Abstract This paper examines Ernest Hemingway's role and influence on the modernist era of literature. It looks at the historical and cultural context of his work, his fictional universe and its relation to his heroic real life experiences and his suicide. It uses several novels as examples.
From the Paper "This research examines the role and influence of Ernest Hemingway on the modernist era of literature. The research will set Hemingway's works in historical and cultural context and then discuss how the environment in which Hemingway produced his literature ..."
Abstract This paper discusses Ernest J. Gaines' book, "A Lesson Before Dying", and its theme that religion is important to society because faith gives people hope and perseverance. The paper summarizes and analyzes the book in order to illustrate how Gaines walks the reader through a process of spiritual evolution that lends hope to the hopeless.
From the Paper "The antithesis to Grant Wiggins in the novel is the Reverend Ambrose, a man who was never formally educated or ordained. His belief in religion appears to be absolute. He is a local church figure who preaches every Sunday at the small local church that Jefferson and Grant's aunt attends. He recognizes that religion, although intangible, is often the most cherished possession his people have. Like Grant, Reverend Ambrose goes to see Jefferson. He brings the words of the gospel and Jesus Christ into the small cramped jail cell with him, yet he fails to reach Jefferson in any significant way."
Abstract This paper explains that, in Ernest J. Gaines' novel "A Lesson before Dying", race is the obvious issue in the story with which the author and the main character Grant Wiggins struggle; however, equally important to the novel is the issue of gender. The author points out that the relationship between Grant Wiggins and the women in his life -- Tante Lou, Miss Emma and Vivian -- can be examined in terms of how men and women understand each other and what the expectations were for black men in the South. The paper concludes that, in the end, Grant learns, through the amazing example of Jefferson's actions, that it is possible to be a man even under the most miserable conditions imaginable.
From the Paper "Even though Grant's relationship with Tante Lou and Miss Emma is at times hostile, he still respects them as elderly women in his society. In chapter twelve upon returning from visiting Jefferson in jail and having a bad experience, Grant does not want to tell Miss Emma what has happened. He tries to protect her by thinking of a good lie to tell her so her feelings won't be hurt. He is also respectful of his aunt's feelings throughout the novel because he lives in her house and she raised him."
Abstract This paper summarizes and analyzes Ernest J. Gaines' novel about a black man unjustly sentenced to death because the legal system of the Jim Crow South is so prejudiced the white jurors selected to judge him cannot see the truth. The paper relates that the story begins in a world where there has been a profound breakdown of all communication systems but by the end of the novel the two main protagonists are able to communicate by finding common ground and points of connection and, as a result, have changed within. The paper concludes that, although society has not changed by the end of the novel and the transformation experienced by the main characters is not enough to heal the world, the message of the story is still positive and inspiring enough for the reader to keep in his or her mind, long after closing the book.
From the Paper "Even though Grant does not consider himself a believer, culturally the two men also share a common childhood education in religion, which they have begun to doubt or reject. Jefferson has to ask Grant if Christmas marks the birth of Jesus, during one of their first conversations. At the beginning of the novel, Grant rejects Christianity as a white invention. But by the end of the novel, he asks his students to pray on the day when Jefferson is scheduled to die. The unjust death of Jesus becomes a metaphor for both men, of the wrongful death of Jefferson and the suffering of all black men and women. Grant becomes impressed by the strong faith of the religious people of the nation, such as the Reverend Ambrose. He gradually becomes impressed by how the black men and women of his community are able to keep their faith, even when they live in a world of injustice. Christmas is a palpable presence in the novel, as Grant feels loneliest during Christmas. Jefferson dies around Easter-time. The Christian calendar underlines the similarities between the two men, and their common, eventually shared faith. Over the course of the novel, the men discover as they have more and more in common, even in small aspects of their lives and childhood. The two men used to listen to the same radio program as children, and Grant gives Jefferson a radio to connect him to positive memories, and to a sense of his culture outside of the prison. He brings gifts from his students, and also a pencil and paper, to give Jefferson the dignity of being able to express his innermost feelings. Jefferson feels like a beast, but self-expression brings back his sense of humanity. Words and writing have always been very important to Grant, and the come to be equally important to Jefferson."
Abstract This paper discusses and details the plot while focusing on the main characters of Jefferson and Grant in Gaines' novel. The writer of this paper contends and explains why this particular novel, which deals with racism, injustice and the pain of life and death, should be required reading in schools across America. This paper examines the judicial system in 1940s America particularly as seen through the eyes of a falsely convicted African-American man. This paper explores the close bond between Jefferson and Grant as well as the author's underlying themes of injustice and prejudice as they relate to the rights of African-Americans in the early 20th century. The writer also discusses Gaines' clear message pertaining to the value of each and every human being, regardless of race.
From the Paper "Another important aspect of this novel is the certainty of death. Everyone faces it - it is how he or she faces it that makes the difference. Gaines writes, "I don't know when I'm going to die, Jefferson. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, maybe today. That's why I try to live as well as I can every day and not hurt people." Jefferson faces his death with dignity, which he learns in part from his interact with Grant. Critic Beavers notes, "Though Jefferson's death is certain, Grant's task -- which becomes Jefferson's legacy -- is to impart some of himself, to demonstrate to Jefferson a way to improvise upon a negative situation till he discovers dignity and purpose" (Beavers 31). Each man learns something valuable from the other, and that is another major point of the novel. Gaines is showing the reader they can learn from anyone, no matter how "insignificant" they may seem. Everyone has a lesson and everyone can be a pupil, no matter who they are or what they do in life."
Abstract A look at the questions of racism and human dignity raised in Gaines' novel, "A Lesson Before Dying" and how the imprisoned and oppressed may find freedom even in the moment of their death.
From the Paper "In a small Cajun community during the 1940's in Louisiana, a young black man is about to go to the electric chair for murder. A white shopkeeper has been murdered during a robbery gone bad; and though the young man on trial had not been armed and had not pulled the trigger, in that time and place, there could be no doubt of the verdict or the penalty. "I was not there, yet I was there. No, I did not go to the trial, I did not hear the verdict, because I knew all the time what it would be" (p.3). So begins Grant Wiggins, the narrator of Ernest J. Gaines' powerful exploration of race, injustice, and resistance, A Lesson Before Dying. "
Abstract This paper critiques ErnestGaines' "A Long Day in November" and draws on several other reviews to depict the work of this important American writer. The story itself is a simple one-telling the tale of a young boy coming of age in rural Louisiana. The paper discusses how it is in the details of the characters interaction and in the language and humor that they use, that the story comes alive.
From the Paper "In his short story titled "A Long Day in November," published in Bloodlines, Ernest Gaines describes a critical day in the life of a young African American male in rural Louisiana. Beginning the story in the early morning hours, Gaines depicts the boy cocooned in his covers as his mother tries to wake him to tell they will be leaving his absent father the next morning. The boy tries to rouse himself out of sleep, to ask his mother why she is crying, but he cannot quite bring himself to understand the situation or to get her to respond. Later, the father returns home and the young boy witnesses the ensuing argument between mother and father, which revolves around the father being out late because his car broke down. "
Abstract This paper takes a look at the contribution and effect that Oscar Wilde made to British society. In "The Importance of Being Ernest" a satirical view is taken on the Victorian society and expectations for men. It describes how the character leads a double life in order to live up to these expectations. Social commitments, the role of the female and other typical Victorian issues are examined in this paper.
From the paper:
"Before Oscar Wilde became famous for his writing, he was famous for his tongue. In the early years of his career, Wilde was best known as an articulate and witty social gadfly. He was the fashion-whore of polite British society. He insinuated himself calculatingly into the social life of ?the beautiful people.? H!is reputation was built around an elaborately outrageous fashion sense, a shocking wit and amusing repertoire of behaviors, and his blatant self-stylings as an art critic and aesthete. Through-out his social career, Wilde alternately flaunted and denied his homosexual tendencies. They were a part of his carefully groomed artistic image, an image from which he occasionally worked to distance himself. He did get married and father two sons, and when he was finally accused of sodomy, he fought the charges as libelous. Yet the reality of his sexual orientation, and its natural at-odds-with-society status, was never far from his work. Even his most hetero-centric works, such as the romantic satire The Importance of Being Ernest, are informed by the daily social strains of his barely closeted double life. The Importance of Being Ernest is, in fact, in many ways a prophetic, though optimistic, metaphor for Wilde's life. He deals w!ith the hypocrisy and shallowness that "modern" women and "modern" social etiquette require from men. The story at once critiques the institution of marriage and the institution of ?polite society.? This play deals explicitly with the sacrifices and lies that must be committed in order to achieve acceptance in either marriage or society, and with the inevitable moment of truth when those lies are discovered."
This paper discusses the depression and creativity of Ernest Hemingway, considered by many as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.
Abstract This paper explains that similar to Ernest Hemingway, who suffered from life-long depression, many American writers, such as William Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald, appear to have suffered from some type of mental disorder such as alcoholism, schizophrenia or depression. The author points out that it is quite obvious that Ernest Hemingway utilized his depression as a kind of support mechanism to compose his short stories and novels; however, the question remains as to exactly how depression either led or inspired Hemingway to become such a great American novelist. The paper relates that the literary conflict within "The Old Man and the Sea", as seen in the character of Santiago is, actually Hemingway himself, an old man with great internal struggles based on his need to satisfy his inflated ego, which is in a battle with his depression.
From the Paper "One important element of depression is that some people become very neurotic, meaning that they over-react to certain situations which in reality are not that particularly disruptive to ordinary persons. Under certain circumstances, a person suffering from depression may experience vivid hallucinations and delusions that are not real, much like living in a dream state where things and ideas are not tangible nor logically explainable. Those that suffer from major depression often have recurring episodes throughout their lives, yet they may also return to a relatively normal state at any given time."
An examination of why interest in Ernest Shackleton increased dramatically in about 1995, focusing on the 2001 film "The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition."
Abstract This paper discusses the enduring popularity of Ernest Shackleton who was involved in a legendary Antarctic expedition. It particularly focuses on why interest in Ernest Shackleton increased dramatically in about 1995 and lasted until 2003. It discusses the expedition and looks at the film "The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition," that The Burke Museum of Natural History at the University of Washington showed in 2001.
From the Paper "With the release of the new information, there followed a wide range of materials dealing with Shackleton. These included two biographies suitable for elementary students (Marcovitz; reviewed by Ching; Calvert, reviewed by McLoughlin), and two others suitable for middle school students (Plimpton, reviewed by Cohen; reviewed by Jones; Johnson, reviewed by Engberg, and reviewed by Gawron). At the same time, there has been a remarkable general revival of interest in all things from these expeditions. Captain Scott's snow goggles were recently sold at auction for more than L20,000, and a biscuit recovered from that expedition went for a remarkable L4,000 (Smith 50)."
Abstract This paper takes a brief look at the life of Ernest Hemingway. The author describes his childhood in Illinois, working at the Kansas City Star newspaper and his involvement in World War I. The paper discusses Hemingway's influences as he began his career as a writer in Paris, surrounded by many talented expatriates, and examines the speculation over his depression and death in 1961.
From the Paper "If literary genius can be described as one person's ability to influence the thinking of others and to do it only with written words, then Ernest Miller Hemingway was certainly deserving of the title. With his direct, declarative and streamlined style of writing, a style he first learned while writing as a newspaper journalist, Hemingway observed the world around him and the people in it, and then wrote of his observations on the nature of mankind. "
Tags:ernest, paris, war, oak, park, expatriate, italian, world, kansas, star, novel, spanish, civil, adventure, writer, depression, old, man, sea, novella
Abstract This paper explores the idea that Ernest Hemingway may have been chauvinistic, through an examination of his novels. The author, however, argues that although Hemingway's main characters were always male and he portrayed his females as background characters, Hemingway was not a misogynist; rather, an author only capable of speaking in a male voice.
From the Paper "To give Hemingway his due he was a product of his times. No matter how critical the reader gets the fact is that Hemingway's women had more character than many others portrayed during his time. The woman may adhere to the traditional scenarios and Hemingway may have focused on the male protagonist more in comparison but truth be told that was his prerogative. It is not necessary for him to be a woman hater just because he writes a story about a man. The scholar?s, men and women alike have agreed that women have their place in the Hemingway novels. The men are not complete without the woman and just by portraying this facet Hemingway redeems himself."
Abstract This paper is an analysis of themes prevalent in Ernest Hemingway's novel, "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Themes included are loyalty, bravery, and gender roles. This novel , traces the life of protagonist, Robert Jordan for three days during the Spanish Civil War. Bravery is characterized by one's response when faced with death. Courage, trust, and sacrifice outline loyalty. As it is commonplace to focus attention on detailing language when reading Hemingway, one need read closely to conjure the gender-role issues underlying this novel.
From the Paper "Ernest Hemingway served the North American Newspaper Alliance covering the Spanish Civil War from 1937-38. Upon his return to the United States on his way to a 1953 Pulitzer Prize and a 1954 Noble Prize for literature, he traces the life of protagonist, Robert Jordan for three days during the Spanish Civil War in his writing of ' For Whom the Bell Tolls'. Through Jordan's interaction with other supplementary characters and the use of language, Hemingway addresses the importance of bravery (facing the fear of death/dying), loyalty (trust of others/self), and gender (roles/stereotypes). Bravery and loyalty are complementary and often intertwined characteristics as well as themes. The comprehension and acquisition of these thematic issues and traits is essential before one's sudden, last fatalistic day."
Abstract This paper addresses the question of the gender of the heroes in Ernest Hemingway's writings. It points out that women in his stories are most often portrayed as inferior characters. However, an analysis of one of his short stories, "Hills Like White Elephants", highlights a female character with strength equal to male characters often found to be the hero in his other stories.
From the Paper "Ernest Hemingway has the unfortunate reputation of being a misogynist. The women in his stories are often described as too weak or too dysfunctional to be sympathetic characters. However, some of his heroines are just as noble and compelling as his heroes. In "A Farewell to Arms", for instance, Catherine is the code hero who teaches Hemingway hero Frederic courage and stoicism in the face of adversity. Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" also highlights a surprisingly strong female character who in many ways resembles a code hero."
Abstract Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), one of the most popular and influential American novelists of the twentieth century, enjoyed nearly as much fame as a hard-living, adventurous personality as he did as a major artist. The paper shows that his life and his art were intertwined in many ways, and biography plays an important role in understanding his work. The paper shows that a great deal can be learned about Hemingway's art by studying the ways in which his life was transformed in his fiction--the process that made his fiction works of art rather than autobiography. The paper discusses several of Hemingway's books, including "The Sun Also Rises" and "A Farewell to Arms".
From the Paper "If the autobiographical element in the Nick Adams stories is fairly direct--and the character can be considered Hemingway's alter-ego without any difficulty--the story in the novel was even more directly taken from life. Yet Jake Barnes, the protagonist, is far more problematical as a stand-in for the author. In some ways the character's disgust with the 'lostness' of the other lost generation characters in the book and his pleasure in the art of the bullfighter reflected the real Hemingway. They were also the first fictional steps in the author's lifelong project of "orchestrat[ing] his own persona, a persona which continues to dominate both popular and critical evaluations" of the novels and stories (Clifford 172). Thus readings of the novel sometimes concentrate too heavily on this emerging public Hemingway."
