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For Whom The Bell Tolls Research Paper

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SUBJECT Ernest Hemmingway's novel For Whom The Bell Tolls is the story of Robert Jordan, an American Spanish professor who fought in the Spanish Civil War as a dynamiter. He fought for the Republic of Spain backed by communist Russia against fascists backed by Germany. His mission was to blow up a bridge held by the fascists during an offensive to prevent a counterattack. He fought behind enemy lines with guerilla bands in the mountains of Spain. While meeting the first band Jordan encountered the love of his life, Maria. She had been rescued by the band earlier during a raid on a train. It was love at first sight for both of them. Now faced with the problem of being in love during war, Jordan also had to deal with the leader of the band, Pablo, who was a drunk and had a cynical disposition. On top of that he needed to find yet another band to join him on the raid on the bridge as well as plan the attack and escape. When the plans had been made and the rest of the band gathered, they set out to blow the bridge just after the offensive had started. Jordan had spent the last few hours with Maria, knowing well it could be much of what was left of his life. Their attack was a success and the bridge was blown. However, during their escape Jordan was wounded in the leg …show more content…

One of the more prominent ones is the symbol of the pine needles on the forest floor. This is found in the first and last sentences of the book with Jordan laying in the forest and at the very end of the book when Jordan awaits death. "He lay flat on the brown, pine-needled floor of the forest, his chin on his folded arms, and high overhead the wind blew in the tops of the pine trees. . . . He could feel his heart beating against the pine-needle floor of the forest" (1-471). The symbol of the pine needles tie the beginning and the end of the book together. They also symbolize the circularity of life and death which is shown through the book

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