I have recently read Ernest Hemingways "To Have and Have Not". I have had some trouble in trying to understand the book beyond face value. You see there are several characters that have significant type invested in them. Harry Morgan is the main character. The other characters that Hemingway has chosen to invest in are Albert, a younger shipman and family man, and Richard Gordon, a big named writer. Both Morgan and Albert are related, Albert is a friend of Morgans who will later be employed by him only to be killed on the job before it really even starts. Richard Gordon, on the other hand, has nothing to do with their story, though they happen to cross path twice at a local bar. In actuality Richard could be his own primary character with his own set of secondary characters.
Hemingway could be paralleling both of their stories. The hardworking experienced man whom which Hemingway was always famous for being and writing for, and the pampered upper-class. We can see that Harry Morgan has dedicated friends like Albert who is, without his knowing, willing to die for him. He has a dedicated wife and good children. Though his work isn’t always straight, he is noted as saying that it is so because there isn’t always work but there is always something that needs to be payed. On the otherhand we have Richard Gordon who is unfaithful to his wife and in return she is unfaithful to him. His work is always there and accessible and his friends seem to be simple acquaintances. Their lives are completely different. I think this is one element of a greater part.
What could all this mean? Well, I suppose it could all be talking about "The Hero". I have come to think that the book is a presentation of situations in which not even a superhero could come out of alive. Harry Morgan is presented as a good, hard working man. He has worked on ships all his life and knows nothing else. Throughout the book he is trying to make ends meat with what he has. Unfortunately, it's not enough. A series of "let's fuck over Harry" events occur which force him to rely on illegally transporting immigrants, which in two of the two cases aren't completed. In the first he barely leaves the shore before turning around and dumping out the immigrants after he has taken the full pay. The second he kills all of his passengers to protect his own life, which is eventually lost in killing his passengers. There is a peculiar scene in this hero busniess though. In the second scenario of immigrants he has a discussion of ethics and values. The immigrants are part of a movement to o verthrow the government. The youngest and most personable immigrant has a conversation with Harry, what they talk about is how the young immigrant feels forced and compelled to ban from his traditions of being a peaceful man, one who would never steal or kill, to becoming something new for something he believes in. Much like Harry Morgan.
On the other hand, we have Richard Gordon who is paralleled with Harry in the latter half of the book. We find out in a very vivid chapter that he is caught cheating on his wife, we also find out that before he is caught he is kicked out from the other household due to a unsatisfactory performance in cheating on his wife. He is then left with absolutely nothing but to drink. Then again, even when he drinks he finds the person, Professor MacWalsey, who his wife is leaving him for. He gets into random coversations with veterans throught this particular drinking night and confronts MacWalsey, but is too soon kicked out. The unfortineate events keep building on when MacWalsey offers him help while he trying to find himself sober. We can see the fall of both men and can even compare and contrast them, but maybe some other time.
So, what could all this be pointing to? I don't believe there is one completely developed theme that this book is working to. It does touch on many themes though. For example: The cause people fight for and what are they worth, The working man versus the privileged, Death as undertaker of the innocent and not-so-innocent but I think the most prominent theme is the things that we are and are not given and how they affect our lives. Being the only Hemingway book I have actually finished, I think it will stay that way for a whole. Quite honestly, I just don't enjoy his books too much. I’ve always tried to explin this to people who ask but seem to fall short of proper explanation. I am glad that I have finished at least one though and hope some Hemingway fans, or not, may help me in my interpretations of his book. I'm sure I'll re-read this post sooner or later and edit it, organize it and what not, but for now: What do you think?
