Geographies, Fictional and Non-fictional: America, Spain, Africa

Abstract

In this chapter I focus on the sense of geography in Hemingway′s work, a sense that is inextricable from that of history, tradition and time. I restrict my scope mainly to the places indicated in my title because of the space available to me. Also, despite the importance of France, Italy and Cuba in Hemingway′s work, it is his writerly moves between America and Spain and Africa that best illustrate

An if you are goin to be a nacherlist // thass O/K/ but ef yew air goin to Afrik fer to annoy a tranquil family of man eatin lions etc // I reprobate you.

(Ezra Pound to Ernest Hemingway)^l

And that is Hemingway, he looks like a modern and he smells of the museums.

(Gertrude Stein)²

Decadence — the threat of the city, civilization, machine — was stayed in the ... art of taxidermy

(Donna Haraway)³