MovieChat Forums > In Love and War (1997) Discussion > Glad some mention was made of the immens...

Glad some mention was made of the immense flaws

posted 15 years ago by mmattagirl
10 replies | jump to latest

in Hemingway's personality.

Namely, shouting out in front of his friend and rival that he had slept with Agnes, just out of spite and pique. A huge lie, as he had not.

One of his friends calls Hemingway out on his constant self aggrandisement, exaggerating his (Hemingways) exploits on the battlefield.

HIs total immaturity which he displayed by his childish intransigence when Agnes sought him out at his family's cabin.

Apparently he shot himself because he could no longer get it up, and he was no longer attracting the kind of women he could show off to his circle of friends.

...and I couldn't see anything much in Harry's Bar in Venice, and the so-called Peach Bellini was cr&p - I preferred Florian's.

It's probably obvious that Ernest Heminway is not my favorite character, adn I don't care for his writing style, either.

George... don't do that!

[–] hppg 15 years ago

He was the most annoying character ever! I couldn't understand what she saw in him at all.

[–] Jane2005 14 years ago

Hemingway was a child. What an idiot to let Agnes just walk away when she had come to him at the cabin. He was too proud and stubborn -- and look what it cost him.

Good for Agnes that he let her go. She was too good for him and she didn't deserve a child with such an ill temper.

-Jane

[–] hppg 14 years ago

OK he was an idiot but I understood that part. Most people don't go back to an ex who ended it with them and broke their heart - and those who do usually find it happens to them again. It's common advice not to do that even if they come back begging, and that it probably will end with another break up, not happily ever after. So I understood him there. I still love my ex and never wanted to break up but if he came back I'd have to say no because of how he hurt me and how I couldn't trust him.

[–] Jane2005 14 years ago

>>Most people don't go back to an ex who ended it with them and broke their heart <<

HPPG, you're right. Most people don't. Most people probably shouldn't.

However, Agnes came back to him after a long period of time and told him she'd made a mistake. He must've still loved her or he would not have been so upset.

They had become involved during a time of war and she had concerns about their differences. It's not like she cheated on him.

Their world was much different than our's now. She had also been the more level headed, mature and careful one out of the two of them.

It is a risk to take back an "ex", but if you truly love someone, isn't it worth it? You have to calculate the risk that the "ex" has changed or matured, or has seen things from a different perspective. If no soul searching has taken place, then don't risk it. In Agnes' case, she had done some soul searching. He was a prideful fool.

-Jane

[–] hppg 14 years ago

Honestly, I'd be hard-pressed to recommend it under any circumstances except in a movie! LOL

You might truly love someone and want to take the risk, but clearly they didn't love you if they ended it. And not only ended it but got engaged to somebody else and just mentioned it casually in a letter. Even in time of war, that's pretty low. If they didn't love you enough to try and make things work the first time then I doubt there would be enough change to make it work a second time. Only exceptions to this would be where the break up was mutual as both parties needed to work on things, or when there was something major happening like a forcible arranged marriage one party had to get out of.

[–] Jane2005 14 years ago

>>You might truly love someone and want to take the risk, but clearly they didn't love you if they ended it.<<

I disagree with this. I know a couple who had a falling out after dating for about a year.

Six months later he came back apologizing, and telling her he'd been a jerk. They've been reunited now for 3 years and will soon move in together.

Sometimes time away makes you realize what you gave up -- and what's worth fighting for.

-Jane

[–] hppg 14 years ago

I still don't buy it. Maybe it works but something's clearly wrong if you've roken up once already and been able to be apart. And, you know, three years isn't all that long for a success story.

[–] ZwanMonster 14 years ago

Do you think he would have been the same writer without this experience?

I highly doubt it.

They would have been happy and we would have never known who the hell Ernest Hemingway was, because this event transformed him.

Papa had a word: "Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." I'm sure he spent countless nights wondering what would have happened if he and Agnes would have stayed together...

[–] Jane2005 14 years ago

>>They would have been happy and we would have never known who the hell Ernest Hemingway was, because this event transformed him.<<

Hemingway suffered from profound depression (as many gifted people do). I doubt the marriage would've been a happy one for either with that baggage hanging over their heads. He may not have committed suicide in the end, but life would not have been a bed of roses.

-Jane

[–] ZwanMonster 14 years ago

True, but still... his A Farewell To Arms novel wouldn't have existed.