Ernest Hemingway - Term Paper Example

Running head: ERNEST HEMINGWAY Ernest Hemingway ERNEST HEMINGWAY 2 Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingways novel “AFarewell to Arms” may contain one of the most desolate plots in all of the authors works (Istomina 761), but it is the novel that etched his place in the world of American Modern Literature. This novel is largely based on the authors real-life love story with an American nurse during his volunteer work with the Italian Army. The bitterness and desperation that the author went through with his first love is evident in this work.

It is also said that his work shows the influences of his contemporaries (Dieguez 175) during the American Modern Literature era. In this novel, allusions to his lifes views and love affairs can be seen through styles and word play that are both the writers own and acquired from other writer friends. “A Farewell to Arms” was published in 1929, and talks about the authors real life experiences as a volunteer during the war. It is a tragic love-story set during the World War I (Dieguez 175) that depicts the doomed love affair between Henry Frederic and Catherine Barkley (Istomina 761).

Here, he is able to portray destruction and tragedy that is either brought upon ones self (i.e. poor judgment) or by inevitable and uncontrollable circumstances (i.e. wars) (Dieguez 178-9). Hemingway named several of his contemporaries as having important influence in his writing (Istomina 761). Some of these are Gertrude Stein, Ring Lardner, Ezra Pound, and Sherwood Anderson (Svoboda 173). Pound is one of Hemingways friends and is said to have taught him the concept of accurate representation or image in exchange for Hemingways lessons in boxing.

This influence can be seen all throughout the novel particularly in his use of symbolism (Dieguez 198). For example, Hemingway speaks of the rain to symbolize the gloomy situations --- something that can be considered as an accurate ERNEST HEMINGWAY 3representation of feelings and foreshadowing of events (Svoboda 174). Additionally, Stein, much like Pound, is also one of Hemingways friends. She provided Hemingway with the concept of colloquialism that Hemingway utilized in his earlier published works.

This is the use of present participles, prepositional phrases, and word repetition, which can also be seen in the novel “A Farewell to Arms.” Hemingways repetition of the word rain, wet, and water spoke of several of the authors feelings and thoughts in lesser lines (Dieguez 196). Furthermore, Hemingway had influences from other artists during his time. For example, Hemingways texts can be compared in a way to Cezanne paintings in terms of a sacred-like and simple touch (Svoboda 173). It can therefore be said that Hemingway is able to utilize such valuable influences from other artists to create the story that obviously refers to things that are personal to him.

The amalgamation of the authors talent, his experiences, and the brilliant utilization of various styles gained him his place in the world of literature.ReferencesDieguez, S. (September 08, 2010). A man can be destroyed but not defeated: Ernest Hemingways near-death experience and declining health. Frontiers of Neurology and Neuroscience, 27, 174-206.Istomina, J. (January 01, 2010). Ernest Hemingway. The Antioch Review, 68, 4, 761.Svoboda, F. J. (November 24, 2010). Art Matters: Hemingway, Craft, and the Creation of the Modern Short Story (review).

The Hemingway Review, 30, 1, 173-175.