For whom the bell tolls

‘High in the pine forests of the Spanish Sierra, a guerrilla band prepares to blow up a vital bridge. Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer, has been sent to handle the dynamiting. There, in the mountains, he finds the dangers and the intense comradeship of war. And there he discovers Maria, a young woman who has escaped from Franco’s rebels.

For Whom the Bell Tolls is Hemingway’s finest novel, a passionate evocation of pride and the tragedy of the Civil War that tore Spain apart.’ …thus ran the blurb on the back cover of the classic.

Reading it the second time, I savored its taste. I read it slowly, every evening. The characters waited for me and came alive soon after I immersed myself in the story each day after coming back home. When I finished it, I couldn’t put it out of my mind. Now and then I could see the various scenes, feel the emotions of a moment. And my mind went on evaluating it. Nowadays I have become specially interested in literature.

There are a lot many classics on war, and I intensely dislike anything on war. Then why did I like this particular book? Here, Hemingway chose Spanish Civil War as his backdrop. He researched his subject well and according to knowledgeable reviews produced, ‘The best fictional report on the Spanish Civil War that we possess.’ By the way, are we interested in Spanish Civil War today? I think not.

Brick by brick, by innumerable delicate and bold strokes of his painting brush, he built and painted the mountains and the people there moving towards a single focal point of blowing up the bridge. The colors attracted, the detail made the people breathe which you can feel. As such the people acting their parts were not very extraordinary. But the special situation brought out the specialities in them making them cross two barriers – the barrier of time and the barrier of ordinariness. Ultimately, the Civil War became an excuse for writing the book – a mere façade, behind which moved the living, loving, fighting, and betraying people.

One main element behind the popularity of the book thus is the characterization with all the colors of life.

But is it only the characters? What about the story? Rather, the stories? It was not really one story. It was a collection of many stunning and not so stunning short stories which were woven back and forth, between the present moment and the past. This is a standard technique employed by authors. The characters either remember their previous experiences or tell their experiences to their co-actors. Those are the innumerable brush strokes, painting one scene after another with vivid detail. If you strip the main theme bare of these colors, these bits of events, the book loses its strength.

Hemingway had this capability of painting vivid scenes in great detail and we know this special ability can make an author great. That is the possibility, but something more is needed to make a book as memorable as For Whom…

In many reviews of the book, we see it categorized as a great love story. So there. The winning element. It must be the love that made the book so popular. Robert Jordan, the likeable hero, being also American and having leftist bent of mind attracts the love of most of the reading populace. He is young but experienced. He is hard but not calloused. At this young age he can handle people well and have strong leadership traits that we discover quickly. He is a hero no doubt, a hero of a suitable size, not out of size. He has his weaknesses too. That makes him more loveable. And this young demolition expert falls in love with Maria, a colt like girl—the lightning of love strikes from clear blue sky. What kind of love is it! Among death and destruction Robert and Maria find their love, knowing full well that they may have each other for only a few days, counted by hours and not years. It was true love, no question of it, the love between a man and woman, the impregnation, the mingling of blood, the beating of two hearts in unison—the simultaneous release of two people which binds them together for eternity, which moves the earth, which promises continuity. This love is desperate and pure. This love cannot be explained by reason. They feel it in their blood. Others around also feel it and give it the due respect.

In fact this not really is a love in the usual sense. It is truly speaking, the hope of life among ruins. Robert Jordan knew from the very beginning that he may die or the goal of blowing up the bridge might remain unattained.

This is the element of fatality. Everything is preordained. Robert Jordan, like true Americans, was not fatalistic. But nevertheless he knew. In spite of his knowledge, he plans and acts with cool towards his single goal amidst enormous pressure. He even apprehended that the blowing up of the bridge may not have any further importance in the bigger scheme of things because of unforeseen change of larger plans. But he didn’t have any option. He had to go ahead with his assigned duty with single-minded effort. We readers know that his apprehensions came true. There was indeed change of plans, but Robert didn’t get the news. He went ahead with his local plan endangering the stability of the present and future of all concerned including himself and his love, Maria. He had to go ahead, as he acted for a larger goal, that is freedom.

In spite of great treachery from the other main actor Pablo, which made his task of blowing the bridge nearly impossible, Robert don’t give up. Against all odds he blows up the bridge losing one of his most trusted men Anselmo as a price. Now time has speeded up and Robert faces his last hurdle.

While fleeing for safety, he loses his leg and his horse. He can’t go forward with the others – Pablo, his woman Pilar and Maria. As he lay bleeding, he urges others on. His love, his hope, his future life, Maria moves on towards future while he remains stuck in the present with its impending end. He knows what he had to do. Only one act is left for him. Fighting with excruciating pain and weakness due to loss of blood, he keeps himself conscious. Somehow. He waits for the enemy cavalry men appear round the bend. He waits with his finger on the trigger. Lieutenant Berrendo, the last surviving officer rides towards the critical point in time and space. Robert knows he will be able to kill him and without a leader the cavalry will never be able to catch Maria and others. His love will live and he will continue to live in his love. He waits as his heart still beats.

Man must know what he has to do and he must do it. Till his last breath.

Even if everything is preordained.

The wisdom and philosophy of Hemingway make the story go deeper, and stay longer.