For Whom The Bell Tolls



Ernest Hemingway -  Larger than life, Brash, Flamboyant, Womaniser, Bull runner. Drinker, Author, War Correspondent, Boor. 

Following the success of his 1920s novels Hemingway profiled himself as the big game hunting, marlin landing he-man that he yearned to be.  Eight years after his last novel and on the receiving end of some less than complimentary reviews for his non fiction attempts, Hemingway appears a little irrelevant.  The Spanish Civil war changed that.  Hemingway loved Spain and its culture.  He saw the Nationalist coup as an assault on the country and its culture which he revered.  He also related easily to the young American volunteers.  He himself had been a Red Cross volunteer in WW1.

The Civil War allowed him to relive his youth safe from the combat of the front lines.  In Madrid he appeared in a faux khaki uniform. 

In Adam Hochschilds "Spain in our Hearts" Lincoln Brigade Physician William Pike, who met Hemingway in Spain, is quoted as saying  "He was larger than life.  Generous, scrupulously honest and dedicated to his work, but lurking somewhere was a mean-spirited, uncertain, frightened, aggressive child, overly impressed with physical courage, with a need to over and over again, prove himself a "man".  

Hemingway had a contract with NANA to cover the war.  As an indication of his profile he was paid $1k (about $15k today) for each dispatch sent home and $500 for each one sent by transatlantic cable.

For Whom The Bell Tolls follows young American volunteer Robert Jordan as he lives the life of a guerrilla fighter operating behind enemy lines.  The 490 pages cover the short few days during which Jordan arrives in the mountains to plan and carry out his latest mission.  I have to admit I struggled with parts of this book.  There was what seemed like pages of mindless banality as Robert and Maria swore their new found love to each other.  Even the well developed Pablo and Pilar were liable to waffle.  Hemingway was like someone who just couldn't stop talking, word after word for the sake of it.  None of the other Spanish characters are developed, their depth sacrificed for the sweet nothings of Robert and Maria.  Pablo and Pilar are portrayed as pretty despicable.  Pablo the scheming, double crossing, murdering coward who has lost his mojo.  Pilar as his disloyal mujer, or woman, who defends his character yet is ready to have him killed in the next breath.  Indeed given his love of Spain and it's people the only Spanish characters that are likable are Anselmo and Maria. 

The book is ultimately about love, loyalty, war and the futility of ideals.  It is far too long for what it delivers.  The battle to the finale is as torrid as that fought in the book.

Much has been written about the prowess of Hemingway.  About his greatness as a writer.  I remain unconvinced.  Hemingway is lauded and to say otherwise is to be a heretic.  In place of his khaki uniform I see strands of the emperors new clothes.  

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