The novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” takes us on a journey to the chaotic setting of the Spanish Civil War. The story follows Robert Jordan, an American civilian who joins the Republican army as a soldier to fight against the fascist dictatorship of Franco. During his mission in Segovia, Central Spain mountains, he shared experiences and bonded with locals.

Foreigners on a Civil War: Jordan, known as “Roberto” by the locals, was a professor who decided to become a soldier in the ongoing war. He used to teach Spanish in America and chose to enlist in the International War Alliance to fight against the injustice that the beautiful country and its people have been facing. Despite having no strong affinity with the Russian Communists who led the efforts, he’s sure to be on the right side of History, while battling against the dreadful fascist forces.

Human Relationships in Wartime: Although Jordan’s mission is to blow up a strategic bridge by himself, he must blend in with local partisans (guerrillas) and use their poor infrastructure to operate behind enemy lines.

The Face of Brutal Conflict: A recurring reflection is War’s corrosive effect, wearing people physically and mentally. The idea is well illustrated when Pillar, one of the partisans, tells the story of the purge of the fascists in her local village as the revolution starts. Here, Hemingway disguises himself as the character to observe how people transition from noble intentions to pure evil due to fatigue, disillusionment, and inhumanity. The thoughts are pretty similar to the concept detailed by Hannah Arendt in her magnificent ‘Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil’.

Takeaway

The novel depicts the lives of ordinary people who have become soldiers in a conflict that wastes their lives and land. More than any significant battle scene, the dialogues are the more prosperous part of the novel, always full of emotion and reflections.

I was struck by the author’s sensitivity, just as with his ‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ Ernest Hemingway’s unwavering toughness and militancy contrast wonderfully with his tender emotions, which thrive amidst pure action.

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

The curious title of the book is taken from a short poem by John Donne (1572 – 1631), which opens the narrative.