Preview

A Farewell to Sexism and The Female Also Rises: A Critique of Ernest Hemingway's Works

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1107 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A Farewell to Sexism and The Female Also Rises: A Critique of Ernest Hemingway's Works
Ashley Buffton
Mr. Borthwick
AP Literature
18/2/14
A Farewell to Sexism and The Female Also Rises Ernest Hemingway has a reputation of being a complete misogynist. People have analyzed his books, specifically A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises, and attacked him for being sexist towards the main female roles, Catherine Barkley and Lady Brett Ashley. Other analysts argue that Catherine and Brett are strong female lead roles. Through these two characters, Hemingway disproves the misogynist and sexist analysts and presents readers with independent female roles. A characteristic of sexism towards women include showing their dependence, including the inability to think by themselves. In A Farewell to Arms, Frederic asks Catherine to kiss her and she replies no. If Catherine was so dependent and couldn’t think on her own, she wouldn’t have refused Frederic’s affection. Catherine also asks Frederic if he loves her and she calls him out for lying and goes on to say “You don’t have to pretend to love me” (Hemingway, 31). This shows that she thinks and is not blinded by her emotions and is able to realize that he is lying to her. In The Sun Also Rises, Lady Brett Ashley does whatever she wants. She is incredibly promiscuous and parties all the time with the guys. Most women during the World War I time sat home in the kitchen and took care of the kiddos rather than having a drink with the guys. Instead, after she hooked up with Romero and Cohn got jealous and beat him up, she scolded Cohn. Not many women would yell at a guy during the World War I period. This just further shows her independence and her ability to think by herself. Critics argue that Catherine is “merely a male fantasy” (Shmoop Editorial Team). They have good evidence in saying that and they argue that Catherine “gives up her own identity to get Frederic to love her.” They use her quote about religion, “You’re my religion. You’re all I’ve got” (Hemingway), and her quote about herself, “There


Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 1957. Print. 16 Feb. 2014. Shmoop Editorial Team. "Catherine Barkley in A Farewell to Arms." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Mayella Ewell's Power In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mayella Ewell's Power In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Gender is one reason why Mayella Ewell has power in the book. Back then and also still to this day, you are supposed to treat women with respect and help them…

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Gender Differences In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants
    • 1430 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Gender Differences In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants

    Although we are all humans, we have two very different genders a man and a woman. Each gender comes with a different body and ways our bodies react to things, as well the ability of those bodies. Even within the same gender there are differences in body types and what they are able to do. For example some women are incapable of having children, while other women have an easy time having children. Such as some men are naturally skinny while other men are naturally more big boned and heavier, also having trouble losing weight. There are women with these problems as well. The different body parts that a man and woman have is perhaps the biggest difference between the two genders and is often at the center of argument or debate between the genders. While those are major differences between the genders, the biggest differences is how our minds work and react to different situations in our lives. All those differences between genders also get added on by the diverse cultures and races in…

    • 1430 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Wuthering Heights Women Analysis
    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Wuthering Heights Women Analysis

    Many of the women within the story are at the mercy of the men in their lives. One of many examples would have to be the way Catherine is perceived by others when she is young. She is considered to be a “wild” girl, simply because she is allotted a bit more freedom than other women. She does not immediately conform to the social rules set to her gender, and therefore is seen as being wild and unruly. However, even after she changes into a more socially acceptable woman after spending time with the Linton family at Thrushcross Grange, she still must endure many hardships. She is not the only woman in the novel to do so, as Isabelle and Cathy must also have to face the many struggles that accompany their roles as women during their…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Gender Roles In The Sun Also Rises
    • 930 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Gender Roles In The Sun Also Rises

    Hemingway interestingly uses the character of Brett to reevaluate the gender roles of men and women in the early twentieth century that manly, alcoholic, and emotionally unstable women can still be loved, but by doing this Hemingway reinforces the gender stereotype that…

    • 930 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ernest Hemingway Influence On Society
    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ernest Hemingway Influence On Society

    Does the bell toll for the old man? Perhaps it is for the the white elephants. No, the bell tolls for us all. That bell is Ernest Hemingway, and more importantly Ernest Hemingway's literary examination of human behavior. Hemingway's career was both illustrious and contradictory. His style was blunt, however he was able to display the underlying emotions as a result of a lost understanding of human purpose. His works examine the shadows cast by war, and the effect of a broken generation on society (Schoenberg, 2). Beyond war, Hemingway brings to light underlying emotions and behavior by taking on an omniscient point of view (A Farewell to Arms, 4). It was this reflective style and influence which allowed Hemingway's influence to be so powerful…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Gender Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Gender Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird

    One particular book that contains the topic of sexism embedded inside is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In the novel, Scout who is a tomboy, is constantly reminded to be a lady (Lee 50), as if being a lady means to be proper. Scout is expected to act like a lady, which means that she cannot go around playing outside with the other kids in the neighborhood. Later on in the book, without even realizing it, Atticus, who is a lawyer and Scout’s father, makes a remark about the ladies of Maycomb. Atticus says to Scout, “‘I guess it’s to protect our frail ladies from sordid cases like Tom’s’”(Lee 296). He implies that women are not strong enough to serve on the jury and that they need to be protected from the harsh truths found in court. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is another novel that uses gender inequality to get a point across to readers. Curley’s wife, who has been called a tart numerous times, is the only woman on the ranch. She has no one to talk to besides Curley, who is an aggressive man that doesn’t understand her. Whenever she tries to approach other men on the ranch, she is called out and is disrespected because a “‘ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl’” (Steinbeck 57). When she marries Curley, all of her previous identity is gone; she is only referred to as Curley’s wife. In literature, sexism is a popular yet effective material because authors are able to embed it into their own writing…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Daisy Buchanan and Lady Brett Ashley
    • 1901 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Daisy Buchanan and Lady Brett Ashley

    The Sun Also Rises and the Great Gatsby are both very interesting books written in the 1920's. The characters of Lady Brett Ashley and Daisy Buchanan also influenced many women in that time period on how they acted, dressed, and the choices they made in their everyday life’s. Lady Brett Ashley is a very tart character. She goes after men and has sex with them and then they provide everything for her. She is probably the most unsympathic character in the whole story. She uses men then discards them once they are of no use to her. As Cohn, "says she is Circe, who turns men into swine". By turning them into lower creatures, she uses them and then kills them at the right moment. On the other hand Daisy Buchanan is also a very careless person. She thinks more about herself more than she does of anyone else. She does not use men as much as Lady Brett Ashley does but she does marry for money over love, and when she realizes that Jay has money she starts questioning her marriage with Tom. She is also a very shady character that changes throughout the story. At first Jay sees her as the green light that he is reaching out towards across the water and when he finally sees her he realizes she is still unattainable like that green light.…

    • 1901 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Yellow Wallpaper Identity
    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Yellow Wallpaper Identity

    Unlike her male counterpart…the female artist must…struggle against the effect of a socialization which makes conflict with the will of her (male) precursors seem inexpressibly absurd, futile, or even – as in the case of the Queen in "Little Snow White" – self-annihilating…Her battle, however, is not against her (male) precursor's reading of the world but against his reading of her (Gilbert 49).…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Sexism In Literature
    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Theme Of Sexism In Literature

    What is America? This question is posed all throughout history and even in books. In the average history book America is depicted as this place where everything is “happy go lucky”. But there are many underlying factors such as racism and sexism. Racism is defined as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. Sexism is defined as prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex. The three books that will be talked about throughout this paper will be The Awakening, Black Boy and The House on Mango Street.…

    • 1019 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Catherine The Great Analysis
    • 2232 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Catherine The Great Analysis

    The document is very sympathetic towards Catherine, and does not provide multiple sides of an event, instead going in-depth on Catherine's actions and motives. The source will be warily quoted, as between the interpretation of primary sources and translations that occurred before actually writing the book, it is unlikely a quote or excerpt is word for word.…

    • 2232 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Gender Roles and Conflicts Expressed in Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse".
    • 2055 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Gender Roles and Conflicts Expressed in Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse".

    One of the central motifs in To the Lighthouse is the conflict between the feminine and masculine principles at work in the universe. "Within this symbolic framework Woolf probes the profound tensions at the core of all relationships between men and women" (McNichol 1). Two of the main characters that show the opposing sides are Mr. Ramsey, a self centered philosopher who feels that the duty of women is to cater to the needs of men, and Mrs. Ramsey, an emotional, old fashioned woman. Their flaws consist of their limited views and beliefs. The key factor in Woolf's novel is a character by the name of Lily Briscoe. She is a painter and friend of the family, who vacations at their home each summer. With her perspective on life, she thins out the line between male and female. Not only does this character show the ideal role of male/female in society, but when picked apart ever so carefully, she shows a version of Woolf herself.…

    • 2055 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Masculinity In Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms
    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Masculinity In Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms

    Jake, on the other hand, is also a rather thoughtful character, but mostly to his friends. Jake knows that if Cohn accompanies the group to Spain, it would be hard for Robert to keep sane, as Brett would probably (and would) go off with Mike and any other man but he. So, Jake gives Cohn several chances to opt out of the trip, and even though Cohn declines him, Jake did his best to help his friend, “QUOTE ABOUT OFFERING TO OPT OUT.” Later, when the group is in Spain and are sitting down at their first bullfighting event, Jake realizes that Brett had never witnessed the gory injuries a matador may endure. In accordance(?), Jake warns Brett of the grisly sight she was close to spectating, which at the very least readied her as she chose to watch.…

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ernest Hemingway Writing Style Essay
    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ernest Hemingway Writing Style Essay

    Ernest Hemingway is known for much of his great short stories he wrote during the twentieth century. After graduating high school, Hemingway instead of going to college decided to take a job as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star newspaper. The Star's style guidelines influenced his writing style for the rest of his career: Use short sentences, short first paragraphs, and vigorous English. Soon World War I came along and Hemingway left the newspaper to join the U.S. Army so that he could fight in the War. However, The Army rejected him because of his poor eyesight, so he volunteered as a driver with the Red Cross Ambulance Corps. As a ambulance driver he was severely wounded and his driving career ended. While recuperating in a Milan hospital, Hemingway fell in love with an American nurse six years his senior named Agnes von Kurowsky. They made plans for her to join him in the United States. Hemingway returned to the United States only to find out that Agnes had fallen in love with an Italian Officer permanently making him doubt his loved ones. Hemingway wrote the A Farewell to Arms inspired by this event later on in his career. After the war, Hemingway moved to Toronto, Ontario to take a job as a reporter for the Toronto Star newspaper. Then in 1921, Hemingway moved to Paris where “the Most interesting people in the world” lived. This is what many called it Hemingway's turning point of his career. During his first 20…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Lesser Sex: Boys and Girls (Alice Munro)
    • 888 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Lesser Sex: Boys and Girls (Alice Munro)

    The role of females and males is a touchy subject for many. Added to this sensitivity and further complicating the topic of females and males are the values, beliefs, views and stereotypes associated with the two sexes. As some stereotypes go, women are often attributed to have ‘softer’, ‘caregiving-like’ qualities, and men are expected to be rough and always ready for the next adventure. Munro paints a picture of women as the lesser sex using overtones of absence of feminine voice, a strong focus on professional or occupational roles and value-laden statements of important characters.…

    • 888 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To the Lighthouse
    • 11006 Words
    • 45 Pages

    To the Lighthouse

    In Virginia Wolf’s To the Lighthouse, the reality of differences and inequities among the sexes is manifest throughout the book. Mrs. Ramsay’s thoughts about men and their status in society, shows the culture of society during that period of time. She is a compassionate woman and has an especially soft spot for young men. “She had the whole of the other sex under her protection…for their chivalry and valor…they negotiate treaties, ruled India, control finance…she might have managed things better…her husband’s money.” (6) This is a pivotal moment in time because her children do not seem to think the same about the role of the sexes as do Mrs. Ramsay. “…her daughters could sport with infidel ideas of a life different from hers; a wilder life; not always taking care of some man or other. They questioned the role of the sexes which “called out the manliness in their girlish hearts.” (7). The author shows men as the leaders in society but weak in character because, even though Mrs. Ramsay was submissive to the norms, she sees young men as “poor church mice” (6)…she makes gifts of old magazines and tobacco to be given to the “poor fellows” in charge of the lighthouse…and even though she sees Charles Tansley overly disappointing James, she pitied him and chastised her children for mocking him (5). But Mrs. Ramsay also has her flaws. “For her own self-satisfaction was it that she wished so instinctively to help, to give, that people might say of her, “O Mrs. Ramsay! dear Mrs. Ramsay . . . Mrs. Ramsay, of course!” and need her and send for her and admire her? Was it not secretly this that she wanted, and therefore when Mr. Carmichael shrank away from her she did not feel merely snubbed back in her instinct, but made aware of the pettiness of some part of her, and of human relations, how flawed they are, how despicable, how self-seeking, at their best. At times the author Virginia Woolfe, seems to suggest a…

    • 11006 Words
    • 45 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics