A midnight literature rant
I am currently reading "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway. I had only read Hemingway once before, in eighth grade. I was not impressed with "The Old Man and the Sea," though I might like it now. I picked up "For Whom the Bell Tolls" to give the ole boy another chance. Also, the subject matter is one that is of great interest to me. I have always been fascinated with the Spanish civil war. In particular I find it amazing that it attracted people from other countries to go and volunteer to fight that battle. Lord Byron died in Greece, fighting for its independence. Many romantics did this sort of thing. The Spanish civil war was the last war of that kind. In part you could say I started this book to get an impression of why they went. I am moved that a group of people that had nothing to do with Spain came and gave their lives for because they thought the cause was important enough. They found values compelling enough to die for.
I am only 40 pages into the story, and I find that it moves me tremendously. I once heard a Spaniard say that they could not finish it, because it was too close to home. The scars of the civil war are still red and sore for the people of Spain. That intrigued me, and now I see why that person could not finish the book. It is close to home, and I find myself cringing at times. I am in the strange and privileged position where the war did not affect my family personally, but I can still understand its emotional effects like few people that were not involved. My friends' grandparents fought on both sides, some were killed, some were captured, and some betrayed friends and families. I have heard the stories, and seen the bitterness. This book is still fresh, and I love that.
Hemingway is an interesting writer. Most of the dialogue takes place in Spanish (at least in the story) but of course he wrote in English. It feels like he wrote it in Spanish first, and then put it into English. It has an authentic Spanish feel. Not only that, but it seems like he did not just translate the dialogue, but that it was transliterated. Example:
It seems so strange and disjointed until it is transliterated into Spanish, where it makes perfect sense:
He also says things like "He is terminated" instead of "He is finished." Transliterating the word terminado, for finished. Another example "she is his woman" a more Spanish transliterated expression meaning: "she is his wife" The odd thing is that this is not something he does occasionally to add to the style and atmosphere of the book. He uses this method for every conversation. Sometimes he transliterates Spanish expressions that I am sure non-Spanish speakers (and in some cases even Spanish speakers that have not spent time in Spain) would understand. Of course, I find his style both exasperating and intoxicatingly original.
I am only 40 pages into the story, and I find that it moves me tremendously. I once heard a Spaniard say that they could not finish it, because it was too close to home. The scars of the civil war are still red and sore for the people of Spain. That intrigued me, and now I see why that person could not finish the book. It is close to home, and I find myself cringing at times. I am in the strange and privileged position where the war did not affect my family personally, but I can still understand its emotional effects like few people that were not involved. My friends' grandparents fought on both sides, some were killed, some were captured, and some betrayed friends and families. I have heard the stories, and seen the bitterness. This book is still fresh, and I love that.
Hemingway is an interesting writer. Most of the dialogue takes place in Spanish (at least in the story) but of course he wrote in English. It feels like he wrote it in Spanish first, and then put it into English. It has an authentic Spanish feel. Not only that, but it seems like he did not just translate the dialogue, but that it was transliterated. Example:
"I will see thee at the time of eating"
"Not even in a joke"
It seems so strange and disjointed until it is transliterated into Spanish, where it makes perfect sense:
"Os vere a la hora de comer"
"Ni en broma"
He also says things like "He is terminated" instead of "He is finished." Transliterating the word terminado, for finished. Another example "she is his woman" a more Spanish transliterated expression meaning: "she is his wife" The odd thing is that this is not something he does occasionally to add to the style and atmosphere of the book. He uses this method for every conversation. Sometimes he transliterates Spanish expressions that I am sure non-Spanish speakers (and in some cases even Spanish speakers that have not spent time in Spain) would understand. Of course, I find his style both exasperating and intoxicatingly original.
Comments