published 1929.
Notes
havent read many of Hemingways works, but he does write in a very simplistic manner. Straightforward and without much emotion. Almost like simplistic poetry. Frustrating to read sometimes because it is so bland, but very quick to read because so easy to understand and often repetitive. Obviously purposely done. The end of that book is probably one of the most powerful ive ever read. Perhaps he is trying to synchronize the massive sins of war with the karma that it spreads afterwards and that there is no escaping it even if you run from it. The ending could also be the ends will never be justified by the means and that there is no forgiveness for a deserter. The book reminded me a lot of Cold Mountain and how one who leaves his duty for his country will be bitten in the ass for doing so in some other way shape or form. Also when Catherine Barkley is having the baby it reminded me of the movie "She's Having a Baby", with Kevin Bacon how he has the epiphone at the end of the movie and starts crying when he realizes he actually does care for his wife and his new born child. The book is written into 5 parts and is told in first person from the point of view of Henry Frederic:
I) When he is in the war and meets Catherine and the introduction to all his fellow soldiers. He is on the front line for the Italians volunteering even though he is American. He can speak fluent Italian and works for the ambulances. He gets injured while eating a piece of cheese in a dugout.
II) When he gets transferred to Milan and starts his recovery of his knee. Is rewarded the silver star and a stripe for an injury. Gets Catherine pregnant in Milan as she attends to him as a nurse at night. They spend many afternoons together as he is getting healed. They attend a horserace and enjoy being alone even in public places.
III) Henry Frederic goes back to the front lines and sees the priest, Rinaldi and others. He is ordered to the front and when there is a retreat everyone gets dispersed. They try and make their way to a safer city and get accused of being a deserter. Or a German defector that speaks Italian so perhaps a spy. Everyone in line gets their brains blown out. He escapes by jumping into the water and going down river down a piece of wood after the Italians start firing at him. He escapes by going onto a train where he in a compartment full of ammunition, guns and the smell of steel.
IV) He heads to milan to figure out where Catherine is. She is in a different Italian city so he seeks her out. He finds her and they end up staying in a hotel until the Italians find out he is there (he goes on a lake trout fishing trip in a boat with the bar owner and plays pool with a very old man). Catherine and him flee to switzerland by the barmens fishing boat and they row all night. She laughs in the boat at him because of the umbrella pops out the opposite way as hes trying to use it as a sail (which was her idea). They get there okay after saying they are there for winter sports. They live in the mountains until she needs to deliver the baby. They are obviously in deeply in love at this point of the book.
V) They head to the city where she is to deliver the baby. Henry comforts her and she wants to get the delivery over with so they can get married and cut her hair short. He grows a long beard. She starts having contractions. Later she asks him to leave the hospital so she can do this on her own. The doctor decides that she needs to have a ceseriun to get the baby out and would only take an hour after she was arleady in labor for quite a long time. They go through with the procedure. the baby isnt crying when he comes out and its a boy thats 5 kg. He later finds out because it was dead. Catherine starts hemmoraghing and later gradually dies. And the book ends.
Hemingway did volunteer as well in the ambulance core in Italy so the book is kind of an autobiography.
Selected interesting points from wiki to remember:
He received the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for The Old Man and the Sea, and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. On July 8, 1918, Hemingway was wounded while delivering supplies to soldiers, which ended his career as an ambulance driver. Although the events of his wounding have been subjected to doubters, it is now conclusively known that he was hit by an Austrian trench mortar shell that left fragments in his legs, and was also hit by a burst of machine-gun fire. His knee was badly wounded, and, amongst the more remarkable features of this incident, he helped staunch the bleeding by stuffing cigarette butts and rolling papers into his multiple wounds. He was later awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor (medaglia d'argento) from the Italian government for dragging a wounded Italian soldier to safety in spite of his own injuries. He was credited as the first American wounded in Italy during WWI by newspapers at the time but there is debate surrounding the veracity of this claim.
Hemingway received treatment in a Milan hospital run by the American Red Cross. With very little in the way of entertainment, he often drank heavily and read newspapers to pass the time. Here he met Agnes von Kurowsky of Washington, D.C., one of eighteen nurses attending groups of four patients each, who was more than six years his senior. Hemingway fell in love with her, but their relationship did not survive his return to the United States; instead of following Hemingway to America, as originally planned, she became romantically involved with an Italian officer. This left an indelible mark on his psyche and provided inspiration for, and was fictionalized in, one of his early novels, A Farewell to Arms. Hemingway's first story based on this relationship.
Hemingway attempted suicide in the spring of 1961, and received ECT treatment again. On the morning of July 2, 1961, some three weeks short of his 62nd birthday, he died at his home in Ketchum, Idaho, the result of a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. Judged not mentally responsible for his final act, he was buried in a Roman Catholic service. Hemingway is believed to have purchased the Boss & Co. shotgun he used to commit suicide through Abercrombie & Fitch, which was then an elite excursion goods retailer and firearm supplier. In a particularly gruesome suicide, he rested the gun butt of the double-barreled shotgun on the floor of a hallway in his home, leaned over it to put the twin muzzles to his forehead just above the eyes, and pulled both triggers. The coroner, at request of the family, did not do an autopsy. Other members of Hemingway's immediate family also committed suicide, including his father, Clarence Hemingway, his siblings Ursula and Leicester, and his granddaughter Margaux Hemingway. Throughout his life, Hemingway had been a heavy drinker, succumbing to alcoholism in his later years. Hemingway possibly suffered from manic depression, and was subsequently treated with electroshock therapy at the Mayo Clinic. He later blamed his memory loss, which he cited as a reason for not wanting to live, upon the ECT sessions.
Hemingways Eulogy (luv how he enjoyed the trout streams):
Best of all he loved the fall
The leaves yellow on the cottonwoods
Leaves floating on the trout streams
And above the hills
The high blue windless skies
Now he will be a part of them forever
--------> DK's note: Hemingway was buried in the cemetery in Ketchum, Idaho, at the north end of town. A memorial was erected in 1966 at another location, overlooking Trail Creek, north of Ketchum. I am an idiot for driving through Idaho in January 2009 after coming back from Vegas and not visiting this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchum,_I
My favorite passages in the book:
Suddenly to care very much and to sleep to wake with it sometimes morning and all that had been there gone and everything sharp and hard and clear and sometimes a dispute about a cost. Sometimes still pleasant and fond and warm and breakfast and lunch. Sometimes all niceness gone and glad to get out on the street but always another day starting and then another night. I tried to tell about the night and the difference between the night and the day and how the night was better unless the day was very clean and cold and i could not tell it, as i cannot tell it now. But if you have had it you know. He had not had it but he understood that i had really wanted to go to the Abruzzi but had not gone and we were still friends, with many tastes alike, but with the difference between us. He had always known what i did not know and what, when i learned it, i was able to forget. But i did not know that then, although i learned it later. In the meantime we were all at the mess, the meal was finished and the argument went on. - p 13, Book 1, regarding conversation with priest.
You understand but you do not love God
No
You do not love Him at all? he asked
I am afraid of Him in the night sometimes.
You should love Him
I don't love much.
Yes he said. You do. What you tell me about in the nights. That is not love. That is only passion and lust. When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.
I don't love
You will. I know you will. Then you will be happy.
I'm happy. I've always been happy.
It is another thing. You cannot know about it unless you have it.
Well i said. If i ever get it i will tell you.
The porter came in. He was trying to keep from laughing.
"Is that barber crazy?"
"No, signorino. He made a mistake. He doesn't understand very well and he though i said you an Austrian officer".
"Oh", i said
"Ho, Ho, Ho", the porter laughed. "He was funny. One move from you he said and he would have ____", he drew his forefinger across his throat.
"Ho, Ho, Ho", he tried to keep from laughing. "When I tell him you were not an Austrian. Ho Ho Ho."
"Ho, Ho, Ho", i said bitterly. "How funny if he would cut my throat. Ho, ho, ho."
"No Signorino. No, no. He was so frightened of an Austrian. Ho, ho, ho."
"Ho, ho, ho", i said. "Get the hell out of here!" p84, Book II
"Will you come to our wedding, Fergy?" i said to her once.
"You will never get married."
"We will."
"No, you won't."
"Why not?"
"You'll fight before you'll marry."
"We never fight".
"You've time yet."
"We don't fight."
"You'll die then. Fight or die. That's what people do. They don't marry". p98, Book II
Napolean would've whipped the Austrians on the plains. He never would have fought them in the mountains. He would have let them come down and whipped them around Verona. Still nobody was whipping any one on the Western front. Perhaps wars weren't won any more. Maybe they went on forever. Maybe it was another Hundred Years' War. I put the paper back on the rack and left the club. I went down the steps carefully and walked up the Via Manzoni. p107, Book II
"Go to sleep, darling, and i'll love you no matter how it is."
"You're not really afraid of the rain are you?"
"Not when i'm with you."
"Why are you afraid of it?"
"I don't know."
"Tell me."
"Don't make me."
"Tell me."
"No."
"Tell me."
"All right. I'm afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it."
"No."
"And sometimes i see you dead in it."
"Thats more likely."
"No, its not, darling. Because i can keep you safe. I know i can. But nobody can help themselves."
"Please stop it. I don't want you to get Scotch and crazy tonight. We won't be together much longer."
"No, but I am Scotch and crazy. But I'll stop it. It's all nonsense."
"Yes its all nonsense."
"Its all nonsense. Its only nonsense. Im not afraid of the rain. Im not afraid of the rain. Oh, oh God i wish i wasn't." She was crying. I comforted her and she stopped crying. But outside it kept on raining. p 113, Book II
She seemed upset and taut.
"Whats the matter, Catherine?"
"Nothing. Nothing's the matter."
"Yes there is."
"No nothing.. Really nothing."
"I know there is. Tell me, darling. You can tell me."
"Its nothing."
"Tell me."
"i don't want to. I'm afraid I'll make you unhappy or worry you."
"No, it won't."
"You're sure? It doesn't worry me but I'm afraid to worry you."
"It won't if it doesn't worry you."
"I don't want to tell."
"Tell it."
"Do i have to?"
"Yes."
"I'm going to have a baby darling. It's almost three months along. You're not worried, are you? Please please don't. You mustn't worry."
"All right."
"is it alright?"
"Of course."
"I did everything. I took everything but it didn't make any difference."
"I'm not worried."
"i could't help it, darling, and i haven't worried about it. You musn't worry or feel badly".
"I only worry about you."
"That's it. That's what you mustn't do. People have babies all the time. Everybody has babies. Its a natural thing."
"You're pretty wonderful."
"No I'm not. But you mustn't mind darling. I'll try and not make trouble for you. I know I've made trouble now. But haven't i been a good girl until now? You never knew it, did you?
"No."
"It will all be like that. You simply must'nt worry. I can see you're worrying. Stop it. Stop it right away. Wouldn't you like a drink, darling? I know a drink always makes you feel cheerful."
"No. I feel cheerful. And you're pretty wonderful."
"No I'm not. But I'll fix everything to be together if you pick out a place to go. It ought to be lovely in October. We'll have a lovely time, darling, and I'll write you every day while you're at the front."
"Where will you be?"
"I don't know yet. But somewhere splendid. I'll look after all that."
We were quiet awhile and did not talk. p124, Book II
"They won't get us", i said. "Because you're too brave. Nothing ever happens to the brave."
"They die of course."
"But only once."
"I don't know. Who said that?"
"The coward dies a thousand deaths, the brave but one?"
"Of course. Who said it?"
"i don't know."
"He was probably a coward," she said. "He knew a great deal about cowards but nothing about the brave. The brave dies perhaps two thousand deaths if he's intelligent. He simply doesnt mention them."
"I don't know. It's hard to see inside the head of the brave."
"Yes. Thats how they keep that way." p126, Book II
"But at my back I always hear
Time's winged chariot hurrying near." poem by Marvell quoted by Henry to Catherine. p139, Book II
"I don't mean like that. I mean something else. Have you any married friends?"
"Yes," I said.
"I haven't," Rinaldi said. "Not if they love each other."
"Why not?"
"I am the snake. I am the snake of reason."
"You're getting mixed. The apple was reason."
"No, it was the snake." He was more cheerful.
"You are better when you don't think so deeply," i said. p153, Book III
"There he is, gone over with the priest," Rinaldi said. "Where are all the good old priest baiters? where is Cavalcanti? Where is Brundi? where is Cesare? Do i have to bait this priest alone without support?"
"He is a good priest." said the major.
"He is a good priest," said Rinaldi. "But still a priest. I try to make the mess like the old days. I want to make Federico make happy. To hell with you, priest!"
I saw the major look at him and notice that he was drunk. His thin face was white. The line of his hair was very black against the white of his forehead.
"Its all right, Rinaldo", said the priest, "Its all right."
"To hell with you", Rinaldi. " To hell with the whole damn business." He sat back in his chair. p156, Book III
I had not worked that out yet, i said, and we both laughed. "But," i said, in the old days the Austrians were always whipped in the quadrilateral around Verona. They let them come down on to the plain and whipped them there."
"Yes," said Gino. "But those were Frenchmen and you can work out military problems clearly when you are fighting in somebody else's country."
"yes," I agreed. "when it is your own country you cannot use it so scientifically."
"The Russians did, to trap Napolean."
"Yes, but they had plenty of country. If you tried to retreat to trap Napolean in Italy you would find yourself in Brindisi." p164, Book III
Abstract words such as glory, honor and courage, or hallow were obscene beside the concrete names of villages, the numbers of roads, the names of rivers, the numbers of regiments and the dates. p165, Book III
"Don't talk about the war," I said. The war was a long way away. Maybe there wasn't any war. There was no war here. Then i realized it was over for me. But i did not have the feelign that it was realy over. p219 Book IV
We slept when we were tired and if we woke the other one woke too so one was not alone. Often a man wishes to be alone and a girl wishes to be alone to and if they lvoe each other they are jealous of that in each other, but i can truly say we never felt that. We could feel alone when we were together, alone against the others. It has only happened to me like that once. I have been alone while i was with many girls and that is the way that you can be most lonely. But we were never lonely and never afriad when we were together. i know that the night is not the same as the day: that all things are different, that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day, because they do not then exist, and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started. But with Catherine there was almost no difference in the night except that it was an even better time. If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that wil not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry. p222. one of the best passages in the whole book., Book IV
Count Greffi smiled and turned the glass with his fingers. "i had expected to become more devout as i grow older but somehow i haven't," he said. "It is a great pity."
"Would you like to live after death?" i asked and instantly felt a fool to mention death. (because he was 94 yrs old). But he did not mind the word.
"It would depend on the life. This life is very pleasant. I would like to live forever," he smiled. "I nearly have." p233
"So do I. because its all i have. And to give birthday parties, " he laughed. "You are probably wiser than i am. You do not give birthday parties."
We both drank wine.
"What do you think of the war really?" i asked.
"I think its stupid."
"Who will win it?"
"Italy."
"Why?"
"They are a younger nation."
"Do younger nations win wars?"
"They are apt to for a time."
"Then what happens?"
"They become older nations."
"You said you were not wise."
"Dear boy, that is not wisdom. That is cynicism."
p 233, Book IV
"Hello, you sweet."
"What sort of baby was it?"
"Sh- dont talk," the nurse said.
"A boy, He's long and wide and dark."
"Is he all right?"
"Yes," I said. "He's fine."
I saw the nurse look at me strangely.
"I'm awfully tired," Catherine said. "And I hurt like hell. Are you all right, darling?"
"I'm fine. Don't talk."
"You were lovely to me. Oh darling, I hurt dreadfully. What does he look like?"
"He looks ilke skinned rabbit a puckered-up old man's face."
"You must go out," the nurse said. "Madame Henry must not talk."
"I'll be outside." I kissed Catherine. She was very gray and weak and tired.
"May i speak to you?" I said to the nurse. She came out in the hall with me. I walked a little way down the hall.
"Whats the matter with the baby?" I asked.
"Didn't you know?"
"No."
"He wasn't alive."
"He was dead?"
"They couldnt start him breathing. The cord was caught around his neck or something."
"So he's dead."
"Yes its such a shame. He was such a fine big boy. I thought you knew." p 288, Book V
I sat down on the chair n front of a table where there were nurses' reports hung on clips at the side and looked out of the window. I could see nothing but the dark and the rain falling across the light from the window. So that was it. The baby was dead. That was why the doctor looked so tired. But why had they acted the way they did in the room with him? They supposed he would come around and start breathing probably. I had no religion but i knew he ought to have been baptized. But what if he never breathed at all. He hadn't. He had never been alive. Except in Catherine. I'd felt him kick there often enough. But i hadnt for a week. Maybe he was choked all that time. Poor little kid. I wished the hell I'd been choked like that. No i didn't. Still there would not be all this dying to go through. Now Catherine would die. That was what you did. You died. You did not know what it was about. You never had time to learn. They threw you in and told you the rules and the first time they caught you off base they killed you. Or they killed you gratuitously like Aymo. Or gave you syphilis like Rinaldi. But they killed you in the end. You could count on that. Stay around and they would kill you.
Once in camp i put a log on top of the fire and it was full of ants. As it commenced to burn, the ants swarmed out and went first toward the centre where the fire was, then turned back and ran toward the end. When there were enough on the end they fell off into the fire. Some got out, their bodies burnt and the flattened, and went off not knwoing where they were going. But most of them went toward the fire and then back toward the end and swarmed on the cool end and finally fell into the fire. I remember thinking at the time that it was the end of the world and a splended chance to be a messiah and life the log off the fire and throw it out where the ants cuold get off onto the ground. But i did not do anything but throw a tin cup of water on the log, so that i would have the cup empty to put whiskey in before i added water to it. I think the cup of water on teh burning log only steamed the ants. p 289, Book V
"It is very dangerous." The nurse went into the room and shut the door. I sat outside in the hall. Everything was gone inside of me. I did not think. I could not think. I knew she was giong to die and i prayed that she would not. Don't let her die. Oh, God, please don't let her die. I'll do anything for you if you won't let her die. Please, please please dear God dont let her die. Dear God, don't leter her die, Please please please, dear God, don't let her die. God please make her not die. I'll do anything you say if you don't let her die. You took the baby but dont let her die. That was all right but don't let her die. Please please dear God, don't let her die. p 291
I waited outside in the hall. I waited a long time. the nurse came to the door and came over to me. I'm afraid Mrs Henry is very ill," she said. "I'm afraid for her."
"Is she dead?"
"No, but she is unconscious."
It seems she had one hemmorrhage after another. They couldn't stop it. I went into the room and stayed with Catherine until she died. She was unconscious all the time, and it did not take her very long to die. p 292, book V
No comments:
Post a Comment