Exploring the Themes and Symbols of In Another Country by Ernest Hemingway

Literary Analysis of In Another Country by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway was one of the most celebrated writers of his time and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. His works include short stories and novels as well as journalism and non-fiction studies. "In Another Country" is a short story by Ernest Hemingway first published in Scribners Magazine in 1927. The story is set in the Italian city of Milan sometime during World War I. The narrator is an American officer who has been wounded at the front lines. As the story opens, he is undergoing rehabilitation at a large Milan hospital. The story explores the themes of war, alienation, and loss through the perspective of a wounded American soldier in Milan.

Literary Analysis Of In Another Country By Ernest Hemingway

War

The story depicts the harsh realities and consequences of war for the narrator and his fellow soldiers. The narrator's injury has left him with a leg that does not bend anymore, and a machine that is supposed to bend it for him. He describes the machine as "a tricycle" that "lurched" when it reached his knee (Hemingway 268). He is skeptical about its effectiveness, as well as the doctor's optimistic promises that he will be able to play football again after the war. He knows that some of his companions have worse injuries, such as a major who has lost his hand and was once a champion fencer. The contrast between their past lives and their present condition is stark and painful.

The story also contrasts the pleasant city of Milan with the nearby war zone. The narrator enjoys walking across town to the hospital, where he sees game hanging outside shops, roasted chestnuts sold on bridges, and electric lights shining in the dark. He says that "the war seemed as far away as college football does to a man in jail" (Hemingway 267). However, he also knows that he cannot escape from it completely. He hears guns firing in the distance, he sees funerals starting from courtyards, he wears medals that remind him of his bravery and sacrifice. He also has to face different reactions from other soldiers who have different views on the war. Some are optimistic, some are pessimistic, some are cynical. He says that "we all had different medals but we were all a little detached" (Hemingway 269).

Alienation

The story also shows how the narrator feels alienated from his surroundings and his companions. He is an American in a foreign country, and he does not speak or understand the language well. He says that "Italian seemed such an easy language to me that I could not take a great interest in it" (Hemingway 268). He also does not share the culture or the history of the Italians. He says that "I was a friend, but I was never really one of them" (Hemingway 269). He feels like an outsider, a stranger, a visitor.

The narrator also feels isolated from his family and his country. He does not mention any relatives or friends back home, and he does not seem to have any plans or goals for his future. He says that "I did not care about anything" (Hemingway 270). He is detached from his own identity and his own life. He is only focused on his present situation, which is uncertain and bleak.

The narrator also feels distant from the other soldiers who have different backgrounds and experiences. He says that "we were all a little detached, and there was nothing that held us together except that we met every afternoon at the hospital" (Hemingway 269). He does not have a close bond or a deep friendship with any of them. He only spends time with them out of habit or convenience. He does not relate to their stories or their emotions. He says that "they all had families and homes, and they were all young men" (Hemingway 270). He implies that he does not have any of these things, or that he does not value them as much as they do.

The narrator also feels unable to relate to the girls at the Café Cova, where he and his companions go for entertainment. The girls are patriotic and cheerful, and they admire the soldiers for their medals and their courage. They try to make conversation with the narrator, but he does not respond much. He says that "they always made me feel very foreign" (Hemingway 270). He does not share their enthusiasm or their optimism. He does not enjoy their company or their attention. He is indifferent and aloof.

Loss

The story ultimately reveals how the narrator suffers from a sense of loss that affects his outlook on life. He has lost his physical abilities and his future plans because of his injury. He has lost his friend, the major, who dies of pneumonia after losing his wife. He has lost his faith in the machines and the doctor's promises that are supposed to heal him. He has lost his hope and enthusiasm for the war and its aftermath.

The narrator's loss of his physical abilities and his future plans is evident in his description of his injury and his treatment. He says that "my knee did not bend" and that "there was no calf below it" (Hemingway 267). He also says that "I had been wounded in the knee before but this was different" (Hemingway 268). He implies that this time, his injury is more serious and more permanent. He also says that "I did not care about anything" (Hemingway 270). He implies that he has no interest or ambition for anything beyond his current situation. He has given up on his dreams and goals.

The narrator's loss of his friend, the major, is also significant in his story. The major is the only one who seems to understand the narrator's cynicism and skepticism about the war and the machines. They share a bond of mutual respect and sympathy, even though they do not talk much. The major is also the only one who tries to teach the narrator something useful: how to speak Italian correctly. The major dies suddenly after contracting pneumonia following the death of his young wife. The narrator says that "he had been married only a little while" (Hemingway 271). The major's death leaves the narrator without a mentor, a confidant, or a friend.

The narrator's loss of his faith in the machines and the doctor's promises is also clear in his story. He says that "the machines were new then" and that "they were going to make us all better" (Hemingway 267). However, he also says that "the doctor came up to my machine...and said 'You will be all right'...and I said 'Yes' but I did not believe him" (Hemingway 268). He also says that "the doctor went away...and I went on with the machine...but it did not bend my knee down like it should have done" (Hemingway 269). The narrator realizes that the machines are ineffective and unreliable, and that the doctor is lying or deluded. He loses his trust in their ability to cure him or help him.

The narrator's loss of his hope and enthusiasm for the war and its aftermath is also evident in his story. He says that "the war seemed as far away as college football does to a man in jail" (Hemingway 267). He also says that "we all had different medals but we were all a little detached" (Hemingway 269). He also says that "I did not care about anything" (Hemingway 270). The narrator shows that he has no interest or passion for the war or its cause. He does not feel proud or grateful for his medals or his service. He does not care about the outcome or the consequences of the war. He is apathetic and disillusioned.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "In Another Country" by Ernest Hemingway is a story that explores the themes of war, alienation, and loss through the perspective of a wounded American soldier in Milan. The story portrays the harsh realities and consequences of war for the narrator and his fellow soldiers, who suffer from physical and psychological injuries. The story also shows how the narrator feels alienated from his surroundings and his companions, who have different backgrounds and experiences. The story ultimately reveals how the narrator suffers from a sense of loss that affects his outlook on life, as he loses his physical abilities, his friend, his faith, and his hope. The story is a powerful and poignant reflection on the impact of war on human lives and relationships.

FAQs

• What is the main conflict in the story?

The main conflict in the story is the narrator's struggle to cope with his injury and his situation as a wounded soldier in a foreign country.

• What is the tone of the story?

The tone of the story is cynical and pessimistic, as the narrator expresses his doubts and dissatisfaction with the war, the machines, and his companions.

• What is the symbolism of the machines in the story?

The machines symbolize the futility and absurdity of war, as they are supposed to heal the soldiers but they do not work properly or effectively. They also symbolize the dehumanization and mechanization of war, as they reduce the soldiers to mere parts that need to be fixed.

• What is the significance of the title of the story?

The title of the story suggests that the narrator feels like an outsider or a stranger in a country that is not his own. It also suggests that he feels like he belongs to another country, either his homeland or a better place.

• What is the message or moral of the story?

The message or moral of the story is that war is a destructive and tragic force that harms not only bodies but also minds and souls. It also shows that human connection and compassion are essential for healing and survival.

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