Thursday, May 15, 2008

Analysis

Both pictures by Edward Hopper carry a very similar theme to Ernest Hemingway's two pieces. In Hemingway's pieces "Soldier's Home" and "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" the theme of nothingness and a feeling of isolation appears. I believe that particularly, the picture "Sunday" represents this idea of nothingness and loneliness. The picture represents this idea well for many reasons. First, the old man is sitting all by himself, looking down. His overall body language appears to be sad and and he looks very lonely. Plus, besides the man, there is absolutely no other sort of life or anything in the picture. Even the stores behind the old man seem to be all boarded and closed up. There is no life on the sidewalks, and the dark colors used in the picture portray an ultimately gloomy mood. This reflects Hemingway's idea of the old waiter, the old man, and Krebs. These characters are in the same place as the man in the picture; they are emotionally isolated and feel this nothingness. Old man, being deaf and always drinking by himself, the old waiter, who has no one to feel emotionally attatched to, and Krebs, who also seems isolated in his lack of emotional connection to others.

The second piece by Edward Hopper is significant of the stories in a completely different way. In "Morning Sun" the light shines directly on the girl, while the girl looks hopefully out the window. However, one must notice that she too, is completely alone on the fully made bed-looking out at a scene which does not seem to have much movement either. This also supports Hemingway's theme of isolation and nothing. However, this picture puts this nothingness in a positive light, unlike "Sunday" which has a more gloomy tone. When I first looked at "Morning Sun" it reminded me of the old waiter in "A Clean, Well Lighted Place" in that he only slept during the day, because that is when he could be at peace. This picture is symbolic of that idea, with the girl sitting on her bed, while everything else in the picture seems still and peaceful. I also thought that this piece was symbolic of Krebs, and the constant day light in the story, aloong this certain feeling of hope for Kreb's future and everything will work out. This picture represents that daylight and with the colors, mixed with the girl's facial expression and position, which seem like shes eager to see something, seems to reflect Kreb's hope for the future.

colleen froehlich

1 comment:

Colleen V. said...

Although I don't think Krebs has a bright future, I agree with much of your analysis. I didn't even think about the objects in the background of "Sunday," but I like your idea that the lack of life in the picture symbolizes his loneliness. I also think your observation of the lifelessness of the bed in "morning Sun" was accurate in relation to the isolation theme.