"Listen now. When people talk listen completely. Don't be thinking what you're going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe."
Ernest Hemingway- Across the River and into the Trees, 1967
Another famous author is Ernest Hemingway. He was born on July on the 21st, 1899, in Oak Park Illinois, U.S. On the 2nd of the same month, 1961, in Ketchum Idaho, he was said to have accidentally killed himself by a shot wound to the head while cleaning his shotgun at the age of sixty-one years. Throughout his life, he was known to be an American novelist and short story writer.
The Start of Hemingway's Career
At the start of his career, Hemingway was a writer for a newspaper office in Kansas City at seventeen years old. In his life, he had many experiences that greatly influenced his style of writing. From a young age, he was exposed to camping, hunting, and death. He also severed in World War I.
Many of his fictional works were based on at least one of the truths of his life. With his writings, he was awarded a Nobel prize for literature in 1954 and a Pulitzer prize in 1953, for fiction. The earliest works of Hemingway were The Torrents of Spring and The Sun Also Rises which were both released in the year 1926.
"The Old Man and the Sea"
The most famous of his works are said to be the novel, "The Old Man and the Sea". He rewrote this prose more than two hundred times before it was published. "The Old Man and the Sea" is the very novel that won the Pulitzer prize.
The story focuses on an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago. Even though he was supposed to be a fisherman, Santiago had not been able to catch a single thing for eighty-four days. His apprentice, Manolin, was forced by his family to leave his side, though he still provided food and bait for him. The boy cherishes the life lessons taught by his mentor.
Santiago believed that his luck must turn around, so he took his skiff far out into the deep waters of the Gulf Stream. He's fortunate to hook a giant merlin, however, despite his experience and strength he struggled for three days with it. He spent that time admiring the fish's strength and dignity. After a while, he was finally able to reel in the fish and lashes it to his boat.
However, sharks came and ate the merlin, leaving only the bones behind. Santiago returns home disappointed, the others saw the skeleton of the merlin and are amazed. Manolin, relieved that his mentor was alive, rejoins him and the two agree to go fishing together.
Hemingway uses the theme of man vs nature in this novel. It is vividly shown how the old man struggles with the natural world. The struggles portray his frustration, strength, and determination. With the help of these themes, readers can place themselves in the shoes of the main character, sympathize with him through his trials, and feel the joy of his succeeding in catching the merlin. Only to be let down by the plot twist's bitter-sweet ending, which makes for a great plot ending. Readers learn to never give up despite whatever trials or tribulations may befall them.
Other legendary works of Hemingway are: "Farwell to Arms", "By-Line: Ernest Hemingway", "Death in the Afternoon", "Three Stories and Ten Poems", "Green Hills of Africa", and "Men Without Women".
More Information on Hemingway
Many describe his style of writing as simple and direct, which probably results from his days of writing in the newspaper. He was also considered a master of dialogue, in the way his characters interacted with one another and their environment with their speech.
His works total eighty-eight poems, and at least fifteen novels. When he died he had a net worth of 1.4 million dollars from his career.
Comments