Hemingway’s novels and short stories have always been a topic of discussion among scholars for the last century. Widely discussed are the prevalent themes in his works such as sexuality, masculinity and femininity and other gender related topics. While he is praised by some of them, others view his works more critically. One of the most well-known and considered as the first serious Hemingway scholar is Philip Young. Young’s most influential approach towards Hemingway’s works is the classification of the male characters into two different categories, the “Code Heroes” and the “Hemingway Heroes”.
While Young’s theory is mostly well-recognized, subject of this paper shall be to prove with the help of Hemingway’s short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” that it is not always possible to apply it to all of Hemingway’s works.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the thesis
2. The “Code Hero” and the “Hemingway Hero” according to Young
3. Evidence from “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” showing limitations to Young’s argument.
4. Review of the other scholars who disagree with Young
5. Conclusion
6. Works Cited
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to critically evaluate Philip Young’s established binary classification of Ernest Hemingway’s protagonists into “Code Heroes” and “Hemingway Heroes” by analyzing the short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.” The study challenges the rigid applicability of this scholarly pattern, arguing that it fails to account for the depth and variety of Hemingway's characterizations.
- The theoretical binary of “Code Hero” vs. “Hemingway Hero.”
- Critique of scholarly attempts to impose rigid patterns on Hemingway’s literature.
- Narrative analysis of “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” regarding empathy and human condition.
- The role of irony and internal conflict in character development.
- Reassessment of Hemingway’s literary diversity beyond generalized scholarly models.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Evidence from “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” showing limitations to Young’s argument
To understand the limitations to Young’s argument it is necessary to firstly describe the two waiters and the old man from the short story and to put them into relation to the two hero types by going through their dialogues chronologically.
…The dialogue sequence between the two waiters has often been claimed to be illogical, since it starts off with the older waiter telling the younger waiter that the old man had tried to commit suicide a week earlier (Bennett 70). This does not just seem like an abrupt start of a dialogue between the two of them. It is also confusing to the reader who reads the story for the first time which waiter tells the other one about the attempt, since after the quotation marks it just states “one waiter said” (Hemingway 288). Bennett claims that it is possible to determine that the older waiter must have known about the attempt to commit suicide as the whole short story is build up upon a constant polarity (Bennett 71). Despair, deep feelings, and a good insight into the human condition embodied by the older waiter oppose confidence, a lack of empathy and insight towards the human condition embodied by the younger waiter (Bennett 74).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to the thesis: Sets the stage by presenting the prevailing academic discourse surrounding Hemingway’s male protagonists and stating the paper's goal to challenge Philip Young’s influential hero typology.
2. The “Code Hero” and the “Hemingway Hero” according to Young: Defines the core characteristics of the “Hemingway Hero” and the “Code Hero,” explaining the "grace under pressure" principle as the standard for ideal behavior in a chaotic world.
3. Evidence from “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” showing limitations to Young’s argument.: Provides a close reading of the dialogue between the two waiters and the old man to demonstrate that characters do not always fit neatly into Young’s predefined heroic categories.
4. Review of the other scholars who disagree with Young: Examines alternative critical perspectives, such as those of Bennett, Stetler, and Locklin, who argue that applying rigid patterns obscures the complexity of Hemingway's fiction.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that the short story serves as evidence against the universal validity of Young’s scheme and emphasizing the inherent richness of Hemingway’s work.
6. Works Cited: Lists the academic sources and primary texts used for the analysis and argumentation of the thesis.
Keywords
Hemingway, Code Hero, Hemingway Hero, Philip Young, A Clean Well-Lighted Place, Literary Criticism, Masculinity, Character Analysis, Narrative Theory, Empathy, Irony, Human Condition, Literary Patterns, Scholarly Discourse.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the critical reception of Ernest Hemingway’s work, specifically focusing on the classification of his male protagonists by scholar Philip Young.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers themes of masculinity, the binary classification of literary heroes, human empathy, existential despair, and the validity of applying strict patterns to creative literature.
What is the central research question?
The paper asks whether Philip Young’s theory of “Code Heroes” and “Hemingway Heroes” is universally applicable to all of Hemingway’s works, using “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” as a case study to prove the theory's limitations.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis, specifically focusing on close reading, chronological examination of character dialogue, and a review of existing scholarly debate.
What is the content of the main section?
The main section analyzes the dialogue between the two waiters in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” to expose the lack of empathy in the “younger waiter” and the deeper human complexity of the “older waiter,” contrasting these findings with Young’s rigid definitions.
Which keywords define this academic work?
Key terms include Code Hero, Hemingway Hero, Philip Young, literary criticism, masculinity, and thematic diversity.
How does the author interpret the younger waiter's behavior?
The author portrays the younger waiter as lacking empathy and being disrespectful, which contradicts the behavior expected of an ideal “Code Hero.”
What is the significance of the "nada" prayer mentioned in the text?
The “nada” prayer highlights the older waiter's existential emptiness, suggesting that religion fails to provide the solace or "code" required to face life's hardships, thus complicating the hero typology.
Why does the author argue against the chronological arrangement of the Nick Adams stories?
The author cites Stetler and Locklin to argue that arranging stories chronologically forces an artificial narrative pattern on Hemingway’s work that the author never intended.
What is the final conclusion regarding Young’s theory?
The conclusion states that Young’s theory is too restrictive and that forcing such patterns upon Hemingway's diverse body of work causes scholars to miss the nuance and richness of his writing.
- Citation du texte
- Fides Crosberger (Auteur), 2020, The "Code Hero" and the "Hemingway Hero" in Ernest Hemingway’s works, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/989775
