Subject: Re: What Would Jerome Do?
From: Tim O'Connor (oconnort@nyu.edu)
Date: Tue May 16 2000 - 10:48:08 GMT
On Mon, May 15, 2000 at 07:21:35PM -0700, Gene wrote:
> I saw a documentary on Heminway that was very
> fascinating. I tried reading "A Farewell to Arms" (my
> mother bought it for me along time ago) but I couldn't
> stick with it. Maybe someday I'll go back and read it.
> I did like that short story about abortion(?) called
> "Hills like Pink Elephants" or something like that.:)
You should give "Farewell" another shot. It has a striking opening (so
much for those who say E.H. writes in short, choppy sentences) that is
beautiful in its language and rhythms.
"Hills Like White Elephants" is "about" an abortion but it has nuances
that make it so much more than that. It's about power -- the power of
language, of insinuation and pursuasion, and about the undercurrent that
runs in every relationship between lovers. It's about smallness and
largeness ... our "little" problems compared to the timelessness of
grand geography. It's "about" far more than I can sum up in a brief
posting. Compare it to "A Sea Change," also by E.H.
I dare say (stepping out onto a plank) that I am most definitely in the
camp of Hemingway admirers here. I sometimes eat and sleep Hemingway.
I'm glad that the Properness Police have abated somewhat, so that one
doesn't get automatically classified as a bigot or a sexist for
appreciating him.
For those who can't get enough Hemingway, there is a good recording at
www.mp3lit.com of his introduction to "The Fifth Column." It's
fascinating to hear his spoken voice after "hearing" his written voice
for so long.
--tim
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