Ernest Hemingway

Life born in a small town called Oak Park in Illinois near Chicago father: a successful physician, middle class, love fishing and hunting; mother: music teacher a happy childhood; a lover of brutal sports, such as boxing and football in middle school Though his father hoped him to be a physician, Hemingway refused to enter university. He chose to be a reporter. During the WWI, he wanted to join the army but was refused because of his poor eyesight. Then Hemingway came to Italy to work as an ambulance driver. He was seriously wounded in the battlefield. The nightmarish war experience changed his life.

Life After the war, he still worked as a reporter. He was sent to Paris and knew Pound, Gertrude Stein, Sherwood Anderson and some other famous writers who encouraged him to write. He also worked as a war reporter in the Spanish Civil War and the WWII. He is a tough guy with rather masculine manner. In all his life, he loved tough games, such as boxing, hunting, deep-sea fishing, bullfight and so on. He was injured many times. In all the operations, 237 steel fragments were taken out from Hemingway’s body. He also suffered 3 car accidents and 2 air crushes. He was admired as a hero by lots of people and his life style was imitated. (9)In 1961, Hemingway shot himself with gun in his home.

Works (1)“The Sun Also Rises” 1926 (Deep illusion of the whole generation after the WWI; the characters indulged themselves in depraved life to make themselves numb) (2)“A Farewell to Arms” 1928 (a tragic story about war and love) (Hero and heroine: Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley) (3)“For Whom the Bell Tolls” 1940 (Spanish civil war) (also a story about war and love) (the title of the novel: from John Donne’s sermons )

Works (4)"The Old Man and the Sea” 1952 (In 1954, Hemingway got the Nobel Prize) –a quite special novel in all his novels –symbolism Santiago – mankind; sea – nature and environment; marlin – purpose of life; shark – the evil force which control human’s fate –theme: the importance of life lies in the process of searching and resistance

Conclusion From Hemingway’s novels a clear developing process can be found. From the lost state at the beginning, he gradually found out the significance of life and the principles human should hold in a meaningless world. “The Old Man and the Sea” can be taken as a conclusion of his ideas. Common theme of his novels: “grace under pressure” Hemingway heroes: a noble but tragic hero; fighting with the overwhelming force; though he knows that he will be defeated at last, he decides to act like a hero Significance of “Hemingway heroes”: restoring the human dignity in the 20th century

His Writing Code hero Emphasis on Emotion 3 Iceberg principle 1 2 Colloquial style 4

Iceberg principle “I always try to write on the principle of the iceberg. There is seven-eighths of it underwater for every part that shows. Anything you know you can eliminate and it only strengthens your iceberg. It is the part that doesn't show. If a writer omits something because he does not know it then there is a hole in the story.” His sentences only give one small bit of the meaning. The rest is implied. One must go very deep beneath the surface to understand the full meaning of his writing. Certainly, there are moments when the reader feels the suggestion of vast meaning beneath Hemingway's few, spare words.

Code hero The “Hemingway Code” of manhood does not involve mere physical strength, sexual potency, or ability to accumulate (or spend) wealth. According to this code, a man is defined by will, pride, and endurance: the endurance to accept pain, even loss-when the loss cannot be avoided; the pride of knowing that one has done one's best, with the courage to act truly according to one's own nature; and the will to face defeat or victory without whining on one hand or boasting on the other.

Emphasis on Emotion He was interested in conveying a deep emotional feeling. He did have some realistic techniques, but on the whole he was not like the realistic writers because he was more interested in conveying his personal emotion. And this is the goal of many modernist writers --- recreate the feelings of the situation or experience in the reader, arouse an involuntary subjective response.

Colloquial style influence from Mark Twain and his journalist career Concrete, specific, common-found words Simple, short, even ungrammatical sentences Direct, clear and positive style, yet highly connotative The style was described as “iceberg” The Nobel Prize Committee praised Hemingway had “powerful style forming mastery of the art”.

A Farewell to Arms

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