Hemingway's Style
In reviewing the first 2 Books or in moving forward through the rest of the novel, choose a passage that speaks to you because of the way it is written. What is it about Hemingway's style, diction, description, or conversation that stands out to you? What makes this passage different from the rest of the book? What makes this passage different from other books you've read? Explain.
"I slept heavily except once I woke sweating and scared and then went back to sleep trying to stay outside of my dream. I woke for good long before it was light and heard roosters crowing and stayed on awake until it began to be light. I was tired and once it was really light I went back to sleep." 77
ReplyDeleteThis quote appears as the last lines of Chapter 13 when Henry is hospitalized, yet Catherine is not his nurse. His restlessness and fear are shown in the repetitive words and the sentences that all begin with I. We know that he experiences loneliness at night, and without the comforts of a woman, he can't find any peace. He doesn't rest until the night is over.
"But we were never lonely and never afraid when we were together. I know that the night is not the same as the day: that all things are different, that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day, because they do not then exist, and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started. But with Catherine there was almost no difference in the night except that it was an even better time. If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry" (216). I feel this quote reflects themes of existentialism very well. It is very positive in the beginning --- Henry expresses the comfort him and Catherine find in each other. As he drones on it becomes more and more despairing as he thinks about the realities of life.
ReplyDeleteGiven that we turned in the book, I no longer have exact quotation, so I hope a suitable description and approximate location in the book will be good enough. Again, apologies for not completing originally. So my favorite parts of the book (which I stated in school) were definitely in the last scene. In particular, probably the last 5 pages. For the purpose of completion I will describe my thoughts here. While we may have talked about the idea of an iceberg vs. existentialism, I feel as though existentialism ultimately shines through. In particular, the symbol of the gas (nitrogen I believe) knob is super strong. As Catherine continues to go further into struggle with labor, the number slowly is turned up, signifying man's fight against nature or the universe (most likely in the context of cheating death). As man continues to expend his highly limited abilities, the universe, in its grand and infinite apathy, exerts ever increasing force against man (I say man here because of Henry and the doctor). While the universe does not directly scorn mankind, its force is present upon us. As Catherine is dying, the knob is completely maxed out in an attempt to provide some saving miracle. Obviously, this does not prevail. Despite the exertion of all of man's resources, the universe ultimately prevails. Catherine dies, for no apparent reason other than a stroke of bad luck. Furthermore, Henry's son is dead upon birth. There does not exist a reason for these events, at least a reason with any emotional or human connection. It just happened. My takeaway, and this is going to be very existentially focused, is the hopeless struggle that Hemingway is trying to convey. Do what you want, exert every resource at your dispose, but remain helpless to stop the chance events of an uncaring universe.
ReplyDeleteI hope that was satisfactory Mrs. Leugers.
- Alexander