Ernest Hemingway :: essays research papers

Ernest Hemingway best exemplifies his hero code in his novels The Sun overly Rises and The Old Man and The Sea through his protagonists Jake Barnes and Santiago. The sinlessness code for severally of these characters means avoiding and struggling against the meaninglessness of life (nada) and instead embracing a passion for life which they demonstrate by means of their actions and feelings.The Hemingway code embodies principles that modulate the actions of Hemingway&8217s main protagonists in his novels. They are &8220rules which if completed would become...the military personnelual of conduct (Waldhorn 26). As Arthur Waldhorn says &8220the Hemingway code does not ask that a hero be bodacious or entertain illusions about refuge or escape. But it insists that he discipline and control his dread and, above all, that he behave with obscure though unmistakable dignity (26). &8220The code that does concern Hemingway and his tyros is the process of learning how to irritate one&8217 s passive vulnerabilities (to the dangers and unpredictabilities of life) into a strong rather than easy position, and how to exact the maximum amount of reward (honor, dignity) out of these encounters (Rovit 92). In advance, a character spots what is expected of him in the game of life, although he does not know what combination of challenges will be imposed on him at both one given time (91). Hemingway&8217s belief in the immunity of the individual to draw off responsible choices was paid for at the painful depreciate of having to constantly wage battle with the unpredictable future. Because a character does not know what will happen to him, he must endure whatever challenges are thrown upon him. This ability to react to a variety of differing challenges is besides acquired through training and experience of each unique challenge (91). not only must Hemingway&8217s hero face the unpredictablilities of life with honor and dignity, but he must also face the challenges alone. &8220Each man faces his struggle alone...for only as solitary individuals can they submit their manhood (Weeks 165). Robert Weeks states that a man must depend upon himself alone in order to assert his manhood, and the assertion of his manhood, in the face of insuperable obstacles, is the complete end and plea of his existence for the Hemingway hero (164). While alone man can make promises to himself but if he fails he must be able to forgive himself for his mistakes and inadequacies (Rovit 97).