Who Was Ernest Hemingway? by Jim Gigliotti

 Who Was Ernest Hemingway? – one of the most famous American writers.

Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was born in Oak Park, outside Chicago. From childhood, he was a curious child, exploring nature and being afraid of nothing. He also liked reading, especially adventure stories. This influenced his imagination.

His summers were spent hunting, fishing or reading.

In High School, he wrote short stories for school’s magazine.

His father, who was a doctor, and wanted Ernest to go to college, but sitting in a classroom for another four years wasn’t for Ernest.

His uncle helped him get a job as a reporter in the fall of 1917. He began reporting on news from the courthouse, but this wasn’t exiting to him. So he convinced his boss to assign him to crime reporting.

He liked working for newspaper, where he also learned a specific style of writing with short sentences, energetic words, positive focus, not using unnecessary words and adjectives.

During WWI, in 1918, he joined the Red Cross and drove ambulance in Italy. While delivering supplies to Italian soldiers, a bomb exploded and injured his leg. He was sent back to the US in January 1919.

Life in Oak Park didn’t offer adventure he was craving. In early 1920, he left for Toronto, Canada, where he wrote articles for the Toronto newspaper. Same year, in October, he was back in the US. He moved to Chicago and wrote articles about farming for a magazine.

Also, the same year, he met Hadley Richardson and they married nine months later.

His friend, who was a popular book author, recommended for Ernest to move to Paris if he wanted to become a serious writer. And that’s what Ernest did with his wife. In Paris, he became good friends with F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Meanwhile, he continued writing many articles for the Canadian newspaper. However, he wanted to work more on short stories. And he did, but he was also spending less and less time with his wife and son. They divorced in 1927.

Meanwhile, he met Pauline Pfeiffer and got married the same year. The same year, he also published a few short stories and one novel – The Sun Also Rises.

Following year 1928, they moved to Key West, Florida, where he became a fisherman. He also practiced boxing. He had a strict schedule. He wrote from morning hours until noon.

He had two sons with Pauline. Ernest had a complicated relationship with his father and the same was with his sons.  Ernest spent most of his time traveling and writing. He wasn’t around his sons often.

His second novel, A Farewell to Arms sold very well. After finishing a book, he’d take time to unwind and travel with Pauline or alone.

One of his trips was to Africa. As usual, his experiences provided plenty of inspiration for his writing.

In 1937, he agreed to report on the Spanish Civil War for the newspaper. During this time, he met Martha Gellhorn, a newspaper reporter.

In 1940, he divorced Pauline and married Martha. They lived near Havana, Cuba, where he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls.

During WWII, things shifted again. Martha was a better war reporter than Ernest, and he was jealous of it. They got divorced in 1945.

He married Mary Welsh in 1946, who was also a reporter.

Between 1940 and 1950, Ernest didn’t write much.

When Across the River and Into the Trees were published in 1950, it didn’t receive good reviews.

His redemption was The Old Man and the Sea published in 1952 which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1953.

Following year, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. After this short novel, he didn’t write much.

After many injuries, his process of writing became slow. He also spiraled into drinking. He committed suicide in 1961.

This biography illustrates a complex character; a man who had a complicated relationship with his father, wives and children. However, he was good at following his natural instincts when it came to his passion for writing, which he connected with his adventures spirit. He was good at making himself a conduit of flowing energy for his passion. When he got bored, he didn’t get stuck. Instead, he looked for something new to reinvent himself and to improve his craft.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2022

 

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." – Ernest Hemingway

 

 

 

 

Traits:

·         From childhood, he was a curious child, exploring nature and being afraid of nothing.

·         He liked reading, especially adventure stories. This influenced his imagination.

·         His summers were spent hunting, fishing or reading.

·         He started writing short stories in school.

·         His father wanted him to go to college, but he didn’t want to sit still. He wanted to do his own exploration.

·         His high energy and adventures spirit were good indicators for him what steps to take in life and he was acting on it consistently: moving to different places in search of the right place and position for him, searching for subjects that made him passionate about in writing.

·         When he moved to Florida, he became a fisherman and also practiced boxing – always exploring new ventures.

·         He was disciplined. He had a strict schedule. He wrote from morning hours until noon. – (That could be also an indication why he didn’t like to sit at school and listen to teachers. He knew how to explore the world on his own and to further turn it into serving higher purpose, not just himself).

·         Ernest had a complicated relationship with his father and the same was with his sons. – (He repeated the pattern, not breaking the cycle).

·         He liked exploring new places, and those experiences provided plenty of inspiration for his writing.

·         His third wife was a better war correspondent than he was, and he was jealous of it. – (He took it too personally. He understood the concept that no one was better than another human being yet he struggled to process it within his own life. - Unfortunately, this societal trait of competition is accepted as good, but the only thing it teaches is that we’re better than others - that is not a trait to be followed, even if it’s accepted by majority).   

·         After his biggest success, he spiraled down with drinking. - (When we receive what we wish for but if we’re not ready for it, then something follows that disperses it. If your vessel is not ready to receive something, then it can’t hold it. Imagine an overloaded ship with cargo, it sinks).

 

 

 

 

 

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another." – Ernest Hemingway

 

“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” – Ernest Hemingway

 

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway

 

“The shortest answer is doing the thing.” – Ernest Hemingway

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION: 

 Reflecting on above words of Hemingway, brings to mind Conversations with the Z’s: The Energetics of the New Human Soul by Lee Harris. We’ve been programed to think certain way which limits our abilities. It was said before yet ignored how powerful our mind is and how little we use it to our advantage. There is more and more people experiencing raised consciousness or what some call remembering. We’re starting to wake up to what we’re capable of and who we are. We’re not better than any other human being. War is a means of dividing and controlling people. We all have powers to end wars. Learn how to listen, observe, and seek your own truth. Don’t rely on standards or opinions. Question everything and everyone. There is so much more to life than a mediocre life.

 

“Lee Harris has been receiving communication from his guides, the Z’s, since 1999. He has made this wisdom available in a variety of ways, helping hundreds of thousands around the world, and now he offers these powerful messages in a one-of-a-kind and distinctly modern format. His channeling is presented in conversation with psychotherapist Dianna Edwards, who describes her work as “listening to hear.” Her questioning allows for a crystal-clear exploration of Lee’s method and a beautifully accessible way of encountering and absorbing the wisdom transmitted from the Z’s. You’ll learn to connect to your guides, interpret and learn from dreams, employ the magnetics of manifestation, and navigate the current environmental and cultural disarray. The material channeled from the Z’s is practical and meaningful — even transformational — for seekers with open hearts and minds.”