Quick Note: Yes, the ending ultimately tries to negate Henry's decisions, and tends toward existentialist despair. But I also think Hemingway just didn't want to offer his readers a nice, tidy, happy, convenient ending. He wanted to make it clear that you never escape tragedy. Death comes for everyone, often when you least expect it. The characters choose to abandon the futility of their civilization's "ideals" and face mortality on their own terms. That's what we're going to have to do. We're not guaranteed a happy ending, either. But we're a lot better off if we do what they did, and try for something else.
I thought this was going to be another repetitive bit of nonsense from Pop-psychology circles.
Instead,
Several very profound conclusions were drawn from all of it.
Yes,
I am NO LESS PATRIOTIC, etc.
I volunteered to serve as a Flight Surgeon in 1979.
Endured the disdain of my fellow young doctors.
I'd do it all over again.
I was not successful in stemming the tide of my own profession in protecting our patients' ability to be seen by us when they were ill. The insurance companies pic.edk us off one by one, each succumbing to their promise of "one more dollar" for a little bit of corporate control of health care. We refused to organize.
None of us were ever going to starve.
I expatriated tonav3rd world country where it was possible to provide care for NO MONEY at all. (Imsaid i had ENOUGH, something few Americans ever experience.)
Had I not said my times in mynStatesude pactice, "id ratherbdomthisvfor nothing than to go through this!"
You've written an essay that pinpoints my feelings of where I am, and I suspect a WHOLE lot of us are right now. The strange part is that, with all the crap in the world, I've felt strangely peaceful these last couple of weeks. You're pointing out something I've been sensing but couldn't put into words.
I've tried all my life to make a difference in my community/world and it seems to have all been, as they say, "shot to shit". Most of us still want to try, but some of us don't have many years left, so now it's...all about ourselves and the ones we love/care about. Focus on helping ourselves (and NOT hurting others) and avoiding dealing with a world where "the devil take the hindmost" is the order of the day.
Thanks for this essay Jessica. You write beautifully, pertinently and succinctly. I'm 20 years further along than yourself, and yes, many of the books I read in my youth have different meanings for me now. It is always worthwhile revisiting things to appreciate how one's attitudes, understanding and feelings change.
The principles underlying A Farewell To Arms apply here in the UK as well as in the US, as we're currently saddled with an extreme-leaning Prime Minister whom everyone (and I belive it really is everyone now), is trying to eject from office. The internecine and petty political squabbling here are quite demoralising. So, your essay is a very timely reminder of our obligations to try to do the right thing for ourselves rather than to chose sides amongst the venal politicians.
This is exactly where I am at and where I have been struggling to be because “giving up” comes with so much baggage. “Letting go” feels so much truer. The last month spent gardening and working on putting more edible landscaping and prepping for the climate catastrophe that’s coming—regardless of who is in power—has been so much more life sustaining than endless activism that changes nothing meaningful.
Sharing some eggs and produce with friends, helping in small personal ways within my community, taking small steps to break free of the machine where I can…this is what can be sustained without just wanting to pull the covers over my head and never get out of bed again.
Thank you for the history lesson, Jessica. There is a man on Substack who is a real patriot, who loves this country, and tells pertinent anecdotes about our history. In one of his live shows, he said, "I don't know if I want to be in this country, with these people [MAGA]." That surprised me. Earlier, he had said he would go down fighting.
Quick Note: Yes, the ending ultimately tries to negate Henry's decisions, and tends toward existentialist despair. But I also think Hemingway just didn't want to offer his readers a nice, tidy, happy, convenient ending. He wanted to make it clear that you never escape tragedy. Death comes for everyone, often when you least expect it. The characters choose to abandon the futility of their civilization's "ideals" and face mortality on their own terms. That's what we're going to have to do. We're not guaranteed a happy ending, either. But we're a lot better off if we do what they did, and try for something else.
I really liked this essay. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I thought this was going to be another repetitive bit of nonsense from Pop-psychology circles.
Instead,
Several very profound conclusions were drawn from all of it.
Yes,
I am NO LESS PATRIOTIC, etc.
I volunteered to serve as a Flight Surgeon in 1979.
Endured the disdain of my fellow young doctors.
I'd do it all over again.
I was not successful in stemming the tide of my own profession in protecting our patients' ability to be seen by us when they were ill. The insurance companies pic.edk us off one by one, each succumbing to their promise of "one more dollar" for a little bit of corporate control of health care. We refused to organize.
None of us were ever going to starve.
I expatriated tonav3rd world country where it was possible to provide care for NO MONEY at all. (Imsaid i had ENOUGH, something few Americans ever experience.)
Had I not said my times in mynStatesude pactice, "id ratherbdomthisvfor nothing than to go through this!"
I ALSO "HAD to Let Go."
Wow Jessica...just...wow.
You've written an essay that pinpoints my feelings of where I am, and I suspect a WHOLE lot of us are right now. The strange part is that, with all the crap in the world, I've felt strangely peaceful these last couple of weeks. You're pointing out something I've been sensing but couldn't put into words.
I've tried all my life to make a difference in my community/world and it seems to have all been, as they say, "shot to shit". Most of us still want to try, but some of us don't have many years left, so now it's...all about ourselves and the ones we love/care about. Focus on helping ourselves (and NOT hurting others) and avoiding dealing with a world where "the devil take the hindmost" is the order of the day.
Exactly. :)
Time to reread A Farewell to Arms, and read the book u mentioned about W Wilson
Thanks Jessica, when life just is a relentless circus of insanity, letting go can be the remedy ✅
Savvy..
You mentioned Octavia Butler some days back. Those currents you channel here flow-organic while they accelerate toward that whitewater canyon.
Jessica, another great essay! You’re knocking out hits like the Beatles in the 1960s. This was a great big mood shifter for me. Thank you.
I'm glad it helped!
This is so good and can be applied to so many contexts. I needed this today--thank you for writing it.
You're not wrong, Jessica.
Thanks for this essay Jessica. You write beautifully, pertinently and succinctly. I'm 20 years further along than yourself, and yes, many of the books I read in my youth have different meanings for me now. It is always worthwhile revisiting things to appreciate how one's attitudes, understanding and feelings change.
The principles underlying A Farewell To Arms apply here in the UK as well as in the US, as we're currently saddled with an extreme-leaning Prime Minister whom everyone (and I belive it really is everyone now), is trying to eject from office. The internecine and petty political squabbling here are quite demoralising. So, your essay is a very timely reminder of our obligations to try to do the right thing for ourselves rather than to chose sides amongst the venal politicians.
This is exactly where I am at and where I have been struggling to be because “giving up” comes with so much baggage. “Letting go” feels so much truer. The last month spent gardening and working on putting more edible landscaping and prepping for the climate catastrophe that’s coming—regardless of who is in power—has been so much more life sustaining than endless activism that changes nothing meaningful.
Sharing some eggs and produce with friends, helping in small personal ways within my community, taking small steps to break free of the machine where I can…this is what can be sustained without just wanting to pull the covers over my head and never get out of bed again.
The war in Iran was started by an idiot no country in the world should follow.
Thank you for the history lesson, Jessica. There is a man on Substack who is a real patriot, who loves this country, and tells pertinent anecdotes about our history. In one of his live shows, he said, "I don't know if I want to be in this country, with these people [MAGA]." That surprised me. Earlier, he had said he would go down fighting.