World War 1 significantly impacted and remains as a huge milestone to all parties that were involved; soldiers and civilians alike. Not only did it leave all who were involved with physical injuries but also emotional damage was impacted. In his work, Ernest Hemmingway brings us to the world of an injured American soldier in Italy and some of his encounters with fellow soldiers as well as with the locals. This Piece highlight the futility of war and how it devastatingly affects the soldiers as well as civilians.
1. Mood
From the beginning, any reader can pick up that the author tries to depict a very somber mood from the word go into his narrative. He states that it during the fall and even though at that moment he was not fighting, the war was still there. He uses words like "stiff, heavy and empty…" (249), to emphasize on the sombre mood and also gives the author a vivid image as to how cold it was. He also uses the imagery of animals that were dead hanging outside the shops which also portrays a dark environment. The author does not fail to notice the beauty that is brought out by the electric lights, and this shows he is glad not to be in the battlefront.
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2. Existentialism
One of the most visible instances of existentialism is the major's story. He did not believe the machines would work and the author even recalls him saying that it was all nonsense. But despite his reservations, he visited the hospital regularly and never missed a session. Maybe amidst all his doubts the major quietly hoped that the machines would work and hence pushed himself to continuing visiting the hospital.
The soldier who had not earned any medal is a great example too. Even after getting injured on the first time he was put on the front line this soldier did not give up on himself despite the fact that he had not yet earned any medal and there was a possibility the soldier would not be called back, he continued with his facial treatment and did not give up.
3. Themes
The futility of war is a theme that comes out strongly in the author's story. War had brought nothing but pain and suffering to the parties involved. A significant example is the injuries the soldiers had sustained while at war. One of the boys had had his face destroyed in the battlefront and had to have it reconstructed. The war also crushed the soldiers' aspirations. The author mentions that among the soldiers he would go to the hospital with one wanted to be a lawyer, the other one aspired to be a painter and the other a soldier. With the war taking place all these aspirations had to be put aside. The war also caused conflicts. The narrator states that the local people were not fond of them "the people who disliked us…" (252).
Bravery is also another theme that has been well portrayed in the story. "the three with the medals were like hunting hawks" (252), these are the words the author used to describe the three other men he had visited the hospital with. He acknowledges that though they all had medals, the other soldiers might have done riskier things than he did. The soldiers even concluded he only got the medal not because he had courageously earned it but because he was American. The major also shows a lot of courage. Even with the events of his wife's death he still goes back and puts on a strong face despite this unexpected demise.
4. One true sentence
The author uses a rather simple but well descriptive opening statement, "in the falls the war was always there, but we did not go into it anymore" (249). This is a great example of one of the true statements that Ernest Hemingway used to get a flow while writing without leaving out anything he felt was important. He does the same thing while describing the hospital, “the hospital was very old and very beautiful…” (250).
