How do we explain Hemingways timelessness from both a social and literary perspective?
During a 1999 Hemingway conference at the JFK Library in Boston, MA, one of the topics of discussion among the panelists was this question of Hemingway’s timelessness both as writer and celebrity. Why has this 20th century American author endured while so many others (Jack London for instance) have disappeared into a black hole of obscurity? One speaker answered the question by saying, “we all write through Hemingway.” Hemingway’s style of writing continues to be emulated today. The old joke about 20th century writers is that they can be divided into two distinct groups: those trying to write like Ernest Hemingway and those trying not to. Hemingway’s famous commentaries on the process of writing, his advice to beginners and his criticisms to his contemporaries are simply unparalleled. He is considered by many the most well recognized writer of the 20th century and perhaps the best American writer ever to put pencil to paper. Aside from his innovative style, the themes of his works are
