The Metaphysical Influence Of Symbolism In Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom The Bell Tolls

Abstract

This paper examines Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) focusing on the prominent core symbols that have been interpreted from many perspectives. The novel chronicles the tale of American teacher Robert Jordan, who enlists in the antifascist Loyalist army, and is set in the vicinity of Segovia, Spain, in 1937. He is to contact a band of guerrillas and blow up a bridge to further the Loyalist onslaught. He spends 72 hours at the guerilla camp, during which time the action takes place. During this time, he befriends Pablo, the cunning but cowardly guerrilla leader, and his brave wife Pilar, and falls in love with María, who has been sexually assaulted by fascist soldiers. After breaking down the bridge, Jordan sustains injuries, but Pablo, Pilar, María, and two other guerrillas manage to flee. He tells María he loves her again and waits for the fascist army and inevitable death. The symbols that linger over the main topics of Hemmingway’s fiction serve as a constant reminder to the reader of human progress made possible by the advancement of violent and warlike means used to destroy human life.