Ernest Hemingway and the Aspects of American Values and Self-Image

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Table of Contents

Introduction: a brief overview
Summary of the main points of the article and the novella
Ideal of freedom and non-commitment
Idea of the self-made man as inherent to the American culture
Self-reliance as an American value communicated by Hemingway
Conclusion
Works cited

Introduction: a brief overview

Ernest Hemingway is known as a legendary figure of the American culture, because he consistently communicated the American values and aspects of self-image in his literary works. In order to discuss Hemingway’s depiction of the American values and beliefs, it will be necessary to use three works: The Old Man and the Sea, a novella by Hemingway, “Papa’s Ghost”, an article by Gary Buslik, in which the author describes his experience of visiting “Hemingway’s” famous place, and “Ernest Hemingway”, a biographical inquiry into the life of the great writer. The present paper argues that Hemingway’s idea of “the true-born American” draws a portrait of a self-made man who has freedom of choice, rises from poverty through hard work and believes only in himself without relying on or hoping for the support of the others or the government.

Summary of the main points of the article and the novella

The Old Man and the Sea narrate about the old fisherman Santiago, who has had as many as eighty-four unlucky days and seeks desperately to catch a large fish. His little friend Manolin, who had fished with Santiago before, is forced by his parents to leave the old man because of their superstitions associated with the old man’s regular failures over the months. Therefore, Santiago ventures to the Gulf alone and shortly after finds out that a huge marlin takes his bait. After struggling with the fish for two days, Santiago loses it as a result of the shark attack. However, after having a long rest at home, Santiago reveals no despair to Manolin, instead stating his intention to try again later. In “Papa’s Ghost”, G.Buslik narrates about his journey to Cuba and his excursion around the favorite places of Ernest Hemingway. In particular, he visits cafes and bars where Hemingway used to stay for hours writing his literary works, and conducts an interview with Gregorio Fuentes, an acquaintance of the great writer, believed to become a Santiago’s.

Ideal of freedom and non-commitment

The first intrinsic characteristic of the American masculinity, or the “true American man”, according to Hemingway’s novella, is freedom, interpreted as the absence of obligations and responsibilities except for those directly associated with individual survival. The protagonist of The Old Man and the Sea doesn’t seem committed to anyone except for himself, as he has no family and his social status imposes on him not so many obligations, as long as he is a fisherman. The only character the old man closely interacts with is the boy named Manolin, who, as he believes, should be reared and brought up by his parents, but not him: “If you were my boy I’d take you out and gamble,” he said.” But you are your father’s and your mother’s and you are in the lucky boat. “( Hemingway, p.2). The value of freedom is also reflected in “Papa’s Ghost” which demonstrates that Hemingway easily left America with its noisy cities for Cuba, where simple entertainments like fishing gained a new value: “Two years later he bought his own boat, Pilar, and over the next several years popped over to the big island when the spirit moved him […]” (Buslik, p.103). As one can assume, the famous writer himself was not actually willing to carry the burden of social obligations like marriage.

Idea of the self-made man as inherent to the American culture

The idea of a self-made man, who grows professionally and economically through hard work is another persistent idea which Hemingway presents in his works. In particular, both Santiago and Manolin adore DiMaggio, an outstanding baseball player: “I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing”, the old man said.”They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are and would understand.” (Hemingway, p.5). In fact, in the biographical essay, the great writer is positioned as a self-made man, who “had learned to play himself, his own best hero, with superb conviction” (“Ernest Hemingway”, p.4). Furthermore, it is stated that ”he was Tarzan Hemingway, crouching in the African bush with elephant gun at ready, Bwana Hemingway commanding his native bearers in terse Swahili […]” (“Ernest Hemingway”, p.4). Therefore, he constructed his image and professional position by growing from a young freelance writer at The Sun to reputable war correspondent and writer. One more argument in favor of self-shaping through hard and honest work is Hemingway’s attachment to and adoration of Gregorio Fuentes, a great Cuban adventurer, whose success was associated with following the individual path of personality development. As Buslik explains, “…for the next two decades he did [care about Hemingway] accompanying the writer on hundreds of fishing trips as leader and confidant” (Buslik, p.110).

Self-reliance as an American value communicated by Hemingway

Finally, it is also important to note the tendency of Hemingway’s characters to rely exceptionally upon their own power and abilities and avoiding hopes for external support. Santiago is a canonical individualist who fully provides for himself even in constraint conditions and reluctantly accepts the food Manolin brings. He stays in the open sea on his own and even dares to begin the struggle with the huge fish without expecting the others’ backing. Although Santiago is not American by nationality, by his nature and spirit he can be classified as Hemingway’s “canonical American man” – independent, regardless of economic conditions, sober in his mind and confident enough the resume his work after such an exhausting failure as the loss of the huge fish. The author of the article “Ernest Hemingway” is consistent with this idea, as his heroes “ awake to a world gone to hell. World War I destroyed belief in the goodness of national governments. Institutions, concepts and insidious groups of friends and ways of life are, when accurately seen, a tyranny, a sentimental or propagandistic rationalization” (“Ernest Hemingway”, p.4). Thus, in the world, where there is no government or reference group to lean on, it is necessary to nurture the belief in oneself and one’s own capacities, Hemingway believed.

Conclusion

As one can conclude, Hemingway perceived his compatriots as individualists, who value personal freedom over social status, but still take pains to grow economically, professionally and spiritually, reckoning on their own strength, courage and abilities. Hemingway’s “true man” wins his survival in the daily struggles with the anarchic postwar realities, thus feeling eager enough to live and build his future.

Works cited

Hemingway, E. The Old Man and the Sea.

Buslik, G. “Papa’s Ghost”. A Rotten Person Travels the Caribbean. Palo Alto CA: Travelers’ Tales, 2008.

“Ernest Miller Hemingway”. 2009

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