“Romantic? Hemingway? He was an abusive, alcoholic misogynist who squandered half of his life hanging around Picasso trying to nail his leftovers.”

—A quote from Gil Junger’s 1999 film, “10 Things I Hate About You.” 

The first interaction that many Millennials and Gen Z have with Ernest Hemingway. An angsty-feminist teen’s opinion on Hemingway has a significant impact on one’s first reading of his work.

Getting the contemporary opinion of Hemingway, it is important to first recognize where Hemingway comes from. John Kuroski writes for the All Things Interesting magazine, “Gone With Youth: Ernest Hemingway’s Journalism.” 

Kuroski explores Hemingway’s life in excerpts of his work. Hemingway’s writing evolves into emotional and developmental stories in which reporting is key. Hemingway’s writing style is very specific and detailed, yet simple and a bit convoluted. 

Kuroski simply displays Hemingway’s writing style as a reporter, but as a storyteller with intense thought and emotions. When thinking about journalism we normally think of being a storyteller. 

Hemingway’s, “At the End of the Ambulance Run,” is an example of simple, yet emotionally thought provoking. But when Kuroski writes, my Gen Z mind sparks frustration towards Hemingway.

Years later, Hemingway would say his favorite piece from his time in Kansas City was “Mix War, Art, and Dancing.” Ostensibly about a singles-night at the Fine Arts Institute where returned soldiers and local young ladies had the chance to meet and dance, Hemingway focuses his readers on a woman who would never be invited to this party:

“Outside a woman walked along the wet street-lamp lit sidewalk through the sleet and snow.”

Though he never names her profession in the piece, he would later say that the article was “very sad, about a whore.” 

—John Kuroski of ATI in “Gone With Youth: Ernest Hemingway’s Journalism.”

The thoughts that I hold towards the specific writing brings Junger’s film to mind—he’s a misogynist—but that’s not the point. His writing brings impact and conflict. He tells stories that create impacts to readers to find out more. 

I decided to follow up on another Hemingway short story, “Soldier’s Home.” Soldiers Home was an interesting take as it really reflects Hemingway’s experience of war and is in the mindset of the character Krebs. 

The maturity that grows within Krebs and his overall lifestyle change is recognized in a reporter’s perspective, something Hemingway does significantly well. 

The description of every detail–the sound, his surroundings, the people Kreb recognizes–it answers all of the “Five W’s” and the “One H.” 

Hemingway’s writing style is quite impactful and quite good. I do believe that it is well written like William Shakespeare. His sentence structures and emphasis on details is quite exquisite. 

But I still believe that Hemingway is, “an abusive, alcoholic misogynist who squandered half of his life hanging around Picasso trying to nail his leftovers.” But there must always be a separation of art and the person. 

JOUR 250: Media Writing with Dave Reardon

Sep. 27, 2023