Love and Death in the Spanish Sun! (For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway)

Name: Mauri

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Product:	For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway
Date:	26/09/02 (661 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story, Well written, Full of tension

Disadvantages: none

When a friend suggested I read this book I thought I had a fairly good idea of what to expect. I had never read any Hemingway before but I had seen some film adaptations of his novels and I knew enough about his life (the love of bullfighting, the big game hunting and general 'macho' pursuits) to assume that it was going to be a 'boys own', rip-roaring adventure. I wasn't expecting much in the way of characterisation (especially for female characters). How wrong I was!

BACKGROUND

The story focuses on a pivotal period in European history, the first confrontation between the major ideologies of the twentieth century Fascism and Communism -the Spanish civil war 1936-1939.

In July 1936 Franco's fascist troops invaded Spain from Morocco in order to overthrow the newly established Republic headed by the Popular Front (composed of liberals, Socialists, and Communists). The Spanish working class revolted, factories were taken over, farmland was redistributed or collectivised and workers militias were formed. Their aim was to introduce a classless society. Soon the country was plunged into a bloody civil war. Franco’s forces quickly overran Northern Spain but Catalonia, where socialism and anarchism had always been strong, resisted with support from the Basques.

Soon forces outside of Spain used the conflict to advance their own political interests. Hitler and Mussolini lent support to Franco while the International Brigade was formed (mostly made up of Communists) in order to aid the Republican forces with help form the Soviet Union.

Hemingway like many other Americans became directly involved in the war. He travelled to Spain four times in this period; on the first three occasions he was a reporter for the North American Newspaper Alliance (NANA). Initially Hemingway wrote articles to raise money for the socialist forces, known as the Loyalist but gradually as the war progressed and the atrocities




on both sides increased he tempered his views and in many ways ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ is an attempt to write a balanced account of the conflict and his own experiences.

THE STORY

Our hero is Robert Jordan and American professor who has volunteered to fight for the Loyalists in the Spanish Civil War. The story spans three days as Jordan, also an explosives expert, is ordered to make contact with a small band of partisans in a fascist controlled area of Southern Spain. Once there his mission is to blow up a bridge, which is of strategic importance to both sides.

Jordan’s mission is made more difficult by the petty feuds and general lack of organisation he finds amongst the partisans led by the heavy drinking and cowardly Pablo. These partisans are not politically committed but are a rag-tag collection of thieves, gipsies and refugees that see their prospects being better under the rule of the Socialists rather than the Fascists. Holding this group together is Pilar, Pablo’s woman, a battle hardened, battle-axe of a woman who seems to understand the gravity of the situation. Pilar is a force of nature, through strength of character and belief in their cause she manages to wrest control of the band from the ineffectual Pablo and help Jordan complete his mission. Romantic involvement for Jordan comes in the form of Maria a young girl the partisans rescue from a prison train. Other colourful characters include Anselmo Jordan's elderly guide and trusted friend. Anselmo really believes in the cause and is a brave and loyal companion. In ‘flash back’ we also meet General Golz a Russian officer and a Loyalist volunteer with a political agenda. He is the one that orders Jordan to blow up the bridge.

The story revolves around the partisans the conflict between Pablo and Jordan and their relationship with Pilar and Maria. It soon becomes obvious to Jordan that his mission is goin
g to
be ha
rd to
comp
lete, he doesn’t have enough men at his disposal and is lacking in the resources to plan the explosion correctly, added to this an offensive by the fascist forces is putting all their lives at risk and forcing them to be continually on the move hiding in the mountainous forest of the region. Despite these obstacles and his desire to take Maria away from the conflict, Jordan decides to carry on his mission at whatever the cost.

The fast moving action leads us to an inevitable and tense confrontation cantering on the heavily guarded bridge Jordan’s real focus throughout the book.

STYLE AND THEMES

Hemingway is a very minimalist author compared to some of the classic writer of the 19th century. By many he is considered as a forerunner of the neo-realist movement and was much admired by the later Italian exponents of this style such as Italo Calvino and Cesare Pavese.

Hemingway concentrated on ordinary people, in extraordinary situation. The scenes described in the book are gritty in nature, there is a sense of reality, the actions of the protagonists are not romanticised. We also find he uses spoken word or conversation by the characters to set the scene to explain their intentions, attitudes and emotions rather than adopt the rather descriptive narrative style. Again this use of colloquial language brings the story and the characters closer to the reader and involves us more in their plight.

The language he uses is simple but deceptively so. He manages to communicate huge themes simply by the potency of the characters and the situations in which they are set. Loyalty, love, trust and duty are all involved as well as an examination of the ideologies behind the civil war. Through a series of ‘flash backs’ related to us by the various characters we learn of the dreadful violence that the civil war has unleashed on the people.

Hemingway also manages to
describe t
he fascist
s as human
being rat
her than mere caricatures of the enemy and in one scene in particular the horror and fear that all men however brave, feel in close combat are powerfully represented.

To call this a masterpiece would not be an exaggeration. ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ manages to combine a thoughtful study of one of the most important conflicts of the twentieth century, seen through the eyes of ordinary people, with a tension filled gritty wartime adventure, which will keep the reader turning the pages.

Critics have said that Hemingway cannot write from a woman’s perspective but in this book one of the most thoroughly examined and sympathetic character is Pilar a strong minded woman and a wonderful literary creation. I think Maria is less successful as a character and some may find the Hemingway’s attempt to recreate the Spanish speech in English as rather cumbersome although I feel that once you get used to it adds immensely to the story telling.

In the end it is true to say that ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ is a rip-roaring adventure. Yes, the men are tough and macho but beyond this the novel is a sensitive, at times brutal, examination of the psychology of war, the description of the battle sequences are the best I have come across.

Hemingway manages to bring out the passion of the times but also addresses the horror that goes along with this and the inevitable futility of the cause.

It is a wonderful read, fast paced, realistic and thought -provoking. The final 100 pages involving the assault on the bridge are especially compelling and moving.

I would urge those who have misgivings about what to expect from Hemingway to put them aside and read this. You like me might be very pleasantly surprised.

********************************************** ***********************

‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ (416 pages) is
published in p
aperback by Arr
ow priced at £5.99




Thanks for reading and rating this opinion.

© Mauri 2002

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