Essay Questions

Who, exactly, was Hemingway?

Ernest Hemingway is one of the best known American writers who lived between 1899 and 1961. While he was born in America, he spent a large part of his life on American soil. Hemingway first came to Europe during the First World War but returned to America after he was wounded in battle. After a brief stay in America, he returned to Paris with his first wife, Hadley. The novel focuses on his first marriage and on the experiences they had while staying in Paris. While in Paris, Hemingway worked as a foreign correspondent for an American newspaper while also writing creatively. The time he spent in Paris was important for him because various important literary figures lived in Paris and worked there. Gertrude Stein became Hemingway’s mentor and he also meet with the British author James Joyce. Hemingway stayed in Paris for almost two years and the time he spent there was important because it helped him grow as an author and it made him the famous author many grew to love and respect.

Who was Gertrude Stein, and what was her relationship to Hemingway?

Gertrude Stein was an American writer and art collector who lived in Paris from the beginning of the 20th century up until her death. Hemingway mentions her often as being his mentor and mentions the ways she tried to help him, offering him both artistic advice and financial advice. While Gertrude was an artist, she was more interested in monetary gain than the other artists she associated herself with. Gertrude was openly lesbian and in a relationship with another woman. Hemingway however expressed his opinion about her relationship and made it clear that he was against them.

What are horse races, in the context of the narrative?

Horse racing is a sport involving using two or more horses rode by jockeys and with the purpose of determining which horse is the fastest. It is considered as being one of the oldest sports in the world dating as far as a few centuries before the birth of Christ. While it is considered a sport, many people like to gamble on horse races, trying to determine which horse will be the one two win in a race. There are different types of horse racing and sometimes horses are breed with the sole purpose of racing.