Ernest Hemingway, author of the novel “ For Whom the Bell Tolls,” related his life experiences to the centralized theme of the novel, hunting and war, to form a realistic fictional plot. This novel has always been one of my favorites as i can relate to how hunting was such a major part of his life. As a teenager, Hemingway enjoyed to hunt and began appreciating different kinds of animals. He later began to value animals and their right of life. Ernest Hemingway also served as a journalist during the Spanish Civil War, in which he documented the different visions of the war. He visualized the atrocities of the war and wrote this novel to show that both the Republican and Fascists were victims of the war and that both could also be viewed as aggressors. He survived through the war and believed he should recount his observations through a novel. He was intrigued by knowledge and was always willing to learn more. In the novel “ For Whom the Bell Tolls,” Hemingway combines his two experiences as a hunter and a journalist to introduce a new vision to the Spanish Civil War. He encourages men to hunt animals for survival, criticizes war for the killing of innocent people, and creates a direct comparison between hunting and war.
The story begins in the woods. Hemingway uses a forest as a setting to show that war was like hunting. The Fascists were hunting the Republicans and vice versa. The characters of the novel would seek refuge in the woods with the aim of being secure. Robert Jordan, the novels protagonist, is an American supporter of the Republic who comes to Spain with hopes of aiding the Republican front against the Fascists. He is continually moving from place to place because the Fascists are incessantly hunting him. When he finally stabilizes himself in an area, he knows he has to keep moving. Robert Jordan meets a group of people living in the woods where he asks them to help him launch an operation in which he will bomb a bridge. The groups of people are Loyalists and decide to help him. One particular character, Pablo, refuses to help him because he doesn’t want to move to another place. He feels comfortable in this wood and knows that after the attack he will have to move from this place where he had become comfortable. Pilar, Pablo’s wife is aware of the situation and is truly committed to the Republic. She believes they should help Robert and she is always ready to mobilize to avoid being hunted. Hemingway does not only personify humans as being hunted, he also personifies war machinery and objects as animals. He compares military airplanes to birds of prey, like owls, hawks or eagles. Hemingway chose these animals because they are always on guard and ready to fight. These animals are considered prey and thus scare the animals being hunted. In chapter three, a military aircraft flies over Jordan. Although he is brave, Jordan cringes, as an mouse would from seeing an eagle of fear. Hemingway shows that humans are like animals and that when fear arises within them, they start to act with their primary instincts.
Hemingway sets the novel during the Spanish Civil War where he depicts the atrocities of war. He uses characters such as Jordan to show how war can destroy people. He introduces Jordan as a brave man who served during war and is not afraid of death. However, death becomes a sensitive subject during the end of the book. During the train incident, Jordan had killed his college, Kashkin, to prevent him from being tortured by the Fascists. Hemingway presents these ideas to the reader to develop pity and provide the reader with a mental disturbing image. Anselmo, a devoted old supporter of the Republic and Jordan’s guide, talks about his dislike of war and the killing that comes with it. Jordan admits that he does not mind killing people who are unfaithful and does not care about animals and tells Anselmo “In my house there were the tusks of boar, the hides of wolves...the horns of ibex.an eagle stuffed."(P.39) Anselmo responds by telling Jordan that he loves hunting animals but he does “not like to kill men.”(P.39)
By being hunted, Jordan and his followers began to detest the outcomes of war and its foul consequences. In chapter ten, Pilar recounts a disturbing event in which the Republicans killed civil guards publicly humiliating and beating them to death. This event shocked Maria, who is portrayed as an innocent girl unable to accept the reality of life. In this event, the Republicans chased the Fascists and procured their dignity. War is depicted as hunting in which one is the prey, and one is the victim. However, Pilar experienced worse experiences where she and her family was hunted. The direct coalition between both hunting and war is death. In both circumstances, either an animal of human is being killed. Hemingway tries to condemn war using the main character Jordan. Jordan changes from a brave man who is willing to kill for the cause of war, who later becomes against war. Anselmo, against any acts of war, states that” "after the war there will have to be some great penance done for the killing" (196).
Hemingway experienced both hunting and war. He used his past experiences to inform his readers about war and the effects it brings to a country. Although “ For Whom the Bell Tolls,” is a fictional story, it related greatly to realistic facts during the Spanish Civil War. Hemingway was a journalist who was able to observe the war from different angles and perspectives. He judged the war based on time and made sure to pass the message to his readers that in war both sides are the aggressor. He is against the hunting of man and believes that war could be settled through negotiations instead of battle. This book is one that should definitely be read as it shows you how sometimes in life you are faced with very hard decisions that you don't know how to deal with. This book is a must read for people to open their eyes to understand that reality is not always beautiful.
The story begins in the woods. Hemingway uses a forest as a setting to show that war was like hunting. The Fascists were hunting the Republicans and vice versa. The characters of the novel would seek refuge in the woods with the aim of being secure. Robert Jordan, the novels protagonist, is an American supporter of the Republic who comes to Spain with hopes of aiding the Republican front against the Fascists. He is continually moving from place to place because the Fascists are incessantly hunting him. When he finally stabilizes himself in an area, he knows he has to keep moving. Robert Jordan meets a group of people living in the woods where he asks them to help him launch an operation in which he will bomb a bridge. The groups of people are Loyalists and decide to help him. One particular character, Pablo, refuses to help him because he doesn’t want to move to another place. He feels comfortable in this wood and knows that after the attack he will have to move from this place where he had become comfortable. Pilar, Pablo’s wife is aware of the situation and is truly committed to the Republic. She believes they should help Robert and she is always ready to mobilize to avoid being hunted. Hemingway does not only personify humans as being hunted, he also personifies war machinery and objects as animals. He compares military airplanes to birds of prey, like owls, hawks or eagles. Hemingway chose these animals because they are always on guard and ready to fight. These animals are considered prey and thus scare the animals being hunted. In chapter three, a military aircraft flies over Jordan. Although he is brave, Jordan cringes, as an mouse would from seeing an eagle of fear. Hemingway shows that humans are like animals and that when fear arises within them, they start to act with their primary instincts.
Hemingway sets the novel during the Spanish Civil War where he depicts the atrocities of war. He uses characters such as Jordan to show how war can destroy people. He introduces Jordan as a brave man who served during war and is not afraid of death. However, death becomes a sensitive subject during the end of the book. During the train incident, Jordan had killed his college, Kashkin, to prevent him from being tortured by the Fascists. Hemingway presents these ideas to the reader to develop pity and provide the reader with a mental disturbing image. Anselmo, a devoted old supporter of the Republic and Jordan’s guide, talks about his dislike of war and the killing that comes with it. Jordan admits that he does not mind killing people who are unfaithful and does not care about animals and tells Anselmo “In my house there were the tusks of boar, the hides of wolves...the horns of ibex.an eagle stuffed."(P.39) Anselmo responds by telling Jordan that he loves hunting animals but he does “not like to kill men.”(P.39)
By being hunted, Jordan and his followers began to detest the outcomes of war and its foul consequences. In chapter ten, Pilar recounts a disturbing event in which the Republicans killed civil guards publicly humiliating and beating them to death. This event shocked Maria, who is portrayed as an innocent girl unable to accept the reality of life. In this event, the Republicans chased the Fascists and procured their dignity. War is depicted as hunting in which one is the prey, and one is the victim. However, Pilar experienced worse experiences where she and her family was hunted. The direct coalition between both hunting and war is death. In both circumstances, either an animal of human is being killed. Hemingway tries to condemn war using the main character Jordan. Jordan changes from a brave man who is willing to kill for the cause of war, who later becomes against war. Anselmo, against any acts of war, states that” "after the war there will have to be some great penance done for the killing" (196).
Hemingway experienced both hunting and war. He used his past experiences to inform his readers about war and the effects it brings to a country. Although “ For Whom the Bell Tolls,” is a fictional story, it related greatly to realistic facts during the Spanish Civil War. Hemingway was a journalist who was able to observe the war from different angles and perspectives. He judged the war based on time and made sure to pass the message to his readers that in war both sides are the aggressor. He is against the hunting of man and believes that war could be settled through negotiations instead of battle. This book is one that should definitely be read as it shows you how sometimes in life you are faced with very hard decisions that you don't know how to deal with. This book is a must read for people to open their eyes to understand that reality is not always beautiful.