How do Hemingway and Henry James differ as writers?
Besides the obvious differences in their writing styles, Hemingway and Henry James also differ in their approaches to writing. If writing is an “art” to Henry James, it is a “process” to Ernest Hemingway. Writing, as Hemingway described it, is “mechanical work,” at times pleasurable and rewarding, at other times, lending itself to an “awful responsibility.” For Hemingway, writing was more a job than an art. As a job, he knew it had to be done well and if done well enough, it would be remembered. Hemingway was conscious of his style but to a lesser degree than James. He was less technical in his defense of his style. His attacks on critics and his contemporaries were more of a personal nature. Hemingway would never utter the remark, “I write this way because …” If he did favor the critics with an explanation, its ambiguous tone always resembled that of his novels and short stories. Henry James did try to enlighten others as to his stylistic intentions, almost too much so, almost to the
