over sea Essay

Submitted By mjaquez
Words: 1546
Pages: 7

Ernest Hemingway was a famed U.S. author who wrote many novels which was strongly influenced by the World War One and World War Two. As he participated in the both major wars, the first hand experience of the brutal war is conveyed with great detail and with heartfelt feelings. His works were majorly on the effects of wars on human beings and the men’s sense of honor and pride. Ernest Hemingway was inspirational writer of men’s ideals, especially during war, who clearly had uncommon experiences in his life, such as going through both World War One and World War Two, which was reflected upon most of his literary works.
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. He was the eldest of the 6 children (Shuman 897). He was born between his physician father and puritanical mother. According to Shuman, his mother often influenced Hemingway with artistic qualities by taking him to the museums and having him take piano lessons in order to civilize him while his father raised him with efforts via masculine activities. Although Hemingway was drawn to the war and attempted to enlist for the war, Hemingway was rejected to enter the war due to his bad eyesight. However, Hemingway volunteered as an ambulance driver for Red Cross and was sent to Italy. He was hit by a mortar, but he survived and was seen as a hero (897). After the participation of the war, Hemingway married his first wife and became a journalist. As a journalist who report the state of France after the major war, Hemingway moved to Paris, France. He was greatly influenced by Gertrude Steina to learn elements of literary style which affected Hemingway’s style of writing (899). Around his time, Hemingway started to write few short stories as well. In 1929, he wrote A Farewell to Arms (897). During his work as a journalist, Hemingway acquired an ability to make precise and accurate observations and to be a minimalist. Soon after, Hemingway joined the World War Two and participated on the Normandy invasion. Hemingway briefly returned to Cuba. To show his patriotic qualities, he sailed into the ocean to stop any submarines he was to encounter. The U.S. government was not very pleased with Hemingway’s own display of patriotism (900). Hemingway was heavily influenced by brutal war and the men’s reactions, such as A Farewell to Arms. The novel is somewhat based on his experience being hit by a mortar and his hospitalization during World War One (904). Hemingway was a dedicated writer whom often practiced to write around 1000 words a day which was condensed into 300 words long paragraph composed of key ideas (900). In 1950, the novel Across the River and into the Trees was not received well, which caused Hemingway to produce his popular work, The Old Man and the Sea. Little after the publication of the novella, Hemingway survived 2 plane crashes at Africa. In 1954, Hemingway received the Nobel Literary prize (900). Hemingway died on July 2, 1916 in Ketchum, Idaho (897). He ended his life with his own hands with a 12 gauge shotgun after harsh critiques on his works (900). Hemingway depicted his view of courage throughout his works which was “grace under pressure” (900). Ironically, Hemingway saw suicide as cowardice.
A Farewell to Arms was published on 1929. The work was most likely influence by the incident of meeting a British nurse while he was hospitalized after he was hit by a mortar. The story revolves around a man named Frederick (904). The man was an ambulance driver who falls in love with a British nurse during the war in Italy. After a long struggle of survival in the chaos of battle, Frederick and Catherine, the nurse, deserts their post and hide in a town located within borders of Switzerland (904). Catherine soon dies while delivering their child and Frederick is left alone. The story not only demonstrates a tragic love, but also an idea of anti-war. The novel is frequently compared with Romeo and Juliet as both stories depict a couple with tragic