingway is so fixated on death in his works, it is necessary to delve into the events of his life that shaped his style and outlook. One significant factor was Hemingway’s difficult relationship with his parents, which led him to run away from home twice and experience periods of homelessness. When the United States joined World War I in 1917, Hemingway tried to enlist but was turned down due to poor eyesight. Nevertheless, he volunteered for the American Red Cross as an ambulance driver in Europe where he faced bloody battles risking his own life. As a result of this bravery and sacrifice, Hemingway suffered severe injuries for which he received the Italian Al Valore Militare medal and underwent surgery to remove over one hundred steel fragments from his leg. During this near-death experience, Hemingway expressed desires for death.
It is plausible that Hemingway’s personal desire for death influenced his writing, as many of his characters also face mortality in various ways. After the conclusion of the war in Europe, Hemingway returned to Key West, Florida and penned multiple books like A Farewell to Arms, Death in the Afternoon, and Green Hills of Africa. However, he appeared dissatisfied with himself. While in Africa, he participated in hunting activities with wealthy but uninteresting individuals who excessively drank and played backgammon – a pastime that Hemingway himself enjoyed. His two unsuccessful marriages and subsequent depression added to his discontentment. In 1940, Hemingway married writer Martha Gellhorn in Cheyenne, Wyoming and they journeyed to China before settling down in Cuba. Over time, signs of suicidal thoughts began to emerge. In 1942, Hemingway offered his yacht “Pilar” to the United States Navy and volunteered as a one-man suicide squadron; his plan was to sail alone and attract enemy submarines so that if they tried to intervene he could blow them up along with himself. However, the Navy rejected his request. These instances demonstrate Hemingway’s longing for sacrifice and willingness to put himself at risk for his country – clear indications of his troubled state of mind
According to a Navy report, Hemingway was close to death. Instead of using metaphors, he extensively uses symbols in his writings to discuss death. Baker suggests that although the world recognizes that these values may not be complete, it still values aesthetics. Writers, like hunters and soldiers, respect their code and use words to kill time rather than capture it as capturing horror would mean for Hemingway. Furthermore, Hemingway believes that all stories eventually lead to death and a true storyteller does not shy away from this truth. Throughout his works, Hemingway primarily focuses on the theme of heroism but especially death. The fear of death haunts him in many novels and ultimately leads him to end his own life through suicide, influenced by both personal experiences and background. Notable examples include Death in the Afternoon as a pinnacle of the theme of death leading into A Farewell to Arms. Death is also explored through gangs in The Killers and the protagonist’s gangrene-induced demise in The Snows of Kilimanjaro, as well as the fear of death depicted in Hills Like White Elephants (Baker, p.[page number]). Despite consistently employing a simple literary style, Hemingway’s recurring theme in his novels is death. He once stated that “Great American writers of the past were essentially colonial writers, that is English writers who happened to be born in America.” Edgar Allan Poe is recognized for his talent even though he is deceased (Baker).Melville’s inability to appreciate Thoreau has led to a dislike of his rhetoric. Emerson, Hawthorne, Whittier, and their contemporaries were English Colonials who were unaware that a new classic should have no resemblance to previous classics. This summary reflects Hemingway’s writing approach. However, there are critics who question Hemingway’s perspective. Baker expresses doubt by stating, “I question this viewpoint since even though a new classic may not mimic older works, it still owes them a debt of gratitude”. According to Baker (p.47-51), Hemingway himself is the best example of this as he assimilated Mark Twain’s freshness in rhythm, syntax, and vocabulary. Hemingway’s quote exemplifies him as one of the top writers of the 20th century according to Baker (p.47-51). Comparing Hemingway’s writing style to that of Mark Twain – renowned author from the 19th century known for crafting clear and readable books that presented beauty and structure to the average American – Baker highlights that not only was Hemingway’s approach straightforward and uncomplicated but also concise and to the point. In an interview,Hemingway explains that “The Old Man and The Sea” could have contained over a thousand pages with all the village’s characters and intricacies of their lives,but other writers have executed it skillfully.Hemingway aimed to surpass previous achievements by eliminating nonessential elements and focusing on conveying experiences in his writing.Hemingway recognizes the great challenge of achieving this and highlights the dedicated effort he puts into allowing readers to integrate his work into their own experiences, thus creating a genuine feeling.
One of the reasons why Hemingway is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century is his talent for crafting books that are both understandable and conducive to interpretation. Despite facing personal challenges that often impacted his writing, Hemingway’s works can be readily comprehended upon first read. While heroism and death frequently appear as themes in his novels, Hemingway adeptly incorporates all necessary components to guarantee each short story is remarkable and meaningful, even if they lack length compared to other literary works.
