Masculinity In Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway clearly holds the concept of masculinity in high regard. Throughout A Moveable Feast, he made the separation between men and women very clear. He was also very boastful in regards to his own achievements. There are several moments where he brags about his experiences with hunting and boxing, which are traditionally male dominated sports. His focus on masculinity and appearing masculine ultimately affects the relationships he has with other people. In A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway’s obsession with masculinity and gender roles is what led to the destruction of his personal relationships, primarily with Gertrude Stein and Scott Fitzgerald.

Throughout his relationship with Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway seems to place Stein

It seems as though Hemingway never saw Fitzgerald as an equal, so the relationship between the two of them was destroyed before it could even form. “Scott was a man then who looked like a boy with a face between handsome and pretty. He had very fair, wavy hair, a high forehead, excited and friendly eyes and a delicate long-lipped Irish mouth mouth that, on a girl, would have been the mouth of beauty” (Hemingway 149). This is the first introduction of Scott Fitzgerald, and it works to separate him from Hemingway right way by showing his features to be very pretty and more feminine than most men. As the two of them interact more, Hemingway shows distaste for the way that Fitzgerald handles his marriage. Fitzgerald is not the dominant one in his relationship with Zelda, and Hemingway seems almost disturbed by this. He takes issue with the control Zelda has over Scott and seems to want Scott to take control of the situation. Hemingway also seems too often emphasize Scott Fitzgerald’s emotions. Fitzgerald seems to be very melodramatic and almost childlike, in in a way that seems to fit the stereotype for a hysterical woman.

In conclusion, Hemingway seems to view masculinity as a strength, and he doesn’t allow himself to respect or build strong foundations with people who don’t live up to that strength. I liked Ryan’s description from class that Hemingway is “chasing testosterone” because I think it is a very good description of Hemingway’s character. Hemingway seems to be searching for a someone he views as an equal in terms of intellect and masculinity, but his views are unrealistic and lead to insatiable and destructive