The Influence and Innovation of Ernest Hemingway

The difficulty of life and the human condition is often a theme that surfaces in the works of Ernest Hemingway and while his subject matter is worthy of discussion, it is perhaps his style that has brought him the most popularity. His sparse style and direct approach make him stand out as one of the most celebrated authors of the Twentieth century and his approach to writing is concise and so compelling that it has influenced literature in all genres. Hemingway's style brings life to many of his characters, while at the same time capturing the mood and sentiments of the times. The usage of repetition and ambiguous words in the work of Ernest Hemingway is a well-known characteristic of his writing style. This research essay will consider some of the subjects in Ernest Hemingway’s short stories and novels and the important influence of his writing style.

Hemingway began his writing career as a reporter on the Kansas City Star newspaper. Hemingway was known for having the logic of a reporter, to observe, not judge. The style notes for reporters opened with these words: “Use simple, declarative sentences. Avoid adjectives” (Star Style Sheet). As one scholar and Hemingway biographer said “After Hemingway, the American sentence became lean, spare, boiled down to its core. The whole sentence is a verb: declarative, unadorned, and Anglo-Saxon” (Gerard, 6). Although Hemingway continued to write novels and stories throughout his career, the early short stories are often considered to be among his best works. ''Hills like White Elephants,'' a widely anthologized and much discussed story, shows the spare prose and understated dialogue that represents Hemingway's unique style. The story is told nearly in its entirety through dialogue but the most notable feature of the short story "Hills like White Elephants" is that it was told...