Ernest Hemingway

Table Of Contents:

I. Intoduction

II. Childhood

III. A Writing Career Begins

IV. Novels for the Ages

V. Other Recognizable Works

VI. Conclusion

VII. Bibliography

I. Introduction

Across more than half a century, the life and work of Ernest Hemingway have been at the center of controversy and intrigue. From the moment he embarked on his career as a writer, he presented himself to the world as a man’s man, a sportsman, a street-wise reporter, a heroic, battle-scared soldier, and an aficionado of the Spanish bullfight, among other talents. His legend and mastery of so many abilities almost seems to colossal for one man, yet those who knew him say he was a crack shot, an expert amateur boxer, and a considerable military genius. All of these aspects made Hemingway the writer he was, along with his dedication to his craft. His work has hardened into myth, as he has become one of the immortal writers of the twentieth century.

Affable with all of his friends, Hemingway had an aura about him that gave him a commanding presence in any room. His personality was one of strength and it showed with some of the qualities he possessed; a competitive spirit, personal pride, fearlessness in any undertaking, and an interest in physical violence must have left his closest companions admiring in awe. Probably, all of the above allowed Hemingway to live through several divorces and the untimely suicide of his father whom he loved so dear, and still write with the greatest of adroitness and emotion. Maybe that is how he has endeared himself to the entire world and why his legend will live for eternity.

One of Hemingway’s resounding qualities is that his writing has the quality of reality and not idealism. For him, writing is truth, honesty, and sincerity. Hemingway writes of what he knows and what he has experienced and he does so in the most direct and objective way possible. With no space for ambiguity, every word on every page is key to the story for Hemingway, unlike many of his contemporaries. Although some would claim to have these qualities, Hemingway is the most extreme version of this style of writing. His style undoubtedly stems from his many years as a reporter and the crisp, economical writing one must use in that line of work. He truly was the romance writer of the twentieth century. With a brutality that only those who have served in...

... middle of paper ...

...but it was with himself. “…How much better to die in all the happy period of undisillusioned youth, to go out in a blaze of light, than to have your body worn out and old and illusions shattered” he said in Milan at age nineteen. Unfortunately, his prophecy had come true. Overwhelmed by demoralizing fears that he was no longer capable of living up to the standard he had created for himself, the end he had long debated became justified and inevitable. Nevertheless, his legacy is of a man who lived life to its fullest in the pursuit of adventure which he translated into his art that so many have come to enjoy.

VII. Bibliography

1. Hemingway: by Kenneth S. Lynn published 1987 by Simon & Shuster

2. Hemingway: by Stewart Sanderson published 1965 by Oliver and Boyd Ltd.

3. Ernest Hemingway: An Introduction and Interpretation: by Sheridan Baker published 1967 by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc.

4. Hemingway: The Writer as Artist: by Carlos Baker published 1972 by Princeton University Press

5. Ernest Hemingway: Selected Letters 1917-1961: edited by Carlos Baker published 1981 by Granada Publishing

6. Papa Hemingway: by A.E. Hotchner published 1966 by Weidenfeld and Nicolson