Does Original Voice Exist? :: Ernest Hemingway Literature Essays

Does Original Voice Exist? From Ernest Hemingway's _The Sun Also Rises_: "Mike was a bad drunk. Brett was a good drunk. Bill was a good drunk. Cohn was never drunk. Mike was unpleasant after he past a certain point. I liked to see him hurt Cohn. I wished he would not do it, though, because afterward it made me feel disgusted at myself. That was morality; things that made you disgusted afterward. No, that must be immorality. That was a large statement." Does this sound like a man mumbling? Or is this a complete thought? Hemingway's voice is simple. His voice also allows interpretation from the reader. Does that mean it is also open and vague? Maybe, but you get to make the decisions. Hemingway allows it. The character sounds simple. He thinks on simple terms. He also calls the series of simple comments a " large statement". If the reader delves into the literature, it is a large statement. If the reader takes it for face value, it's a simple statement. The character speaking makes a revelation to himself. That is why I think it is a "large statement". He finds something out about himself. He is honest with himself. Dialogue and exact spelling of pronunciations can show ya what the writer's all about. It's not clear all the time, but it'll be more personal than a bunch of scientific hogwash. Not that that writing doesn't serve a purpose.... Anyway if your gonna be personal, your readers better be able ta understand your tongue, otherwise the communication stops flowing for'em and they hafta look at your words more than your ideas. Does this flow for ya? "Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn't so lonesome now. I told him I warn't afraid of him telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothing. Then I says: 'It's good daylight. Le's get breakfast. Make up your campfire good.' 'What's de use er makin' up de camp fire to cook strawbries en such truck? But you got a gun, hain't you? Den we kin get sumfin better den strawbries.' (Mark Twain from _Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_) It may or may not flow, but ya get a good feel for the characters. You can make assumptions and fit them inta stereotypes so they're recognizable.