Ernest Hemingway Influences

Ernest Hemingway was an American journalist, novelist, and poet. Born July 21, 1899 in the small town of Oak Park, Illinois, Hemingway would go on to create a lasting impact on the world through his writing. Most people are familiar with Hemingway and his books, but few actually know that it became possible for him to write them due to the experience he garnered as a journalist. From For Whom the Bell Tolls to The Old Man and the Sea Hemingway’s novels remain a staple of American literature. Throughout his life, Hemingway published a plethora of fictional stories that were greatly influential to 20th century literature and future generations of writers utilizing experiences from throughout his lifetime as inspiration.

Ernest Hemingway was

As an infant, Hemingway’s mother began to dress him in clothes that caused others to perceive him as a female. Despite having sisters, his mother insisted on Ernest wearing dresses and having long hair in order to fulfill her fantasy of having twins. She told strangers that him and his eighteen-month older sister were twins which left long-term damage to his masculinity and caused him to overcompensate as an adult by appearing extremely masculine (Shmoop Editorial Team Web). Hemingway had no qualms with vocalizing his hatred for his mother, especially with the way she treated his father. He admired his father who encouraged his enthusiasm for the outdoors. Although Hemingway idolized his father, he also grew up discouraged by his father and his “whatever you do, do it right” motto that created a stigma against his flaws like his imperfect eyesight and slight speech impediment. The relationship between his parents was less than ideal, they argued frequently and disagreed on important concepts such as how to raise their children ("Hemingway's Short Stories." Ernest Hemingway Biography Web). With age Hemingway’s relationship with his parents only worsened particularly when he embarked upon life on his own because he felt like they did not understand him (Yannuzzi 30). When he began his writing career Ernest’s interactions with his parents and the emotions they elicited