Introduction
Likewise, the astringent accusation is thrown as well on the language and style of writing. Namely, Hemingway opt for jargon Beach-la-mar and pidgin interspersing very often in his dialogues some lightly vulgar vocabulary like 'damn' which in Hem's eyes is the word very quickly acquired by the immigrants for instance. Elucidating, pidgin is a group of languages with very easy morphology and syntax; Beach-la-mar-'the jargon or trade speech of the Western Pacific'
Notwithstanding the contemporary criticism, E. Hemingway is unremittingly one of the best literati famous for its pulsating and timeless quality of literature. Also, O'Hara provided evidence of the Hemingway excellence of writing referring to him as the finest novelist since Shakespeare. E. Hemingway's traumatic and harrowing experience concerning both: the period of the WWI and childhood contributed immensely to the development of the sexual genre in his literature, namely: Masculinity, sexual hedonism and the fall of love.
Nevertheless, Hemingway does not reveal everything in his stories and novels, and what is more, by reason of "Iceberg Theory" he leaves an immense range of imagination and interpretation for readers. Hemingway's literature works are often compared to an iceberg which stand out of water only in the one eight, but the seven eights covered by water are only a mystery and its extent and form depend on the readers' imagination, interpretation and presumptions. And these seven eights enable the person who reads to explore deeper meaning and hegemonic symbolism.
''If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing. A writer who appreciates the seriousness of writing so little that he is anxious to make people see he is formally educated, cultured, or well-bred, is merely a popinjay. And this too, remember: a serious writer is not to be confounded with a solemn writer. A serious writer may be a hawk or a buzzard or even a popinjay, but a solemn writer is always a bloody owl. ''
Ernest Hemingway ''Death in the Afternoon''.
The pure example of the 'prose iceberg theory' is perceivable in "Hills Like White Elephants". The short story which tenderly indicates abortion but the word "abortion" is never mention in the course of the short story but the discussions and dialogues between characters suggest and point out the core meaning and the savvy reader is capable of discovering the hidden message. Hemingway is a firm believer that stripping away and using subtexts is more influential on readers than and suggesting and imposing the interpretation of the text. Omitting the dialogue tags such as 'he' or 'she' only leaves analysis up to the reader. The story demonstrates its prominence even in the symbolical title. 'White elephants' symbolize something that is desired by nobody, something useless, troublesome and bothersome. At the beginning of the story the girl-Jig-remarks that the hills look like the white elephants which is only a provocation for further discussion with her American boyfriend about having an abortion. However, she retreats her comment later suggesting that she would rather to keep the baby and take care of it as she has always wanted to have a baby: "'Yes", said the girl. "'It tastes like licorice'; the girl said and put the glass down. 'That's the way with everything.' 'Yes', said the girl. 'Everything tastes like licorice. Especially, all the things you've wanted so long for, like absinthe" (39), which upsets the American he opts for having an abortion as he does not fancy having a baby yet: "I know. But If I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you'll like it?" (40).
The other example is the "Old Man and the Sea" in conjunction with the illustrious and well-known theme of lions. The book ends with the meaningful words: "The old man was dreaming about lions" (99), which symbolize youth, power, pride, strength, triumph, masculinity, fertility, victory, constant action and hope. By virtue of dialogues and allegories, subtexts and metaphors Hemingway strips away and conveys the hidden message to savvy readers and bestows them with a chance to figure out by them what is secreted behind.
Masculinity is constantly scrutinized by Hemingway throughout all his novels and short stories. Undoubtedly, the most significant one is "Men without women" which enlightens all the values and behavior a true man should posses. The supreme world of men is full of male desires and delights. In the course of short stories and novels, the reader come across the male characters who are brawlers, wranglers, pettifoggers, killers, drunker, druggists, psychologically disturbed soldiers. On the other hand some male characters merit dignity and admiration owing to their heroic behavior and perseverance such as Nick Adams for instance or Santiago. Moreover, Hemingway's simple, brittle albeit sharp, convincing, hegemonic and influential style of writing only reinforces the vision of the masculine world and the imperative, crucial role men should play in the society.
Women dominance and machismo is precisely depicted in the posthumously published book -"The Garden of Eden" in which E. Hemingway describes the sexual domination of Catherine Bourne. According to him, not only do women dominate over men but also humiliate, disgrace, nurture and punish unprivileged and submissive men. Yet, the vast emphasize should be placed on Catherine Bourne herself who governs in bed and initiates female-on-male sodomy and is the leader of sexual sensations in the marriage. Indisputably, masochism and sodomy prevails in the book showing hence how women can control men sexuality.
In the book "A Farewell to Arms", E. Hemingway reveals the relationship between passion and destruction. Following, the inherent calamity of both: love and sex is pain like the intrinsic correlation between the birth and death. Fascinatingly, this novel is a striking love story of two people: Frederick Henry and Catherine Barkley who need each other in a period of upheaval. The lieutenant Fredrick symbolizes a lost man who spent all his life on frivolous, immoral things such as drinking and lingering from one house of prostitution to another. In his unsettled, stumbling and chaotic life he searches for some values and virtues in life until he encounters Catherine Barkley in whom he falls in love and finally finds tranquility, peace of mind and fulfillment of his constant quests. Unfortunately, this love and the only worthy value in his entire life becomes fatal when the beloved Catherine dies leaving Fredric in inexpressible soreness.
Interestingly, some fine critics of Hemingway's detect in Catherine Barkley the nurse - Agnes von Kurovski whom E. Hemingway met in 1918 while recovering in Milano hospital. This eight year elder woman was his true and eternal love. What is more, many dare to claim that she changed Hemingway's acuity of love and sex along with the sharpness of view of women being a destructive power of men. (Hemingway w oczach krytyki światowej; 337-354)
On the whole, in pursuit of sexuality in E. Hemingway's literature, the reader can come upon many plots concerning masculinity, dominance of women or inevitable destruction between love and death. However, with no doubts one will think for a while about the values of life and the significance of love and sex.
Exposé of Masculinity
"In this society, the norm of masculinity is phallic aggression. Male sexuality is, by definition, intensely and rigidly phallic. A man's identity is located in his conception of himself as the possessor of a phallus; a man's worth is located in his pride in phallic identity. The main characteristic of phallic identity is that worth is entirely contingent on the possession of a phallus. Since men have no other criteria for worth, no other notions of identity, those who do not have phalluses are not recognized as fully human." (Dworkin, Andrea. Speech, March 1, 1975, State University of New York).
"Viri autem propria maxime est fortitudo" declared Cicero in Tusculanea Quaestiones and by virtue, the proof of these masculine bravery and courage are discerned in almost all Hemingway's literature works. As said, "Masculinity is something traditionally considered to be characteristic of a male, a quality characterized by physical and behavioral features, such as physical strength, which is commonly associated with males" ("Masculinity"). Truthfully, Hemingway's protagonists and characters are very often the pure reflection of the above definition of masculinity, but on the other hand, they reveal their innocent, sensitive and weak personalities in the face of the relationships with women.
Virginia Woolf who worked for "New York Harold Tribune" described Hemingway as a courageous, high-brow, distinguished writer of ever times but in the same time she garishly vilified him for his constant worship of masculinity. She even dared to accuse him of losing his literary openness and expertise along with the blinding limited acuity of the world which in Hemingway's eyes was dominated by male delights and desires. However, Hemingway constantly emphasizes the dichotomy of female; their indecisiveness and mercenary versus leniency and mildness (Baker 130).
Partly, there is some truth in all those bitter words thrown at Hemingway by some critics of his times. Reading "The Men without Women" one can encounter protagonists who are brawlers, wranglers, pettifoggers, killers, drunker, druggists, psychologically disturbed soldiers and prostitutes; streetwalkers, and hookers. The fiction is just void of any possible values and innermost feeling--love. Moreover, Hemingway's simple, brittle albeit sharp, convincing, hegemonic and influential style of writing only reinforces the vision of the masculine world and the imperative, crucial role men should play in the society. The masculinity theme emerges through the course of the whole short stories giving hence the masculine codex of masculine behavior and perseverance.
„The Undefeated " tells about the matador Manuel who unveils his power and fearless personality while fighting with a bull. Even when sneered by the crowd and in the face of the likelihood of death he is not discouraged from taking part in Corrida. Pierced by the bull's horn he continues his struggle not thinking about the defeat and set-back. His masculine pride takes privilege meriting hence dignity and admiration.
„Manuel was facing the bull again, the muleta held low and to the left. The bull's head was down as he watched the muleta. . . . He felt the sword buckle as he shoved it in, leaning his weight on it, and then it shot high in the air, end-over-ending into the crowd. Manuel had jumped clear as the sword jumped. The first cushions thrown out of the dark missed him. Then one hit him in the face, his bloody face looking towards the crowd. . . . 'Thank you,' he said. 'Thank you.' Oh, the dirty bastards. ... As he tripped on a cushion he felt the horn go into him. . . . "He looked at the bull going down slowly over on his side, then suddenly four feet in the air. . . . They carried him across the ring to the infirmary."
Manuel's persistence and immeasurable desire to fulfill allotted goals did not yield in fear even when he was lying badly injured on operation table. What is more, no complaining or groaning can be heard from the matador's mouth, instead he shows the power of living and the facing the coming death. "To hell with this operating table. He'd been on plenty of operating tables before. He was not going to die. There would be a priest if he was going to die." Such a charismatic attitude only shrouds him with great credit and masculine dignity.
Another short story revealing the true nature of male gender is the anthologized "The Killers". The writer's depiction of the cruel nature of male gender is juxtaposed with the reconciliation with inescapable death. The story is about two Chicago gunmen who come to the bar to kill a hiding out Swede boxer Ole Anderson who "'double-crossed somebody'… 'That's what they kill them for.'...'He never had a chance to do anything to us. He never even seen us. And he's only going to see us once'....'What are you going to kill him for then?'George asked."We're killing him for a friend. Just to oblige a friend, bright boy"...'Well." (47). The language used by killers and their way of performance shows their low marginal statues void of any values and compassion. Through introducing such dark personae, the writer denudes the sinister sides of male behavior.
Unlike the gunmen, Ole Andersen shows his great submissiveness when Nick comes to visit him and tell about the killers who are frantically searching the Swede boxer:
" 'They were going to shoot you when you came in to supper'…'There isn't anything I can do about it.' 'Maybe it was just a bluff.' 'No, it ain't just a bluff.' „Then Nick goes back to the restaurant." 'I'm going to get out of this town,' Nick said. 'I can't stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he's going to get it. It's too damned awful.''(49-53).
Nick, on the other hand, discloses his tender and full of companion personality by showing his affection and concern about the boxer. Nor knowing how to help Anderson neither understand his submission, Nick decides to leave Chicago forever. In the course of this short story, the reader stumbles upon three types of personae; the gunmen without scruples, "bright boy" (49)-- Nick who does not understand the killers' zeal for killing and Olsen Anderson who with dignity reconciles with the fact that one day he would be murdered.
Definitely, the vivid picture of masculinity can be discerned in the protagonist Santiago from the Nobel Prize awarded novella "The old man and the sea". In Santiago we recognize all masculine virtues the man should possess. Despite being in his eighties, Santiago struggles and wrestles with nature in the unfathomable sea trying to catch the shark. By and large, in writer's eyes a man should face all hardships and stay indefatigable without being succumb to any suffer, hesitation or disbelief and qualm. "Under the stars and with the night colder all the time he ate half of one of the dolphin fillets and one of the flying fish, gutted and with its head cut off."(60), "Even if I sleep twenty minutes or half an hour it is good. He lay forward cramping himself against the line with all his body, putting all his weight onto his right hand, and he was asleep." (61). Regardless pain, tiredness and the lack of allege perspectives a true man should fight and continue his strife in the world of constant conflicts.-"but I must have the confidence and I must be worthy of the Great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in heel". The heroic struggle between the old man and the exhaustible nature stands for the way a true man should behave with dignity, self-consciousness and honor. "He took all his pain and what was left of his strength and his long-gone pride and he put it against the fish's agony… (71-72). The proof for all those masculine virtues mentioned above we can find in the words Santiago declares -
--"A man is not made for defeat…a man can be destroyed but not defeated".
"He no longer dreamed of storms, or of women, or of great occurrences, or of great fish, nor fights nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach." (16). The most visible picture of male personality and imagination is symbolically depicted in the very last sentence-"The old man was dreaming about lions" (99)-which expresses inner desire of male gender. In phraseology, the symbol of lions designates the bravery, prowess and ever-lasting power of will of surviving. In this way, Santiago becomes the legacy of masculinity giving hence the Decalogue of male power and perseverance.
Carlos Baker even compared Santiago's unbearable pain in hands and neck to Christ's giving hence the new dimension of masculinity. Namely, a true man has to go through diverse hardships and walks of life to find his identity and prove his sturdy masculinity along with learning modesty through the arduous and hard battle with nature. The protagonist Santiago embodies the Greek "idea hubris"-- predetermined fate and comparing oneself with gods (Krzeczkowski 412-416). Santiago's portrayal is a classical pattern of the Greek "idea hubris" for his struggle; pain and fighting with fate on the water infinitude represent super power in which he is endowed. Still, the portrayal of Santiago's values can signify here the hyper masculinity virtue filled with unparalleled stubbornness, pertinacity and dourness.
In the course of the strife with the shark Merlin and constant fight with the sea one can make out a tender aesthetic sexual relation and attitude towards women. For Santiago the sea corresponds to female personality. The "she" sea is uncontrollable, exuberant and unbridled like women. Likewise, the sea bestows people with many valuable, pure essentials and rudiments for further quest. The sea deep puts out of sight precious parts which just need to be discovered. Even the worst, unlucky fellow "salao" like Santiago can find his fulfillment in the secreted deeps. The proof of this is Merlin-the fish that Santiago has never even dreamed of. In the scene of mastering the rough sea and the shark writhing on his fishing rod the writer delicately shows the female nature--"The old man held the line delicately, and softly, with his left hand, unleashed it from the stick." (29) or "He held the line tight in his right hand as he leaned all his weight…Then he passed the line a little lower on his shoulders and braced his left hand on it." (61). The pure justification for this comparison we can find in both: the sea and the shark which are once calm and once very rough. Mastering the sea and the fish involves ample psychological experience and sometimes violent engagement. Women are like the sea and the shark; unpredictable, contradictory and changeable. Only by virtue of self-consciousness and awareness a true man is capable of mastering, beguiling and seducing them (Krzeczkowski 407-411).
"The Sun Also Rises" gathers the reader with the gargantuan spectrum of male personalities such as masochistic Jake and his "androgynous wounds" (Spilka 11) or the male spotlessness and heroic dignity of Pedro Romero or just envious humbug Robert Cohn. Phallic consciousness determines in "The Sun Also Rises" a variety of dichotomous angles of male personalities. The Psychologist D.H Lawrence and Eliot muse over this subject thoroughly showing consequently how the sexual impotence can influence male psyche labeling thus men who cannot procreate as a kind of social outcasts (Krzeczkowski 337).
To comprehend the idea of "phallic consciousness", one should dwell on the after-war American society in which setting a nuclear family was central goal as it ensured the continuation of generation and family inheritance. Those, yet, who had their genitalia damaged during the war, were considered socially disabled both: in the family and erotic spheres. It is worth mentioning that during the post war era we face the problem of diminution of masculinity and the fundamental meaning of the male gender. Sexual morbidity and disability were present but a few just seemed to neglect it or just considered this crucial part of human life as a not-being. Lawrence stated "the phallus is the only great old symbol of godly vitality in a man, and of immediate contact" ("Plumbing the depths of consciousness") and that is what ex-soldiers lack, sexually crippled by the war. The bitter truth is that many young fellows, soldiers and others including Hemingway encountered problems with the damage of male secret parts or just the phallus erosion that is why very often such a sexually disabled condition yielded in Hemingway's fiction in love "necrosis"-death in love.
Ernest Hemingway was one of those war victims who suffered minor genitourinary-urinal wounds. While taking part in the First War on the Italian Front in 1918 and serving as an ambulance driver he got seriously injured by mortar trenches and got 200 separate shrapnel wounds including the scrotum. Luckily, his testicles and penis did not suffer so much but he knew the men whose did:
'Because of this I got to know other kids who had genitor-urinary wounds and I wondered what a man's life would have been like after that if his penis had been lost and his testicles and spermatic cord remained intact ... [So I] tried to find out what his problems would be when he was in love with someone who was in love with him and there was nothing that they could do about it.' E. Hemingway
Jake Barnes is a representation of "phallic divestiture" and total impotence but not only in the sexual area but also emotional one. Jake lost his masculinity during the war when he got the wound damaging his phallus. Being not able to satisfy sexually Brett Ashley he suffers his emotional malady of solitude and sexual insecure. Despite his awareness of this male flaw, Jake can never reconcile with his phallic disability. It becomes his masochism when he divulges himself into self-despair and sorrow. Feeling rejected and deeply believing that Ashley disparages him for his impotence and refuses to be with him, Jake plunges himself into masochistic thoughts and total isolation from the bohemian world of sexuality and relationships with women. Unrequited, fruitless love for Brett Ashley only flames up his self-destructive masochistic acuity of the surrounding female world causing hence psychological ramifications which Jake is not able to get rid of. While going fishing with Gorton, Jake opens and talks freely about his pain, love for Brett and other dilemmas caused by the war wound. Jake Barnes garishly represent people from "Lost Generation" and he is consciously aware of this fact, he recognizes his defect and foibles but does nothing at all to prevent it or cure his "phallic conscious" disturbance. Despite his tenderness and giant understanding for female society, Jake gets tangled and captured in his own masochistic, fruitlessness world of weakness, impotency and passive submission to the fate in terms of the course of his sexual inactivity.
Furthermore, the poet Gertrude Stein delivered into literature the term 'Lost Generation' introducing disillusionment and foibles that shattered post- war society. After reading A Moveable Feast authored by Hemingway, Gertrude Stein recognized it as a remark for the whole post-war generation coining to Ernest Hemingway: "You are all a lost generation"--"C'est une generation perdue"-- (Baker 103) adding that they could only lead bohemian life full of alcohol, drug and sexual freedom. The American movement of 'Lost Generation' is widely recognized due to the acuity of the world by the people crippled who got wounded or psychologically crippled by the traumatic war experience suffering simultaneously moral and ideological breakdown. Additionally, they lost their faith in any values of the world. Left alone with their solitude, dilemmas and psychological disturbance they fall into masochistic world in which the inner martyr of personality takes privilege (Gribanow 249). Hemingway displays here the moral and emotional projection over the physical one. Most described dilemmas in the 'Sun Also Rises' render personal, inner struggle and the mind conditions of his characters.
The gist of Jake's solitary life is only accentuated when one day he decides to have a dinner with a whore Georgette because "he did not want to dine alone". However, Jacob does not disparage her for her profession, contrary, when meeting his friends, he introduces her as his fiancée: „'I wish to present my fiancée, Mademoiselle Georgette Leblanc" (25-26). In this allegedly minor dining Jack reveals his masculine tenderness and total understanding for Georgette claiming that they have a lot in common. Georgette limited her life and love only to the material sphere for she cannot have children and suffers some disease. Despite her disability and sickness she is as open and sincere as Jake. Likewise, they create a tandem of real, not bogus like others, soreness and personal pain but still they try to survive in egalitarian, Parisian hustle and bustle.
Among all those similar views Jack and Georgette share, the reader can come across another kind of masculinity that is homosexuality as Ashley Brett appeared among the group of homosexuals cooling down hence Jack's funny talks with Georgette. Strikingly, one of the homosexuals shows his interests in Georgette and fancies dancing with her. Later, others follow and make up to pour their 'quasi' interest on women. At this stage, the reader is covered with another side of masculinity full of lies and cowardice. The homosexuals break all the rules pinned to the masculinity such as bravery, veracity and pertinacity. Being too shy and scared by the social attitude towards sexual freedom they hide their true sexual inclinations behaving like cowards who run away from the problem and give up from fighting about their freedom. Brett only strengthens this perception of masculinity, currently she takes the turn and acquires male features in both: behavior, social relationships and a style of attire (Elektorowicz 341-342). In the face of the effeminacy in terms of their cowardice and the lack of strong personalities, the homosexual characters only highlight masculine features which Brett owns. By no account should they resign from the masculine philosophy and the will of fighting for one's rights but at this stage those values of masculinity fail giving way female strong bohemian characters like Brett Ashley.
To find deeper meaning of Barnes's masculinity, one should take into consideration Corrida and spectacular bullfighting in which Jake identifies himself and belongs to 'afficionados'. Only as a bullfighting spectator he finds tranquility, total satisfaction and exults. By his attendance at Corrida, Jake remedies his foibles, what is more, the entire world seems friendlier and void of problems. Even his friends' brawlers and spats are only in Jake's eyes are a funny episode which rejoices his soul. Pampeluna and Spanish Corrida turn out to be a sort of masculine Eldorado for Barnes.
Regardless of the physical sexual disability Jake exposes tenderness and affection fervently longing for love: "'it's funny," I said. 'It's very funny. And it's a lot of fun, too, to be in love." 'Do you think so?' her eyes looked flat again. 'I don't mean fun that way. In a way it's an enjoyable feeling." 'No,' she said. 'I think it's hell on earth.' (35). Though being belittled by Ashley, Jake tolerates every bitter word that she utters even when she flamboyantly demonstrates her passion for Pedro Romero: "'Do you still love me, Jake?', 'Yes,' I said. 'Because I'm a goner,' Brett said….'I'm a goner. I'm mad about the Romero boy. I'm in love with him, I think.' …'It's tearing me all up inside.' …'Come on," Brett said. 'Let's go and find him.' " (187-188). For the man being in love this childish and egoistic behavior only stress the truth about Jake's failure in love. Yet, Barnes demonstrates his bravery and courage by not lashing out his pain and hurt done by Ashley's words. He is always there to help her when she calls him in. After having escaped with Pedro she sends a message to Jake: "COULD YOU COME HOTEL MONTANA MADRID AM RATHER IN TROUBLE BRETT" (242). Jake without hesitation leaves hotel and dashes to assist Brett: "LADY ASHLEY HOTEL MONTANA MADRID ARRIVING SUD EXPRESS TOMORROW LOVE JAKE." (243). No matter what happens, Jake's indisputable love for Brett surpasses any dogma of masculinity but he never manifests his soreness and faithfully follow the codex of masculine dignity.
Robert Cohn-"Poor devil!" (186)-a Jewish non-veteran individual who schemes another side of the masculinity in 'The Sun Also Rises'. Sadly, he represents the antiquated system of value and male behavior that do not suit post-war society awareness. Without any war experience, Cohn always fakes charming women. For this peculiar malingerer masculinity pivots around love for women or zeal for boxing instead of inner powers and guide of self-esteem. From the very beginning it becomes clear enough to discern the great discrepancy between him and Pedro. When all his efforts and passive submission to being demeaned by Ashley fail to win the beloved woman, facing mockery Cohn demonstrates his power using physical violence: "' Was I rude enough to him?' Brett asked…'I'm so sick of him!', 'He doesn't add much to gayety.'" (185).` Robert Cohn fear of otherness yields very often in social 'gaffes' or inadequate behavior which make him sometimes not fitting for the Parisian bohemians. Being so emotional he cannot master his feelings so much that he beats up Pedro in proof of jealousy and covetousness of Brett. Though numerous divergences between Cohn and Pedro there one thing that they have in common: they both profoundly believe that male dignity depends on their inner values and human worthiness (Elektorowicz 349).
Pedro Romero (a foil for other characters) from 'The Sun Also Rises' reflects in particular the masculine physical features which attract women most. He is a young nineteen years old matador, "a damned good-looking boy" (170). His Latin American appearance and zeal for bull fighting rivet Ashley Brett's attention who perceives him sexually and at the same time makes Pedro lust after her so much that the young thriving matador escapes with Ashley to fulfill her sexual desires. Pedro apparently stands for the heroic masculinity of strength, perfection and honesty, "Romero never made any contortions, always was straight and pure and natural in line…Romero's bull-fighting gave real emotion, because he kept the absolute purity of line…" (171)…"I've never seen him do an awkward thing," (172). Not only does his appearance create him a real man but also his personality--perseverance, stamina along with his precision and wholly devotion for bull fighting. Yet, he proves his rightness by means of his unique emotional intelligence as opposed to using physical power in the example of Robert Cohn manifests.
In contrast, the pure example of masculine tenderness and weakness in the face of love is Nick from "Ten Indians" - Men Without Women who experiences love disappointment. A frenzy of passion, love with Prudie and making conjectures for further plans with her, Nick gets heart-broken once he finds out from his father that his beloved one was with another man.
"'I saw your friend, Prudie.' 'Where was she?' 'She was in the woods with Frank Washburn. I ran onto them. They were having quite a time.' His father was not looking at him. 'What were they doing?' 'I didn't stay to find out.' 'Tell me what they were doing.' 'I don't know,' his father said. 'I just heard them threshing around.' 'How did you know it was them?' 'I saw them.' 'I thought you said you didn't see them.' 'Oh, yes, I saw them.' 'Who was it with her?' Nick asked. 'Frank Washburn.', 'Were they--were they-', 'Were they what?', 'Were they happy?', 'I guess so.' " (98).
Totally collapsed and disappointed Nick bursts into tears. He was crying the whole night nor drinking neither eating. The disillusionment and love disappointment uncover Nick's insight of tenderness, delicate personality and emotional commitment. Although being strong is a male privilege, Nick demonstrates opposite stance, he cries and breaks down in the face of failure." 'My heart is broken,' he thought. 'If I feel this way my heart must be broken.'(99). Through Nick's pain and love disappointment, Hemingway disclosures another side of masculinity - tenderness, tears and total incapacity caused by love.
The theme of ephemeral love and its fall is in full view in the novels such as "Hills like White Elephants" or "Farewell to Arms". Hemingway's eminent mastery of style and 'Iceberg Theory' can be recognized in 'widely-anthologized', argued and discussed short story "Hills like White Elephants" from "Men Without Women" which tenderly and sadly indicates the problem of abortion. The whole story consist almost only from dialogues between a couple waiting for a train to Spain. At the very beginning the reader is not much provided with the information about the personalities or disagreement the couple have got. The female Jig only notices that the hills behind the Spanish river resemble white elephants and the Jig's remark is discounted and belied by her partner immediately. Only later, some disagreement unfolds by virtue of dialogues revealing that the man wants the girl to have an abortion: "'It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig…It's not really an operation at all…You've got to realize', he said, 'that I don't want you to do it if you don't want to. I'm perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you.' …'But I don't want anybody but you. I don't want anyone else. And I know it's perfectly simple…' "(41-42). Not only is the short story a style of mastery but as well gives an idea about the fall and ephemeral of love. A baby stands for the fruit of love, cleanliness, total trust and continuous entirety, and amalgamation between two people but here renders the fatal ramifications of love, disappointment and letdown.
The girl's desire was to have a baby but as the same time she just wants to save her relationship, consequently, her indecisiveness and hesitancy are caused by the disagreement with the American, dependence on him, lust and their further mutual relationship. "'Yes", said the girl. "'It tastes like licorice'; the girl said and put the glass down. 'That's the way with everything.' 'Yes', said the girl. 'Everything tastes like licorice. Especially, all the things you've wanted so long for, like absinthe" (39). By virtue of the dialogue she tries to convey the message to the father of her child that she would rather keep the baby but the man pushes her for the abortion saying "Oh, cut it out.'" (39). Merely, the questions she brotherly asks only demonstrates that nothing can save their relationship and that the love is ephemeral and their ideas about further plans are nadir and disgruntled. In the face of the traumatic experience, the girl seems to be left alone with her thoughts; inner indecision and perplexity. Sorrowfully, her partner incessant besieging and garrulousness only heats up her nervousness, despair, disillusionment and aggravation: "'Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?'" (42).
Belonging to the lost generation genre --'Farewell to Arms' totally changes the perception on both: war and love which allegedly should eliminate each other and coexistence between those two seems to be out of any possibility. The pejorative meaning of war and its vanity dashes away when the end of love changes the life into empty nightmare and lifeless existence. At the very glimpse, the novel throws a light on the androgynous role in the society full of cruelty, meaningless fights, shelling in the battlefield or just survival during the war conditions. There was nothing else besides drinking, sleeping, hanging around and frivolous, vicious course of life: "I had gone to no place where the roads were frozen and hard as iron, where it was clear cold and dry and the snow was dry and powdery and hare-tracks in the snow and the peasants took off their hats and called you Lord and there was good hunting. I had gone to no such place but to the smoke of cafes and nights when the room whirled and you needed to look at the wall to make it stop, nights in bed, drunk, when you knew that that was all there was" (Chapter 3). Yet, the turnover takes place when it come to terms that the war itself is not so bad in the face of despair fetched up by the end of love and the death of a beloved woman.
A young, American soldier fighting in the First World War gets wounded during the war while being recovered in hospital in Milan he falls in love with his nurse. At the very begging the relationship between them is only a dalliance and love game as none of them supposes that war duty will let their mutual feelings to develop and deliver the pleasure or final happiness. However, slowly the innocent flirt is changing into a deep feeling and becomes an escape for Henry from the war and alleviates the pain not only physical but also psychological grief.
