In Another Country by Ernest Hemingway – Flashcards

1) "Lost Generation" is a term coined by Gertrude Stein to refer to authors who had served in World War I—writers who felt disconnected from a society that had changed while they were away at war 2) Ernest Hemingway was a "Lost Generation" writer whose works focus on the struggle between humanity and nature, his experiences with the Red Cross ambulance corps in World War I, and his time in Paris after the war.

"In Another Country" places us in the life of the narrator, who is going to the hospital for regular therapy sessions. The narrator is a young soldier who has been injured in World War I. The descriptions of the atmosphere, a cold fall in Italy, symbolize the grim reality of combat. No sunshine and warm beaches here. The story is inundated with people from the war, including the narrator, the major, and the narrator's friends.

The boy who wears the handkerchief over his face is a particularly poignant figure. He lost his nose the first hour he arrived at the front. Unlike many of the other characters, he does not have any medals. Although the narrator has medals, his friends are somewhat disenchanted because his injury was an accident.

The major, another patient at the hospital, becomes the narrator's friend. We realize that the major does not believe in bravery. While the narrator speaks of his friends as "hunting-hawks," he admits that he is not one. It is for this reason that the narrator can relate to the major, who becomes a tutor and mentor. One day the major inquires if the narrator is married. The narrator replies that he hopes to marry in the future, a statement that provokes a strong response. The major insists that the narrator should not marry so he will not lose anything. We learn that the major's wife has died. The loss of his hand and the loss of his wife parallel both reflect his feelings of isolation. The major thinks that it is better to avoid close relationships. He is consciously choosing to distance himself from others. His character truly embodies the concept of the "Lost Generation."

One common denominator among the characters is the detachment they feel after their experiences in the war. Also, the local townspeople dislike the characters because they are officers. The hospital and the café are places where all of the boys can relate to each other. They feel as though they belong in these settings. Although the Italian soldiers' attitudes change when they learn how the narrator received his medals, he feels no sense of shame. He admits that he does not want to go through what the others have endured. You should have noticed that the characters in this story feel disconnected on several levels. The officers feel as though society does not like them. Moreover, the narrator differs from the other soldiers because he has not shared their experiences. These characters are part of the "Lost Generation" because they have lost touch with the world.