Hemingway

Renowned author Ernest Hemingway is celebrated for revolutionizing modern day American literature and I believe that his writing style alongside his personal life illuminates some key aspects of the human psyche. One aspect that he clearly highlights is the complexity of people via his "iceberg theory." The iceberg theory takes small subtleties and presents them to the reader, (this is called the 'tip' of the iceberg) but hints at an even larger part of the story that gives a deeper meaning of the text. Truly comprehending the message behind most of Hemingway's short stories requires a critical analysis of his word choice and the actions of his characters. This writing style and the method to grasp its meaning can be applied to meeting people in real life. Often times, when we meet someone new, we see them on a superficial level or at the 'tip of the iceberg' however it is constant interactions with the person and intently watching their responses that reveals more of their persona to us. Another way that he is able to reference realism is via immersion of the reader. Hemingway achieves this through his meticulous details of setting and use of visualization which can make the reader feel as if they are in the same venue as the characters and his usage of personal connections. In one particular short story, The Cat in The Rain, Hemingway leaves his main character unnamed, while all of the other characters are named. While one can argue that single detail has no effect on the overall story, I believe that the omission of a name was intentionally done to allow the reader a connection with the main character that may not have been obtained so easily had the character had a clear identity. On the topic of specific personalities of certain characters, it is widely accepted that Hemingway used several autobiographical figures to tell his stories, one of them being Nick Adams. In his stories, Nick Adams is an American war hero that is depicted in many ways of brave, fearful, innocent, traumatized, peaceful, and depressed. This character is an illustration of solitude and confusion, which are terms that can be used to describe Hemingway himself. A war veteran just like his fictitious persona, it is believed that Hemingway struggled with insecurity and self-actualization and his writing reflects this, especially in Nick Adams. Almost all of his characters seem to be the victims of some sort of internal strife and genuine displeasure with themselves, whether it's Francis Macomber's cowardice or Manuel's denial of his physical condition. In addition to this, a major theme of his writing is death, which is something he was very familiar with due to his job on the battlefield and personal relationships. Now this isn't to say that Hemingway was never a happy person, and in spite of his depression, he found several hobbies that he enjoyed doing, from fishing to hunting, etc and made a multitude of close relationships , and the characters listed above did perform enjoyable hobbies and had people that they cared about in text. All in all, Hemingway is a multifaceted person, and his writing paints the same concept for a general audience.