Abstract

Death is a primary theme throughout Ernest Hemingway's writings. Many of his short stories, including Indian Camp (1925), The Undefeated (1927), A Natural History of the Dead (1933) and Nobody Ever Dies (1939) involve death and leave the reader with an ending that lacks hope. The reason is most likely related to the life that Hemingway lived and the influences of other writers of his time. Deaths in his family, including the suicide of his father who had dealt with depression throughout his life, undoubtedly affected Hemingway's work. Hemingway married and divorced several times. Experience as an ambulance driver in the war also exposed Hemingway to death and tragic experiences. Because of the painful events in his life, Hemingway's writing exhibits a shadowing tone and a continuous theme of death - an obsession and struggle that is reflected the words of his stories. Lacan and Freud, key proponents of a form of literary criticism that relies on psychoanalysis, offer ways to analyze literature from a psychological perspective. Looking at Hemingway and his writing from such a perspective highlights his obsession with death. The mind contains much information about a person, and the pen is one of the passages into the mind. This is true of Ernest Hemingway.

Table of Contents

Abstract1

Introduction3

The Influence of Hemingway's Personal History3

Indian Camp (1925)5

A Natural History of the Dead (1933)5

Conclusion6

Works Cited8

Ernest Hemingway and the common theme of life and death

Introduction

Death is a primary theme throughout Ernest Hemingway's writings. In many of his short stories, including Indian Camp (1925), The Undefeated (1927), A Natural History of the Dead (1933) and Nobody Ever Dies (1939), Hemingway's plots involve death and leave the reader with an ending that lacks hope. His own obsession and struggle with death throughout most of his life is reflected in the words of his stories. Lacan and Freud, both leading figures in psychoanalytic literary criticism, provide ways to analyze literature from a psychological perspective. Looking at Hemingway and his writing from such a perspective gives a different view of his obsession with death. The mind contains much about a person, and the pen is one of the passages into the mind—a relation that is especially true of Ernest Hemingway (Baker, 96).

The Influence of Hemingway's Personal History

Throughout Hemingway's writing, death is a consistent theme. To understand Hemingway's obsession with death, it helps not only to consider them from a psychological perspective, but also to take into account facts about his own life. Many of Hemingway's experiences made him the writer he was. He did not have an easy life. Though hard times are likely to be a part of every person's life, Hemingway endured multiple tragedies. He was born in Illinois in 1899. His father dealt with depression and eventually committed suicide. However, his father's love for fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities left Hemingway with a lifetime love for these as well. Hemingway's mother was the head of the church choir and a very talented singer.

In 1917, he decided to join the army, but ...