| Product: |
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway |
| Date: |
23/02/02 (464 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Sparse Writing Style, Compelling Plot, Entertaining
Disadvantages: Hemingway Goes Commercial
"No man is an Island ... and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
The epilogue of Hemingway's novel For Whom The Bell Tolls taken from a poem by John Donne. For whom The Bell Tolls is a novel purged in emotion, the writings and interpretations of an American on the Spanish Civil War. Laden with action, thrills and historical scenes, For Whom The Bell Tolls leaves the reader gasping for more and more. One finds themselves fully emerged in the writings and perceptions of Hemingway concerning the civil War and the events that flourished from it.
The beginning of the novel dawns; Hemingway's main character is a hard edged man named Robert Jordan, toughened and focused by his past, Jordan is a man of substance but lacks in his emotional lights. Through the novel, Hemingway shows the necessity of love and human interactions. He shows the effect that the caring of someone else can bring on the loneliest of spirits. Yes there is romance but this is not the basis for the novel; rather it is the exploration of the consequences of a hard secluded life. We see our hero, Jordan with a mission to locate a local guerrilla camp and to destroy fascist forces overcome several obstacles and boundaries.
Fascism is the evil in this gripping novel, the fierce stance and resistance that it takes against freedom and the progression of human kind. Hemingway elevates this through the adventures and trials f the novel's heroin, Robert Jordan. For Whom The Bell Tolls is the understanding of this realisation, find yourself pondering on the relevance and crucial behaviour of the character in different circumstances, see how self will and belief are above all in situations of despair.
The epilogue I mentioned above is a metaphor for the actions and characteristics of For Whom The Bell Tolls. It expresses Hemingway's points about seclusion and self-dispersion. Robert Jordan is an
island very much. He is alone in his world; he finds himself frying from interactions with the other guerrillas of his unit, he only becomes fulfilled when he finds love in the jungle surroundings.
Hemingway has always been regarded as a short story writer; Pilar's Tale On The Mountainside has always been regarded as one of Hemingway's greatest and most respected prose. This is a reason why For Whom The Bell Tolls has such a slow start to it, it feels as if, Hemingway is struggling to find his bearings with this new style of writing; overlooking this issue - For whom The Bell Tolls retains its readability and ease of literature.
Written by an American writer for a generally American population such as Hollywood, (This is why Hemingway has been criticised for his commercial outgoings) For Whom The Bell Tolls does loose some of its authenticity but retains its educational qualities. But don't be mislead by that caption, For Whom The Bell Tolls is not strictly a historical book, instead it is just set in an event in history with the focus of the novel on a fiction character to create interest amongst today's society, such is film Titanic.
America has always been puzzled and compelled by the difference between a good war and a bad war. Through the novel Hemingway gives us an interesting insight into a guerrilla fighter. The reader will find himself or herself horrified, shocked and amazed at how much the concept of Hemingway novel promises; and delivers so much.
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