For Whom The Bell Tolls - purpose essays

For Whom The Bell Tolls - purpose essays For centuries upon centuries, the essence of war has shaped and evolved the world that we live in today. There are very few positive characteristics that come out of engaging in war because of how widely detrimental to the world it can be. In the novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, Hemingway takes a relatively small war in the history of wars (Spanish Civil War), and emphasizes some of the detrimental affects war has on human nature. This novel reiterates how war changes the value of human life, how innocence is lost and how romantic love is affected. Hemingway's detached, journalistic style helps focus on the characters senses, like smell, touch, or hearing, although some of this description is restricted to Robert Jordan's perspective. Yet this style of writing also invites a more tangible way of emphasizing those different aspects of human nature that are affected through war. Thus, the purpose that lies behind this novel is to demonstrate war's effect on human nature, which is achieved through illustrating the psychology of the characters, beneath the surface of their The value of human life, as it exists in For Whom the Bell Tolls, varies by character. A recurring point that appears throughout the novel suggests how one comes to value life can determine their loss of innocence. Equally, Hemingway frequently revisits the morality of each character contains regarding their own life and taking the life of others. The two moral stances taken are illustrated through Pablo and his guerilla followers, and Anselmo. Pablo is a character whom has killed many people, thus takes life as he deems necessary to fulfill his objective in sustaining the fascists. Then, there is the other side presented through Anselmo, whom doesn't take pleasure in killing others, yet will take life if necessary to secure his own. Robert Jordan falls somewhere in between these two ...