The Moral Code In Hemingway's Life

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Throughout Hemingway’s life there have been many instances or experiences that have shaped his moral code. He lived through World War I which exposed him to a different side of mankind, that shapes his views. His code is formed from his influences that is portrayed in his literary pieces. He believed that a worthy man has to meet specific requirements in to life , His writings such as The Old Man in Sea and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” illustrate that characters should live by principles they value and also in what Hemingway believed to be a true man such as being a man of action rather than word. In The Old Man in the Sea, Santiago is an old man that focuses on finding a balanced way of living while maintaining his pride. …show more content…

He is forced to face reality when he realizes how hard it will be to catch the biggest fish ever to get caught on his line. Santiago believed that complaining will not make things better worse. Even though this was the “tiredest that I have ever been” (89) he seldom complained or showed weakness. He endured pain that people should never have to face and showed courage when things are difficult. Self-pity did not exist in his world because he knew that although he could do some things I can do,”There are plenty of things I can do” (45). Unlike others Santiago was not blessed with a “lucky boat or having enough to eat but he did not complain or make trouble for others. The old man created meaning in his life through fishing, when the fish is mauled by the sharks after its …show more content…

He can be described as good at hunting, courageous, and self-disciplined. All the characteristics that Wilson displays present him as a well-rounded and masculine man. He demonstrates courage when he hunts especially during the times he has to kill the prey. Usually the animals are very large in size, the fact that he could still persist to hunt shows how much courage he has. Wilson lives by his own laws and actions, he does what he thinks is right and not what is necessarily legal. He shows no remorse or guilt from his actions by casually saying “It’s the illegal if that’s what you mean” (147). His values are strictly restricted to what he believes he should do. For example, sleeping with another mans wife is morally wrong in most people’s perspective but he does it anyways having a his own rule that he only sleeps with women that come to him. Throughout the novel Wilson is consistent with what he thinks is his own personal code which gives him meaning in life. “He has his own standards about the killing and they could live up to them or get someone else to hunt them”, because he did not change his standards for anyone else. Although Wilson is not favored in the list of Hemingway characters he proves himself to live up to being an ideal

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