Love Hemingway. Frankly, I have always loved what Hemingway does because, like you say it draws it out of us. It shows the universality of the human experience to listen without hearing, to see without looking. I don’t think it’s necessary to tell everything to a reader.
Yes. You are right, and your professor wasn't wrong (at least, maybe half right). I'm with you: I find his work, at times, overrated and maddening; and others, I can't help but think about it over and over. There's something to an author who can evoke that in a reader, I think.
At any rate, great choice on "A Farewell to Arms." That my favorite, too. Beautifully devastating, perfectly told. A romance novel disguised as a poorly disguises war novel. Not all of Hem's stuff is genius, and I've read a lot of it, but the stuff that is, really sticks with you. I remember reading "The Sun Also Rises" and thinking about it over and over again for a week, not sure if I liked it or not or what even was the point. And yet, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
My favorite overall work of Hemingway's is probably "A Moveable Feast," as it's the one with so many lines I've never forgotten. It's not even a book as much as a series of essays, which he never actually brought to completion. And yet, there's so much there: Paris, writing, life, loss. I can relate to a lot those themes; and more than any author, I am fascinated with Hemingway. Not because he was a good person. I am sure I would not have gotten along with him. But he is, in a sense, a character unto himself. And there is something fascinating, even compelling about such a person. I've read as many bios about the man as I have read works by him.
Heh. There I go, defending him to thin air. As you can tell, I get it. ;)
Actually, I changed my mind. My favorite is "Hills Like White Elephants." Hem cut his teeth on short form, and it's where he tends to excel, IMO. Even in his novels, it's the depth of feeling he brings to a single scene (often by what he leaves out, as you so aptly illustrated) that really connects you to a story. Still, "Farewell" has my favorite of all endings ever. So much hope and heartbreak in that book, not unlike in the life of its author.
That man was born in 1899, getting upset that he was a misogynist is wildly silly (your classmate). I’ve enjoyed some of his books and his adventurous life outside of his books fascinated me as well.
I liked "Big Two-Hearted River." I lived near the place he wrote about. He did the land there some justice. At the end, you learn that Nick knows there are places he can't go, things he can't face today, places in himself may never face at all, but he tells himself "tomorrow". A decent iceberg, set after a fire, something I'd also seen up there. It was all waiting in the forest. At the same time, that's what I hate about Hemingway. After reading lots of his work, it's possible to get the idea that he won't go really deep either. It doesn't take away from his brilliance to see that, rather I wonder how much more he might have done had he faced down the swamp.
Nice essay, Grace! I think you did a good job of explaining Hemingway's ability with the iceberg theory.
I don't think anyone can say an author "sucks" if they have sold a lot of copies. I may not like a particular author, but if they sell copies, they must be good at telling stories. Those stories may be total bullshit, but still, there's something to be said for it being able to sell shit.
Perfect example, I saw that you liked Educated by Tara Westover (like a lot of people). I honestly think the work is a total farce and has so many plotholes it gave me a headache. Nevertheless, I have to admit that it's a great story, and told very well.
Shots fired. haha. Anyways.
So I think although Hemingway's prose may be very simple, his best ability is to tell stories that really move us. Perhaps simpler is better. The Old Man and the sea has 1.75 characters (the fish and the boy not counting as full characters), and about 2 scenes, and yet deals with incredibly complex issues such as poverty, mortality, honor, sacrifice, endurance, charity, futility, &c.
Love Hemingway. Frankly, I have always loved what Hemingway does because, like you say it draws it out of us. It shows the universality of the human experience to listen without hearing, to see without looking. I don’t think it’s necessary to tell everything to a reader.
Yes. You are right, and your professor wasn't wrong (at least, maybe half right). I'm with you: I find his work, at times, overrated and maddening; and others, I can't help but think about it over and over. There's something to an author who can evoke that in a reader, I think.
At any rate, great choice on "A Farewell to Arms." That my favorite, too. Beautifully devastating, perfectly told. A romance novel disguised as a poorly disguises war novel. Not all of Hem's stuff is genius, and I've read a lot of it, but the stuff that is, really sticks with you. I remember reading "The Sun Also Rises" and thinking about it over and over again for a week, not sure if I liked it or not or what even was the point. And yet, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
My favorite overall work of Hemingway's is probably "A Moveable Feast," as it's the one with so many lines I've never forgotten. It's not even a book as much as a series of essays, which he never actually brought to completion. And yet, there's so much there: Paris, writing, life, loss. I can relate to a lot those themes; and more than any author, I am fascinated with Hemingway. Not because he was a good person. I am sure I would not have gotten along with him. But he is, in a sense, a character unto himself. And there is something fascinating, even compelling about such a person. I've read as many bios about the man as I have read works by him.
Heh. There I go, defending him to thin air. As you can tell, I get it. ;)
Actually, I changed my mind. My favorite is "Hills Like White Elephants." Hem cut his teeth on short form, and it's where he tends to excel, IMO. Even in his novels, it's the depth of feeling he brings to a single scene (often by what he leaves out, as you so aptly illustrated) that really connects you to a story. Still, "Farewell" has my favorite of all endings ever. So much hope and heartbreak in that book, not unlike in the life of its author.
That man was born in 1899, getting upset that he was a misogynist is wildly silly (your classmate). I’ve enjoyed some of his books and his adventurous life outside of his books fascinated me as well.
I liked "Big Two-Hearted River." I lived near the place he wrote about. He did the land there some justice. At the end, you learn that Nick knows there are places he can't go, things he can't face today, places in himself may never face at all, but he tells himself "tomorrow". A decent iceberg, set after a fire, something I'd also seen up there. It was all waiting in the forest. At the same time, that's what I hate about Hemingway. After reading lots of his work, it's possible to get the idea that he won't go really deep either. It doesn't take away from his brilliance to see that, rather I wonder how much more he might have done had he faced down the swamp.
Nice essay, Grace! I think you did a good job of explaining Hemingway's ability with the iceberg theory.
I don't think anyone can say an author "sucks" if they have sold a lot of copies. I may not like a particular author, but if they sell copies, they must be good at telling stories. Those stories may be total bullshit, but still, there's something to be said for it being able to sell shit.
Perfect example, I saw that you liked Educated by Tara Westover (like a lot of people). I honestly think the work is a total farce and has so many plotholes it gave me a headache. Nevertheless, I have to admit that it's a great story, and told very well.
Shots fired. haha. Anyways.
So I think although Hemingway's prose may be very simple, his best ability is to tell stories that really move us. Perhaps simpler is better. The Old Man and the sea has 1.75 characters (the fish and the boy not counting as full characters), and about 2 scenes, and yet deals with incredibly complex issues such as poverty, mortality, honor, sacrifice, endurance, charity, futility, &c.